Mark 12:43

43 Jesus called his disciples over and said, "The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together.

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 Sitting across from the offering box, he was observing how the crowd tossed money in for the collection. Many of the rich were making large contributions.
42 One poor widow came up and put in two small coins - a measly two cents.
43 Jesus called his disciples over and said, "The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together.
44 All the others gave what they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford - she gave her all."
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.