Observations on the Story of the Widow's Mites for Those Who STILL Don't "Get it"

I couldn't help but notice the proliferation of videos that reveals there are many, many people who still haven't learned the meaning of this passage. I have added more background which shows solid historical support to show that Jesus, Jehovah of the Old Testament, would most definitely NOT have approved of what was going on in the passage. He was condemning the religious leaders, not commending the woman.

Scripture repeatedly reveals God's care for the widow, the poor, the fatherless and the stranger, and also reveals His anger at those who deprive them of what they need to live. If we have read all of our Bible, the story of the widow's mites, given in context of Jesus' condemnation of the religious leaders, should make us cringe. The story reveals the repetition of their abuses and consequential inevitable judgment. If we continue to teach the story of the widow's mites as an example of how to give, we are no better than the Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' day - AND WE WILL RECEIVE THE SAME JUDGMENT.


Most pastors take this story out of its context. It makes no sense that Jesus, who is in the middle of a warning to His disciples about the scribes devouring widows' houses, would suddenly interrupt the lesson with a story on giving by poor widows. I believe that the story is part and parcel of His warning and an illustration of how the scribes were "devouring widows' houses."

I have heard preachers and bible study teachers go so far as to say that the widow probably received more than she gave. This is patently ridiculous considering that the corrupt religious leaders were "devouring widow's houses."

Additional food for thought: Jesus had just condemned the corrupt system of Judaism - if this is an example of how to give, and if we are to follow the widow's example, we would be giving everything we have to corrupt, apostate religious institutions.

(It should be noted that the story, complete with Jesus' warnings of the scribes, appears in the book of Luke as well, but it is divided between two chapters. We need to keep in mind that the chapters and verses were not there in the original text and the divisions are not inspired; they weren't added until much later.)

For a more thorough study on this issue please visit:
Abusing the Poor Part 1
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6886225604464879344&ei=FSqsSs3-Ba...

Abusing the Poor Part 2
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6886225604464879344&ei=FSqsSs3-Ba...

Abusing the Poor Transcript
http://www.gty.org/Resources/Transcripts/42-251

The Truth About the Widow's Gift Part 1
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3288331606558152628#

The Truth About the Widow's Gift Part 2
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=386548514447207237#

Category:

Education

Tags:

• widows
• mites
• poor
• giving
• Jesus
• cheerful
• giver
• money
• Temple
• treasury
• Scribes
• Pharisees
• Pastors
• devour
• widows'
• houses
• doctrinal
• error
• collection
• plate
• tithe
• tithing
• free
• will
• love
• offering
• corrupt
• religious
• institutions
• church
• tradition
• wrath
• of
• God
• discernment
• Christian
• Baptist
• Methodist
• Episcopalian
• Catholic
• Presbyterian
• Lutheran
• apologetics
• thrufaithalone

[thrufaithalone]

@edwardpf123 - God has blessed you with sight to see, my friend. It never made any sense to me either, when Jesus always taught we were to give to the poor.

[edwardpf123]

Thank you for posting. It has made me think of the 'widow's mite' in a different way.

Frankly, I always had a problem with her giving everything, when she had so little.