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smallest gift

Mark 12:42
"And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing."

Jesus is in the temple teaching a HARD LESSON about the SCRIBES. They were the “Bible Scholars” of the day. Their responsibility was preserving and teaching the WORD of GOD. But they DID NOT. Having shared sharp words, Jesus looks around His surroundings and notices another way to further illustrate His lesson.

This part of the Temple, by the treasury, had a large trumpet-shaped vessel that stood near the entrance for receiving offerings. The attendees would cast their gifts, primarily copper and bronze coins, into this trumpet. The coins would make a considerable clatter in the trumpet and still more clinking noise as they fell into a pile. This might have sounded like a Las Vegas slot machine paying out. Especially when the "rich CAST in MUCH."

In stark contrast, today's verse; "And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in TWO MITES, which make a farthing." The primary meaning of the word “mite” is “thin” or “tiny.” The “farthing” is one of the Latin words that represents the quadrans, or fourth-part of a Roman measurement. We might think of the mites being "dimes" and the farthing as a "quarter." Point being the mites were SMALL, and they made very LITTLE noise when cast into the trumpet of the treasury. If Jesus had not pointed this widow out, no one would have even noticed her or her offering. 

Keep in mind that some of those present and casting MUCH in, making lots of noise, would have been scribes and Pharisees who swindled homes from widows. It is even probable that this widow has lost her home to one of them! AND! She keeps on giving more!!! What is clear is that Jesus knows this situation from every perspective. 

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