Mark 12:43, commentary and pictures

On His final day of teaching in the temple Christ called His disciples to notice a poor widow who deliberately cast two small coins, her whole living, into the treasury, while the rich cast large gifts from their abundance without want or sacrifice. Though worth far less in money, her gift was declared to be more than all that the others cast in that day. God judges a gift not by its amount, size, outward show, or public praise, but by what it costs the giver, its proportion to what he has, and the sacrifice it involves. He values it by the love, willing and cheerful heart, faith, consecration, and self-denial that prompt it, so a poor person's loving mite is as precious and acceptable as the largest donation. Her act has become a lasting example that inspires generosity, brings joy and heavenly reward, and calls even the poorest and the children to deny self and give what they can for His work.

Setting and Wording

The saying was spoken in the temple on Christ's final day of teaching there. He called his disciples to him to notice the poor widow's offering.

She cast in two small coins, or mites. Those two mites were her whole living, all she had to live on, what she needed for food and to live on. She was a widow with no house or land, yet she had saved this sum for the cause. Her gift was deliberate, and she would not take it back.

The rich cast in large gifts from their abundance. They gave without feeling want, giving up none of their comforts or luxuries. Many gave to be seen and honored.

Though worth less in money than the rich people's large gifts, her gift was declared to be more than all that the others cast into the treasury that day. It was counted as the greatest offering given that day, greater than the rich people's offerings, not because of its material value.

God's Measure of Giving

God measures a gift not by its amount, size, outward appearance, or public praise, but by what it costs the giver, its proportion to what he has, and the sacrifice it involves. Though the widow gave only two small coins, she was declared to have given more than all the rich that day because they gave from their abundance without sacrifice or feeling want, while she gave from her need, all she had to live on, even the necessities of life. Her offering was measured by the love and faith that moved her, showing unselfish faith and devotion, and it was commended as greater than theirs. Its value lay not only in amount but in spirit and sacrifice, so one who cannot give much should still give what he can and deny himself for God's cause, and such giving brings the joy of generosity and lays up treasure in heaven.

Gifts are valued by the love that prompts the giver's sacrifice, so a poor person's willing, loving gift can be as acceptable and precious as a rich person's largest donation and is not inferior in His sight. The widow's small offering was counted greater than the larger gifts because it came from a heart of love and involved real sacrifice, while the wealthy gave from abundance without feeling want. The poor person who freely gives what he needs and denies himself gives as truly as the wealthy person who gives without lack, and modest gifts offered in love become consecrated gifts that are smiled upon and blessed. Even small gifts are to be carefully cherished, and God blesses them according to the giver's wholehearted cheerfulness.

The true worth of a gift is measured not by size but by motive, unselfish spirit, willing and cheerful heart, faithfulness, consecration, and self-denial, and reward depends on purity of motive. She gave all she had with a willing heart, surrendering what she needed for food out of love and faith that her Heavenly Father would care for her, while the larger offerings were given without sacrifice. Christ commends such fidelity, and even those with little can lay up treasure in heaven by faithfully using what they have when worth is reckoned by motive and faithfulness rather than amount. Liberal and hearty giving from abundance is also seen, regarded, and rewarded when the action and motive are right, but giving without sacrifice or while fearing loss because of clinging to possessions cannot match a true self-denying mite in value.

A small offering presented with cheerful gratitude and faithful devotion is classed with the widow's gift and is blessed, for effort to do duty to the best of ability from love is noticed in heaven. God does not despise or make light of small ability but expects it to be put to use just as larger talents are, accepting every sincere gift whether mite or pound, and no lowly service is to be despised. Gifts that may seem meager are received and blessed when given sacrificially and willingly with an understanding heart, and what is given can be increased to support missions, establish schools, and reach people in danger of ruin. By the same measure, leaving only a few fishing boats and nets to follow Christ was not despised for its littleness but was accepted as true sacrifice, because a very small offering that is all the giver has is as dear to the poor as riches are to the wealthy.

Love, Faith and Motive

The widow gave out of love for God, love for His cause, and love and interest in His work, with concern for that work and an unselfish, benevolent spirit. Her two small coins were counted as more than the larger offerings because she gave from her poverty, surrendering what she needed for food, while the rich gave from abundance without sacrifice. Her gift expressed a heart burdened with love to God and willingness to bear the cost of giving, and for that reason it became consecrated, precious, smiled upon and blessed, a lasting example of faithful giving. Its true worth lay not in amount, material value, or public praise but in motive, unselfish spirit, and the love and interest that prompted it.

She gave in childlike, unselfish faith, trusting her Heavenly Father to care for her need and to provide for her uncertain future, even while surrendering the necessities of life and her whole living. She gave all she had, including what she needed to live on, and trusted God to provide, while the others gave from abundance without feeling want or giving up comfort. Christ valued her gift above the larger offerings because she gave a greater proportion of what she had and acted from a self-denying motive, so that God measures the offering by what it cost, by love and faith, and by devotion to His work rather than by size or praise.

Her two mites were her best, given wholeheartedly and with a willing heart. The smallest offering is not insignificant when given with the whole heart, for God values an offering by self-denial and willing spirit rather than by size. Her gift expressed a heart faithful to God's requirements, choosing God's way and practicing His will without putting self-interest first.

Her gift was a genuine offering to God, unlike the apparent devotion of the religious leaders which concealed self-interest. It was more acceptable than large sums raised through feasts that gratified appetite, for those who give from the heart in her spirit do well, and Heaven's blessing can make even the simplest offering highly valuable. The selfish misuse of her gift by religious leaders did not cancel God's blessing on her giving, for its worth lay in her love for God and concern for His work.

Influence, Memory and Reward

Her act stands as a lasting example of faithful giving that has stirred generosity in both rich and poor across the generations since that day. Much has been accomplished by the widow's mite, for Christ's recognition of her small gift has moved even those so poor they can give only a little to determine to do something for the Lord. Her self-denying gift, given with love, faith and benevolence while trusting God with an uncertain future, became an enduring encouragement to give.

Its results have reached far beyond its amount, for her example has inspired gifts that relieve the poor and needy and extend the truth. That influence has supported missions, hospitals, care for people in need, healing and gospel preaching, and she will see the results of it in the day of God. It has helped establish schools, reach those in danger of ruin, support the spread of truth and bring comfort to widows and orphans, with good beyond what anyone can measure. Many little gifts given together make a great whole, so all can give something regularly even when they cannot give a large sum, and giving through self-denial helps support gospel work and bring people to faith.

Even a small offering given sincerely and in love for God's work is made effective here and becomes a blessing now while bringing a reward hereafter. Children's saved pennies, like her mites, can help save souls, and their lasting effect will be seen in heaven.

Such self-denying giving brings the joy and sweetness of generosity to those who deny themselves for the truth and for the needy. It lays up treasure in heaven, for God regards the gift and its motive and faithfulness, not the amount, and even those with little can lay it up by faithfully using what they have. A small gift that is a real sacrifice is remembered by God. It is counted as a deed done to Christ and is recorded in the review of each person's actions, and its giver will see its results in the day of God.

Money belongs to the Lord, and gifts placed in His treasury are part of faithful service to God for which people must answer to Him for how they use it. Those entrusted with such consecrated gifts, given at times with prayer and tears and joy by poor widows who gave nearly all they depended on, are accountable for how they use them. Funds saved from unnecessary spending and from merely satisfying personal wishes can support aged ministers worn out by their work.

Call to Sacrificial Giving

The poor share fully in the privilege of giving and must not excuse themselves because they cannot give liberally, but each is to give what he can, deny himself of something he could use, and sacrifice for God's cause as the widow did with her two mites. The value of such giving is measured not by its amount but by the sacrifice it involves and the love that prompts it, so that a small self-denying gift actually gives more than all the gifts cast in out of abundance by those who feel no want and deny themselves nothing. A poor person's willing gift given from love can therefore be as acceptable as a rich person's largest donation, while liberal and hearty giving from abundance is also seen, regarded, and rewarded when the action and motive are right. Such self-denial for the truth brings sweetness in giving to the needy and the joy of generosity, and lays up treasure in heaven.

Giving is to come from a self-denying, self-sacrificing heart willing to help spread the truth, turning means once spent on self-gratification into the Lord's treasury to meet calls for help in advancing His work. Even the smallest gift given in that spirit is noticed, remembered, recognized, and blessed by God, because He looks upon its spirit and cost rather than merely its amount. Each person is responsible to use the gifts and means entrusted to him according to his ability, for offerings may vary according to ability and God values a humble, sincere gift according to what a person can give. When those who are poor embrace the truth and do to the very best of their ability, going to the extent of their ability, the heavenly Father sees it and will bring in other talents to carry forward His work.

Those who have houses and lands are called to trust God and put their means into His work rather than cling selfishly to earthly treasure, while everyone to whom God has entrusted means is called to give for the support of His work with the promise of great blessing for following His example of self-denial. Poor widows who gave nearly all they depended on with prayer, tears, and joy, and poor families who give at real cost to themselves, follow the widow's example when they give joyfully and in trust and devotion to advance God's work. Such giving is to meet a fitting need, as enabling a poor preacher to labor in the gospel, rather than to satisfy the demands of those able to provide for themselves, and those entrusted with such consecrated gifts are accountable for how they use them.

Children too are called to show unselfish interest, especially for the work in the South, for every gift however small helps and much has been accomplished by the widow's mite. They are to put into the offering box money that would otherwise be spent for candy and other needless things, and to earn money in many ways to give. This includes making simple, useful household articles and selling them while telling buyers that the money is devoted to this work, and telling visitors who ask about the box the story of the effort to help a needy missionary field. Such mites given from unselfish interest and self-denial count as more than larger gifts.