Luke 21:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he said, "Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them.

NIV: "Truly I tell you," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others.

NASB: And He said, 'Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them;

CSB: "Truly I tell you," he said. "This poor widow has put in more than all of them.

NLT: I tell you the truth,' Jesus said, 'this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them.

KJV: And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:

NKJV: So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all;

Every day, Jesus and His disciples go to the temple Mount, where He teaches. At night, they sleep outside the city at the Mount of Olives (Luke 21:37–38). On this day, Jesus is sitting opposite the temple treasury: the room where the offerings are stored. As He watches, several rich people drop off exceptionally large donations (Mark 12:41). Then, Jesus notices a destitute widow. All she has to offer is two copper coins: 1/50th of a day-laborer's wage. It is all the money she has, and she chooses to give it to God (Luke 21:2).

Jesus compares the woman's donation with those of the rich people. They can give a lot with ease because they have even more at home (Luke 21:4). She now has nothing. A modern Getty-Townend song says, "not what you give, but what you keep, is what the King is counting." The measure of giving is not how much we hand over, but whether we hold back.

God isn't dependent on the widow's two coins any more than He needs to rely on greater offerings. The heart of the widow who gave her last two coins is the real treasure. She expresses genuine trust and honor for her Lord. The rich men giving for the sake of popularity are only interested in publicity.

Directly after Jesus' words about the generous widow, Luke turns to Jesus' prophecy that the temple will be destroyed. "There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down" (Luke 21:6). Compared to the throngs giving money for the temple treasury, the woman's offering is next to nothing. But Jesus' words put the great amounts of money donated by the rich into another helpful perspective. No matter how that money is used to repair and embellish the temple—or even if it is just kept in storage—in less than forty years it will all be gone.

During the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, Roman soldiers set the temple on fire, then tore the stones from each other to scrape out melted gold.

Luke 21:1–4 completes Jesus' defense of His authority after the triumphal entry (Luke 19:28—20:47). He singles out a poor widow as a counterpoint to the religious leaders He warned about earlier (Luke 20:45–47). The scribes crave attention, while the widow acts quietly. The scribes steal widows' homes, while this widow gives her last two coins for the temple treasury. With His authority sufficiently defended, Jesus goes on to warn the disciples about their coming hardships (Luke 21:5–36). The widow is also mentioned in Mark 12:41–44.

Luke 21 records the last of Jesus' teachings before the Last Supper, His arrest, and His crucifixion. Luke 21:1–4 fits well with the themes of Luke 19:28—20:47. Luke 21:5–11 describes how false messiahs, war, and natural disasters will become normal. Luke 21:12–24 prophesies challenges prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Luke 21:25–28 moves to the tribulation. Luke 21:29–36 is Jesus' instructions about the disciples' lives and ministries with respect to the delayed kingdom. Luke 21:37–38 is a note about Jesus' schedule in the days between the triumphal entry and His arrest.

Luke 21 finishes the presentation of Jesus in Jerusalem as the Messiah of the Jews. This lays a foundation for the Passion Narrative: the final days before Jesus is crucified. Luke 19:28—20:47 covered most of the discussions about His authority which are completed with His words about the widow's sacrificial offering (Luke 21:1–4). The rest of the chapter records His warnings to the disciples about the violence they, the temple, Jerusalem, and the world will face between His ascension and His return. Matthew 24 and Mark 12:41—13:37 cover the same material.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.