Widow's Mite Coin
Relive the Lesson of the Widow’s Mite. The Widow’s Mite is perhaps the most fascinating of the New Testament coins. The “mite” or “pruta” was the smallest of the bronze coins of the Jews and are frequently mentioned in the New Testament manuscripts. The most famous text from Mark 12:41-44 reads. By Bullion Shark LLC In the New Testament Gospels of Luke and Mark is one of the most famous passages of The Bible that has come to be known as “the lesson of the widow’s mite”.
The Truth Behind the Widow’s Last Two Coins!
I'm sure you've heard the story of 'the widow's mite'.It's the parable Jesus tells in the Bible about the widow who gives who last two coins -- all she had! -- to the offering plate.The story
I’m sure you’ve heard the story of “the widow’s mite”.
It’s the parable Jesus tells in the Bible about the widow who gives who last two coins — all she had! — to the offering plate.
The story is usually told by preachers in a way that uplifts the widow as doing something honorable. The fact that she gave all she had is held up as an honorable act that we should all strive towards. The story is all about percentages. The widow gave only two coins, but it was 100% of what she had, so it was “more” than what everyone else gave. Especially the rich rulers.
The problem is that this too often gets used in a heavy-handed way, right about the time the church has a giving campaign for a new construction project.
So what’s up with the story? Why would God put it in there?
Well, here’s the truth. The story has been totally misunderstood and misapplied because no one has bothered to read the verses right before it.
The parable appears in both Mark 12 and Luke 20.
Here it is, in Mark 12:
The Widow’s Offering
41 Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts.42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.
43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions.44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”
When you read that story in a vacuum, especially with the heading that the editors dropped in, you would have trouble coming any other conclusion than the fact that the widow was doing the right thing. That we should ALL give this much!
But, when you read it in context of the whole chapter, an entirely different story emerges!
Here’s the zoom out view, with three additional verses added in:
38 Jesus also taught: “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces.39 And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets.40 Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished.”
The Widow’s Offering
41 Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts.42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.[j]
43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions.44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”
What a huge change in meaning!
All of a sudden, you have Jesus teaching them to beware of the teachers of religious law! Why? Because “they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property”. Then in the very next line it’s Jesus saying: Like this widow here….look at her! She was down to her last two coins and they’ve conned her into giving them both. Giving everything she owned!
Moral of his story? Don’t be like these teachers!
The widow should keep her last two coins and, in fact, the church should be helping her!
Folks, this is danger of proof texting. Of taking four verses of one particular story and not reading what comes right before or right after it!
Certainly the editors didn’t do us any favors with the subtitle they put in there to break up the story.
So the next time you see a church or a preacher using this story as a heavy-handed tactic to get people to give more…..run! Run fast and far away! These are the teachers Jesus warned to beware of! He called them “shameless” and said they would be “severely punished”. Those are his words, not ours.
Beware!
To the contrary, God loves a cheerful giver! Someone who gives under no compulsion. Because they want to!
Like it says in 2 corinthians 9:7:
7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Please SHARE this story to expose the truth about this parable!
Not to us, O Lord, not to us,
But to Your name be the glory
Because of Your love and your faithfulness!
There is an account in the Bible (Mark 12 and Luke 21) where Jesus sees a poor widow put two 'mites' into the offering. He uses the occasion to teach that it is not the amount you give, but why you give, that's important to God.
The widow's two mites are actually called leptons. These were the smallest denomination coin of the day in Judea and were struck during the reign of Alexander Jannaeus. Thousands and thousands were made, and you can still find them today. They are very crude coins, and most specimens only have a small amount of detail visible - just enough to identify them. Some amazing specimens have fully legible inscriptions and are well centered. There is a huge difference in value from the low to the high end:
worn: $6 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $30
well preserved: $350
One of our favorite places for ancient coins is VCoins.com. At this site you will find pictures and prices for genuine leptons.
Thomas' coin, however, is not a genuine lepton. It is a modern reproduction used for promotion. It carries no value.
Created (yyyymm): 201109, Last review: 201705
Appearance: Normal round coin Metallic brown Letters: Block style
Years: sort: -103, filter: -103 to 76
Image: ancient_widows_mite.jpg
Original inquiry: i am sending the photo in the attachment. any feedback would be greatly appreciated. there are unusual letters that look like iny bax or fiyni. iny baz fiyni anchor dot bead pearl rays beams sun sunburst