In Mark 12:44a, Jesus says: “For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty”.
Three things are significant to notice here. First, Jesus groups all (Gk. pantes) those men who contributed as one category over against the single poor woman. It was customary that multitudes of people, all who were rich and honored, come and share their wealth into the treasury. This was one of the ways through which the rich people showed their affluence before the general public.
Second, all (people) whom Jesus identifies here contribute out of their abundance. They have enough at stake; hence they contribute a minute portion to the treasury. In that way, they do not risk anything in life at all.
Third, the woman contributes out of her poverty. She doesn’t have a place to return, somebody to care her, or a portion of money to keep aside. She had only two copper coins and that she contributes to the treasury. That means, her contribution was hundred percent. She risks a lot of things to make this contribution happen.
We can learn the following lessons from this verse: first, Jesus does not expect our ordinary donations, but extra-ordinary ones; second, a contribution that causes us to risk a lot is an extra-ordinary contribution; and third, Jesus takes side with the poor, needy, and the marginalized.
In Mark 12:44b Jesus says: “. . . but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live”. Two things are very significant to note here. First, the poor woman has “put in everything she had”. She was putting out of her ‘want’ (Gk. ‘husterēseōs’) means that she was a needy-poor. She was putting ‘everything’ (Gk. ‘panta’) means that her contribution was complete in essence. She was putting ‘whatever she had’ (Gk. ‘hosa eichen’) means that she was contributing her lifelong financial balance. That further means that the woman was making a contribution par excellence.
Second, the poor woman was contributing “all she had to live”. Her contribution makes a difference because she put ‘all’ (Gk. ‘holon’). The expression indicates that her contribution to the temple was ‘wholesome’. She was not contributing out of her ‘abundance’ (Gk. ‘perisseuontos’) just as the rich men were doing, but it was done out of her ‘life’ (Gk. ‘ton bion autēs’). That can mean that she starved in her ‘life’ (Gk. ‘bios’) to make this contribution an eventful one. In essence, her contribution was out of ‘pure devotion’, ‘self-denial’, and ‘righteous heart’. In Jesus’ sight, this needy-poor-widow-woman became a model of ‘true discipleship’ than the self-righteous rich men.
Prayer: God, empower me with your Holy Spirit so that I may become a ‘true disciple’. Lead me from hypocritical devotion to pure devotion, from self-righteousness to self-denial, and from my unclean heart to a clean heart. Amen.
