Mark 12:43

43 Calling his followers to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow gave more than all those rich people.

Mark 12:43 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 12:43

And he called unto him, his disciples
Who were at some little distance from him, he having finished his discourses:

and saith unto them, verily I say unto you:
a way of speaking he often used, when he was about to deliver something of importance, and not so easy of belief, and which required attention, and what he solemnly affirmed:

that this poor widow,
pointing to her,

hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
not that she had cast in more, or so much as any one of them as to value and substance, much less more than them all put together; but that she had cast in more in proportion to what she had, than they had in proportion to their substance; and that hers, though very small in itself, and might be contemptible to others, yet it was more in the account of God and Christ, and more highly valued and esteemed of by them, than all that the rich men put in: since what she gave, she gave in faith, and from a principle of love, and with a view to the glory of God; when theirs was given only in hypocrisy, to make an outward show, and to be seen of men.

Mark 12:43 In-Context

41 Jesus sat near the Temple money box and watched the people put in their money. Many rich people gave large sums of money.
42 Then a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which were only worth a few cents.
43 Calling his followers to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow gave more than all those rich people.
44 They gave only what they did not need. This woman is very poor, but she gave all she had; she gave all she had to live on."
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.