Mark 12:41-44

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Mark 12:41-44

This passage of story was not in Matthew, but is here and in Luke; it is Christ's commendation of the poor widow, that cast two mites into the treasury, which our Saviour, busy as he was in preaching, found leisure to take notice of. Observe, I. There was a public fund for charity, into which contributions were brought, and out of which distributions were made; a poor?s-box, and this in the temple; for works of charity and works of piety very fitly go together; where God is honoured by our... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Mark 12:41-44

12:41-44 When Jesus had sat down opposite the treasury, he was watching how the crowd threw their money into the treasury, and many rich people threw in large sums. A poor widow woman came and threw in two mites which make up half a farthing. He called his disciples and said to them, "This is the truth I tell you--this poor widow woman has thrown in more than an the people who threw money into the treasury, for all of them threw their contributions in out of their abundance, but she out of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 12:41

And Jesus sat over against the treasury ,.... the Arabic version reads, "at the door of the treasury"; the place where the chests stood, into which money was put for various uses: there were thirteen chests in the temple F4 Misn. Shekalhim, c. 6. sect. 5. & Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. & Moses Kotsensis, Mitzvot Tora, pr. affirm. 44. & Maimon. Hilch. Shekalim, c. 2. sect. 2,3. ; six of them were, לנדבה , for voluntary oblations, or freewill offerings; for what remained... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 12:42

And there came a certain poor widow ,.... Among the many that came to offer their gifts freely, there came one that was particularly taken notice of by Christ; and she was a "widow", had no husband to provide for her, and was a "poor" one; had no substance left her by her husband to support her with; very likely she was an inhabitant of Jerusalem: and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing ; a "quadrant", which was the fourth part of the Roman assis, or farthing; which seems to be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 12:43

And he called unto him, his disciples ,.... Who were at some little distance from him, he having finished his discourses: and saith unto them, verily I say unto you : a way of speaking he often used, when he was about to deliver something of importance, and not so easy of belief, and which required attention, and what he solemnly affirmed: that this poor widow , pointing to her, hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury : not that she had cast in more, or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 12:44

For all they did cast in of their abundance ,.... Or "superabundance", as the Arabic version renders it; or "superfluity", as the Ethiopic: they abounded in the things of the world, of which they gave only a part; and though they might give much, yet they could easily spare it, and had enough remaining: but she, of her want ; or "penury", as in Luke 21:4 ; see 2 Corinthians 8:2 ; did cast in all that she had, even all her living ; her whole substance, all that she had in the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Mark 12:41

Cast money into the treasury - It is worthy of observation, that the money put into the treasury, even by the rich, is termed by the evangelist χαλκον , brass money, probably that species of small brass coin which was called פרוטה prutah among the Jews, two of which make a farthing, and twenty-four an Italian assarius, which assarius is the twenty-fourth part of a silver penny. We call this, mite, from the French, miete , which signifies a crumb, or very small morsel. The prutah was... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Mark 12:43

Verse 43 Mark 12:43.Verily I say to you. This reply of Christ contains a highly useful doctrine that whatever men offer to God ought to be estimated not by its apparent value, (122) but only by the feeling of the heart, and that the holy affection of him who according to his small means, offers to God the little that he has, is more worthy of esteem than that of him who offers a hundred times more out of his abundance. In two ways this doctrine is useful, for the poor who appear not to have the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 12:41

He sat down over against the treasury ( γαζοφυλάκιον , from γάζα , a Persian word meaning "treasure," and φυλάττειν , to guard). This was the receptacle into which the offerings of the people were east, for the uses of the temple and for the benefit of the priests and of the poor. Hence that part of the temple in which these gifts were kept was called the treasury. He beheld ( ἐθεώρει )—literally, he was beholding ; he was observing— how the multitude πῶς ὁ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 12:41

Jesus lingering in the temple. This is one of the best-known incidents in the life of our Lord. It is strange that it should be so. If we consider the greatness of his work, we should hardly expect that room would be found in a brief record of it for so trivial an event. It was an every-day occurrence for the worshippers who entered the temple to cast their offerings into the treasury, and not a few widows would be found among them. Yet an evangelist, who was inspired of God to select or... read more

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