Observing the Offerings and Widow's Mites.

      ^b 41 And he sat down over against the treasury [It is said that in the court of the women there were cloisters or porticos, and under the shelter of these were placed thirteen chests with trumpet-shaped mouths into which offerings might be dropped. The money cast in was for the benefit of the Temple. An inscription on each chest showed to which one of the thirteen special items of cost or expenditure the contents would be devoted; as, for the purchase of wood, or gold, or frankincense, etc.], and beheld how the multitude cast money into the treasury [We should remember this calm inspection of our Lord when we are about to make an offering to his work. He is by no means indifferent as to our actions]: and many that were rich cast in much.

  ^c 1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men that were casting their gifts into the treasury.

  ^b 42 And there came

  ^c 2 And he saw a certain poor widow casting in thither ^b and she cast in two mites, which make a farthing.

  43 And he called unto him his disciples [he had found an object-lesson which he wished them to see],

and said unto them, Verily ^c Of a truth I say unto you, ^b This poor widow cast in more than all they that are casting into the treasury:

  44 for they {^c these} ^b all did cast in of their superfluity; ^c unto the gifts; ^b but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even ^c all the living that she had. {^b all her living.}