And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
And he saw a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
and he saw also a certain poor widow casting there two mites,
but he saw also a certain poor widow casting therein two mites.
Luke — Luke's 'orderly account' (1:3) follows Jesus from Bethlehem through the long travel narrative to Jerusalem and the Emmaus road.
Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread — the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.
The verses this one reaches4
Then one poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amounted to a small fraction of a denarius.
For they all contributed out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”
If, however, the person is poor and cannot afford these offerings, he is to take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to make atonement for him, along with a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, a log of olive oil,
A gracious woman attains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth.
Voices4
Although the spite of some people does not grow gentle with any kindness, nevertheless the works of mercy are not fruitless, and kindness never loses what is offered to the ungrateful. May no one, dearly beloved, make themselves strangers to good works. Let no one claim that his poverty scarcely sufficed for himself and could not help another. What is offered from a little is great, and in the scale of divine justice, the quantity of gifts is not measured but the steadfastness of souls.
Leo the Great· SERMON 20.3.1, 461patristic
While [Jesus] stood in the temple, he also gave the verdict of which we are speaking. In the following verses, you have: "Jesus spoke these words in the treasury while teaching in the temple. And no one seized him." What is the treasury? It is the contribution of the faithful, the bank of the poor, and the refuge of the needy.
Ambrose of Milan· LETTERS TO LAYMEN 84, 397patristic
And he saw also a certain poor widow,.... Whom he took particular notice of above all the rest: the poor, and the widow, are regarded by him, and are his care; nor are their mean services, done in faith, and from a principle of love, despised by him, but preferred to the greater services of others, where faith and love are wanting: casting in thither two mites; the value of a farthing. The Persic version renders it, "two bottoms of yarn"; See Gill on Mar 12:42,
John Gill· Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748)reformed
A certain poor widow - A widow miserably poor; this is the proper import of πενιχραν, and her being miserably poor heightened the merit of the action. Two mites - Which Mark says, Mar 12:42, make a farthing or quadrans, the fourth part of an As, or penny, as we term it.
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible, 1832evangelical
