Mark 12:41 - Meaning and Application

This story is not in Matthew, but it is found here and in Luke. It shows Christ praising a poor widow who put two mites into the treasury, and even while he was busy teaching, he made time to notice her. We should observe several things from it.

First, there was a public fund for charity, where people brought gifts and from which help was given out. In the temple, there was a place for offerings to the poor. Works of charity and acts of worship fit well together. Where God is honored in our worship, it is right that he should also be honored by care for his poor. We often see prayers and gifts for the needy joined together, as in (Acts 10:2) and (Acts 10:4). It is good to set up public places for charity, so private people are encouraged and guided in giving. It is also good for those who have means to set aside money as God prospers them (1 Corinthians 16:2), so they have something ready when a need appears.

Second, Jesus Christ watched what people were doing. He sat opposite the treasury and saw the crowd putting money in. He was not upset that he had no money to give, or that he did not control what others gave. He simply paid attention to what was offered. Our Lord notices what we give for godly and charitable purposes, whether we give much or little, cheerfully or unwillingly. He looks at the heart too. He sees the reasons behind our giving, and whether we do it for the Lord or only to be seen by people.

Third, he saw many rich people putting in large amounts. That was a good sight, because it is good to see rich people being generous, and even better to see many of them doing so. Those who are rich should give richly. If God gives us much, he expects us to give much to the poor. It is not enough for wealthy people to say they give as much as others, when others may have far less. They should give in proportion to what they have. If needy people do not come to them, they should look for them and plan generous gifts.

Fourth, there was a poor widow who put in two mites, which is a very small amount, about a farthing (Mark 12:42). The Lord Jesus highly praised her. He called his disciples and told them to pay attention to what she had done (Mark 12:43). He said that she could hardly spare what she gave, because it was nearly all she had, all she had to live on for that day, and perhaps much of what she had earned the day before. Because he knew she gave from a truly charitable heart, he counted her gift as greater than all the rich people’s gifts together, since they gave out of abundance, but she gave out of poverty (Mark 12:44).

Many people would have criticized this poor widow and thought she had done wrong. Why give to others when she had so little for herself? Shouldn’t charity begin at home? Or, if she wanted to give, why not give directly to some poor person she knew, instead of bringing it to the treasury, where the chief priests would decide how to use it, and where they may not have handled it fairly? It is so uncommon to find anyone who would not blame this widow that we can hardly expect many to imitate her. Yet our Savior praised her, so we know she did well and wisely. If Christ says, “Well done,” it does not matter who disagrees.

From this we learn several things. Giving alms, giving to the poor, is a very good thing and is highly pleasing to the Lord Jesus. If we are humble and sincere in it, he will gladly accept it, even if every detail is not managed perfectly. Those who have only a little should give from their little. People who live by their labor, living from day to day, should still give to those in need (Ephesians 4:28). It is also good for us to limit ourselves and deny some comforts so that we can give more to the poor. We should sometimes go without even pleasant things, not just luxuries, so that others can have what they need. In many cases, we should tighten our own belt to supply another person’s need. That is part of loving our neighbor as ourselves.

Public charities should also be supported, because they bring public blessings on a nation. Even if there is some bad management, that is not a reason to stop giving our fair share. And though we can give only a little, if we give according to our ability and with an honest heart, Christ will accept it. He asks for what a person has, not for what he does not have. Two mites will be counted as carefully as two pounds, if they are given rightly.

It is also a high praise of charity when we give not only from our abundance, but even beyond what seems comfortable, as the Macedonian churches did. Though they were deeply poor, they gave with great generosity (2 Corinthians 8:2) (2 Corinthians 8:3). When we can gladly provide for others out of what we truly need ourselves, as the widow of Zarephath did for Elijah, and as Christ did for the five thousand, and trust God to supply us in another way, that is worthy of praise.