Luke 21:3
And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:
Original Language Analysis
Historical Context
Jesus spoke these words to His disciples, using the widow as an object lesson in kingdom values. This teaching occurred during Passion Week, days before His crucifixion, in the context of escalating conflict with religious authorities. The temple He was observing would be destroyed within forty years (AD 70), making the widow's sacrifice historically poignant—she gave everything to an institution Jesus knew was doomed. Yet He commends her gift because it reflected genuine devotion, not because the institution deserved it. The principle transcends the historical moment: God values the heart behind the gift regardless of the recipient's worthiness.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Jesus' declaration that the widow gave 'more than they all' revolutionize your understanding of giving?
- What does this passage teach about God's evaluation criteria versus human measures of success and generosity?
- If God measures gifts by proportion and sacrifice rather than amount, how should this reshape your giving habits?
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Analysis & Commentary
And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all. Jesus makes His evaluation explicit with the solemn formula alēthōs legō hymin (ἀληθῶς λέγω ὑμῖν, 'truly I say to you')—this is authoritative revelation, not opinion. His assessment contradicts all visible evidence. The widow gave less than anyone economically, yet Jesus declares she gave pleion pantōn (πλεῖον πάντων, 'more than all').
This reveals God's radically different accounting system. Human calculation measures output; God measures proportion and sacrifice. The wealthy gave thousands while retaining millions; the widow gave pennies but retained nothing. By heaven's mathematics, she out-gave them all. Jesus' statement challenges every economic and religious assumption—God doesn't evaluate gifts by their size, utility, or visible impact but by the giver's heart and sacrifice. This woman's pennies counted for more in heaven's ledger than the temple's wealthiest donations.