In today’s Gospel we hear the story of a poor widow putting her offering in the Temple treasury. It seems like a simple story highlighting this widow’s great generosity. Jesus remarks: “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest.” Jesus had first observed “wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury.” While quantitatively they gave more they only gave “from their surplus wealth” whereas this widow had no surplus wealth but depended on all that she had.
While this Gospel is a favorite for religious leaders in their annual appeals holding up this widow as an example of generous giving the meaning is not so simple. This widow is not just generous she is generous “to a fault.” Jesus observes:
“I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”
This poor widow has given away everything that he had to live on, “her whole liveliness.”
To understand what is going on here we need to look to the section right before today’s passage:
“Be on guard against the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and love greetings in marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation.” (Luke 20:46-47)
These scribes are teaches of the Torah and their teach through their interpretation of the Law of God. Jesus accuses some of them of putting oppressive burdens on people through their interpretation of God’s will: “Woe also to you scholars of the law! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.” Jesus woe is pronounced against these scribes or scholars of the law who “devour the houses of widows” (Luke 20:46) by placing “burdens hard to carry” through their interpretation of the Torah or Law. In today’s Gospel passage Jesus is lamenting the fact that this widow thinks God would want her to give up her “whole livelihood.” Jesus teaches that God want us to be generous, but it should not be a heavy burden:
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Matthew 11:28-30).
Image: “She Gave All She Had” by Lawrence OP is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.