Mark 12:13–44
13 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. 14 And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances,1 but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” 15 But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius2 and let me look at it.” 16 And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.” 17 Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.
18 And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man3 must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. 22 And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.”
24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”
28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.
35 And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet.”’
37 David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.
38 And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces 39 and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 40 who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.4 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
1 Greek you do not look at people’s faces 2 A denarius was a day’s wage for a laborer 3 Greek his brother 4 Greek two lepta, which make a kodrantes; a kodrantes (Latin quadrans) was a Roman copper coin worth about 1/64 of a denarius (which was a day’s wage for a laborer)
Section Overview
Jesus praises the sincere and sacrificial devotion of a poor widow (Mark 12:38–44). His praise of her stands in stark contrast to his sharp indictment of his opponents. Overall, the section describes continuing controversies between Jesus and his opponents. In the midst of these controversies, his wisdom, knowledge, and purity become ever more apparent. He continues to prove his integrity in controversy.
In the larger context of further controversies between Jesus and his opponents, Mark 12:13–17 describes how his opponents seek to trap him on his views concerning the law and the wisdom of paying taxes to the Roman emperor. In 12:18–27, opponents challenge Jesus’ teaching concerning the resurrection of the dead. These two controversies are followed by three controversy cycles involving scribes: (1) Mark 12:28–34 takes up the question of what constitutes the chief emphasis of the law. (2) In 12:35–37 Jesus presents a challenging question pertaining to the messianic interpretation of Psalm 110. (3) In Mark 12:38–44 Jesus contrasts the hypocrisy of his opponents with the sincerity of a poor widow.
Section Outline
III.B. Work in Jerusalem (11:1–13:37) . . .
3. Controversies (12:13–44)
a. The Question concerning Taxes (12:13–17)
b. The Question concerning Marriage in the Afterlife (12:18–27)
c. The Question concerning the Chief Emphasis of the OT Law (12:28–34)
d. Jesus as the Messianic Lord of David (12:35–37)
e. Hypocrisy versus Sincerity (12:38–44)
(1) The Scribes’ Hypocrisy (12:38–40)
(2) The Sincerity of the Poor Widow (12:41–44)
Response
A follower of Christ learns that cleansing of the heart is crucial for all matters of life. The purification of the inner attitude facilitates the appropriate and God-intended interpretation of the law of Moses. It also guides in ethical decisions and social issues (taxes). Such radical purification of the heart has been effected by the eternal Son of God. This serves as the foundation for sustainable personal and social change.
Jesus’ authoritatively exposes the false or hypocritical teaching of the Jerusalem leaders regarding the payment of taxes, the resurrection, the core of the Mosaic law, the true identity of the Messiah, and the demands on the poor. The common denominator of these diverse themes is an approach to life arising from self-sufficiency and self-interest instead of a truly dependent faith in God (Mark 12:24, 41–42; see also 11:22–25). Such faith changes perspectives. Such trust enables the follower to consider various aspects of human life from God’s perspective rather than from the limited perspective of personal knowledge and experience. In order truly to trust the living God, the open reader is challenged to let God reveal himself and to let God be who he really is (e.g., 12:35–37), not who he or she thinks God might or ought to be. This requires the need to identify the source of true divine revelation. Jesus, the eternal Son (12:6), speaks authoritatively (11:9) in fulfillment of long-standing promises in the OT (e.g., 12:35–37) and as a person of the triune God. His challenging teaching exposes self-sufficiency and self-interest and calls for trusting obedience to his word by repentance and faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (cf. 12:9–11). No evidence has been uncovered to discredit Jesus’ teaching and the reliable textual and content transmission of the same. Trust in the God who has revealed himself in such a dependable way will lead to the true fruit of godliness, mercy, worship, and witness—individually and corporately.
Response to 12:13–34, 38–44
More specifically, the contemporary follower of Christ learns that Jesus accepts the civil governance of the Roman Empire without endorsing its abuse of power or justice. Jesus teaches that God is sovereign over any government. He implies that every government is thus accountable to God. No human official is accountable only to the people; such a person is simultaneously accountable to the living God. The people of God across the globe are thus called to submit to the authority of a given civil government and to pray for its officials in their accountability before God, whether they acknowledge such responsibility or not. Simultaneously, civil officials are to be reminded of—and held accountable to—their mandate to uphold what is good and just (Rom. 13:3; 1 Pet. 2:13–15).
Response to 12:18–44
Furthermore, contemporary followers can rest in the sure promise of a physical resurrection (Mark 12:18–27) as part of a new life with God in a new earth and heaven. The present and future life will not discard God’s revelation given in the OT (Matt. 5:17–20) but rather will bring it to fruit-bearing fulfillment. It is for this reason that growth in moral godliness is an important dimension of witness in this present age, instead of continuing in hypocrisy or exploitation of the poor or vulnerable (Mark 12:38–44). Jesus never divorces true belief from authentic action. Real faith always leads to sincerity and godliness.
Greek you do not look at people’s faces
A denarius was a day’s wage for a laborer
Greek his brother
Greek two lepta, which make a kodrantes; a kodrantes (Latin quadrans) was a Roman copper coin worth about 1/64 of a denarius (which was a day’s wage for a laborer)
12:13 As in Mark 11:27–28, the opponents of Jesus try to “trap” (Gk. agreuō) him. This term is used figuratively in the sense of “catching” or “trapping” him with a difficult question (cf. 8:11; 10:2). Any wrong answer would incriminate him. The aim of “some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians,” that is, aristocrats associated with Herod, is to kill him (cf. comment on 3:6). Note thus the surprising fact that various Pharisaic leaders in Judea now collaborate with the opportunistic Herod Antipas of Galilee against Jesus.
12:14 The seemingly flattering comments about Jesus can only be viewed as sarcastic and full of “hypocrisy” (v. 15; cf. 11:28). This applies to their claim that “We know that you are true,” that is, you are sincere and truthful, as well as their assertion “You are not swayed by appearances,” that is, you are impartial. Their reasoning with Jesus is as follows: Jesus claims to be teaching the “way of God” without partiality, including ethical obedience to God and the law of Moses (cf. v. 32). He should therefore have a God-pleasing position on whether it is “lawful” (cf. comment on 2:23–24) to render head or property taxes to the oppressive Roman Empire. Naturally, the question is highly volatile, since there seems to be no answer that would satisfy both the empire’s demands and God’s. Jesus appears to be trapped: Withholding payment of taxes to Rome would equal rebellion against its obvious authority. On the other hand, paying taxes to Caesar would appear to compromise, irreconcilably, single-hearted devotion to God.
12:15 In response, Jesus first exposes their pretentious “hypocrisy” (cf. 7:6). Following the Herodians’ lead, the Sadducees and Pharisees do indeed pay taxes to Rome while simultaneously and falsely claiming full and wholehearted devotion to God. Secondly, Jesus discerns that their intent in asking the question is simply to “test” him; the Greek work peirazō means “I tempt” or “I seek to entrap.” By testing him, they hope to expose in him a lack of devotion to God or a rebellious stance against Roman authority.
12:16 The “inscription” (Gk. epigraphē) on the denarius names the ruler who holds authority over his subjects. In this case the “likeness” (eikōn; “image”) is probably that of the Roman emperor Caesar Tiberius, who held power AD 14–37. A “denarius” represents the approximate wage of a day’s labor. Poll taxes had to be paid to the Roman Empire since AD 6.
12:17 Jesus answers: “Render [apodidōmi; “I meet the obligation of payment”] to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” At first glance, this answer appears to divide the world into an arena that belongs to Caesar and an arena that belongs to God. However, the following truth arises from his statement: in his disarming and ingenious answer, Jesus actually distinguishes between the limited and relative sphere of civil government and its political leader(s) and the overarching sphere of God, which extends over that of the civil state. In other words, the sphere of God’s sovereign authority includes that of the civil government and its leaders.
Throughout the history of mankind, God remains the Lord over all of life. For a time, Israel functioned as a theocracy. Now that Jesus ushers in the worldwide rule and kingdom of God, consisting of repentant and regenerate Jews and Gentiles under his rule (10:45; 14:22–25). Diverse civil governments, including that of Rome, operate under the authority of the sovereign God for the purpose of restraining evil among a given group of people (Rom. 13:3–4). They do so on behalf of those who are not yet ready to come under the direct rule of Christ as well as those who seek to follow him. In every society it is thus necessary to have the restraining power of civil government, which is established to seek the good of all of its citizens. Those who serve God are to submit wholly to the sovereignty of God (Mark 12:28–34; cf. Matt. 6:24). Such wholehearted devotion to God includes submission to civil government because such government is commissioned with the task of keeping evil at bay.
Jesus will later emphasize (see Mark 12:30) how crucial is the Mosaic law’s command to love God with everything one is and has, i.e., to serve him in all areas of life. The second central law of the OT, namely, to love one’s neighbor as oneself (12:31), also emphasizes the necessity of seeking the good of everyone in a given society, including the effort to aid civil government in achieving its God-given purpose of restraining evil. The respective governmental law spheres, including that of Rome, are thus to serve God’s purposes by, e.g., restraining evil and encouraging what is truly good. It is important to stress here that Jesus does not address the issue of whether the present Roman government is just or unjust, God-serving or wicked and abusive. Note, however, Jesus’ general critique of the abuse of civil authority in 10:42 (cf. Luke 13:32). In this section he merely upholds the fundamental legitimacy and necessity of such a law sphere of civil governance with its taxation. Paul and Peter will follow suit in the NT Epistles.
In contrast to ancient Israel and Islam, Jesus’ growing and worldwide kingdom is not theocratic; rather, it allows for—and endorses—civil governments to coexist legitimately alongside the growing kingdom of God, which is partially realized by the restored and redeemed people of God. In brief, civil government is a God-ordained law sphere for all citizens living under a given government. God is the Lord both of a civil government and of his regenerate and redeemed people living under a multitude of different forms of civil governments. It can be added here that at times a given civil government, including its system of taxation, may not restrain evil or uphold good. Rather, it might act as an evil perpetrator, as was the case in, e.g., multiple profound crimes against humanity committed by Hitler and his co-criminals. Such a civil government acts contrary to its God-given purpose. It abuses its powers and rights given by God and, eventually at least, will have to face God’s eternal judgment (cf. Isa. 14:9–20)
In reaction to Jesus’ answer, his hearers “marveled” in the sense of “grudging admiration.”
12:18–22 The hypothetical question concerning seven successive levirate marriages (cf. Isa. 4:1) presumes a fundamental and irreconcilable conflict between the Mosaic law (Gen. 38:8; Deut. 25:5–6; Ruth 4) and belief in the “resurrection.” This tension arises especially since the faction of the Sadducees rejects the possibility of physical resurrection (see Acts 23:8; cf. also 1 Cor. 15:12–13). Now that Jesus is in Jerusalem and his popularity still continues to grow, even the aristocratic Sadducees seek to question him. Note the ironic wordplay between “resurrection” (Gk. anastasis; Mark 12:18, 23; cf. vv. 24–26) and to “raise up” (anastēsē) offspring, i.e., to preserve the life of a family’s lineage in contrast to death (vv. 19, 20, 21, 22). For verse 19, compare with Deuteronomy 25:5.
12:23 Provided one rejects polygamy and upholds monogamy as God’s original intent (Gen. 1:27; 2:24; cf. Mark 10:1–12), the question arises as to how one woman could possibly be married to seven men in heaven.
12:24 According to Jesus the Sadducees “are wrong” in at least two ways: they “know neither the Scriptures” (the plural indicates all of Scripture) nor the “power of God,” who is indeed able to raise a person from death (v. 27). Without the light of Scripture or the power of God, other driving forces and motives, especially human autonomy and the presence of evil, determine thought and action. As a result they are “wrong” (Gk. planaō). They are left with a fake, godlike phantom that is merely a construct of thoughts and ideas, incorporated into their socio-political interests and presuppositions.
12:25 Likewise, the Sadducees erroneously assume that marriage will continue in heaven. In the world to come, there will indeed be a physical existence in the presence of God, i.e., “heaven” (cf. Dan. 12:2; 1 Cor. 15:12–16). However, this physical existence will not include marriage, just like the angels are unwed. Jesus thus raises another issue against the Sadducees, who also deny the existence of angels despite frequent references to angels in the section of the OT they accept, the Pentateuch.
12:26–27 Jesus approaches the Sadducees’ denial of the resurrection in an unexpected way. He points to the Mosaic part of Scripture, which they accept as authoritative. He chooses the Exodus “passage about the bush” (cf. comment on 2:25–26). He could have also referred to the Prophets. On the basis of the foundational statement of Exodus 3:6, Jesus argues that “the dead” will indeed be “raised.” The message of Exodus 3:6 cannot be that the living God revealed himself to Moses as the “God of the dead.” Rather, he makes himself known to Moses as “the God of Abraham, . . . Isaac, and . . . Jacob,” that is, the faithful, covenant-keeping, and living God who is always the God of the living (Mark 12:27). God’s covenant promise endures toward Abraham despite the latter’s physical death. As the ongoing recipient of covenant promises (cf. Rom. 8:35–39), Abraham continues to exist despite his physical death. The same holds true for Moses and Elijah (Mark 9:2–8). Regarding the ongoing existence of Abraham, see also Luke 16:23, albeit in the context of a parable. For emphasis, Jesus repeats the fact that the Sadducees are deceived: “You are quite wrong” (cf. comment on 12:24).
12:28 The scribe inquires into which commandment of God Jesus views as essentially “important” (Gk. prōtē; “most prominent”) and thus foundational to everything else (cf. Matt. 22:40).
12:29–30 Jesus introduces his answer with a reference to Deuteronomy 6:4, a passage Jews confess twice daily in Hebrew. They exclaim as a people, shema ‘yisrael yhwh ’elohenu yhwh ’ekhad (“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one”). Jesus then proceeds to answer him directly: the “most important” commandment, that is, the foundational and central commandment, is to love the “Lord your God” (yhwh ’eloheka) from the whole “heart,” “soul,” “mind” (or thought), and “strength” (or “might”; Deut. 6:5). The particular reference to the “mind” (Mark 12:30) is found neither in the MT nor in the LXX of Deuteronomy 6:5. However, the term “heart” (leb) can include the concept of “mind” (Gk. dianoia) as part of one’s inner thought and purpose. There is an important OT echo of this in Joshua 22:5, where the hearers are admonished to cling to God and serve and worship him from the heart and soul, including the mind.
12:31 “Second” in prominent importance to this fundamental law (Mark 12:29–30) is the “royal law” (James 2:8) to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18, 34). A neighbor is literally “one who is near”; this can include even an enemy (cf. Matt. 5:43). The covenant-keeping God loves his creatures by giving them life and revealing himself to them. As a consequence, he directs the objects of his love to love him and other humans in return. The commandment to love one’s neighbor is a consequence of loving God, which is, in turn, a consequence of being loved by him (1 John 4:19). Such multidirectional love engenders communion and brings community flourishing. In the course of his teaching, Jesus emphasizes that a “neighbor” is anyone who suffers or is in need, irrespective of race, origin, or belief (cf. Luke 10:25–37).
12:32 Tellingly, the scribe does not initially respond to Jesus’ selection of texts or the content of the two core commandments. Rather, and perhaps anticipating Jesus’ answer, he first focuses and enlarges on the introduction to the Shema Yisrael (Deut. 6:4) by adding to the Shema’s yhwh ’ekhad (“Yahweh is one”) that “there is no other besides him” (Gk. kai ouk estin allos plēn autou). It is possible that the scribe’s initial and emphatic response contains an implied criticism of Jesus’ previously declared divine claims (cf. comments on 12:1–12). He may indeed hint at his perception that Jesus digresses from Mosaic, monotheistic orthodoxy. The scribe appears to reprimand Jesus and insist that he return to a simple monotheism. God is one person: “There is no other besides him.” In contrast, Jesus claims and reveals a complex monotheism. God exists in three persons and as one unified Godhead. Both positions can be defended on the basis of Yahweh’s being ’ekhad (“one,” or “unified”; Deut. 6:4). In this connection it is important to note that the OT knows of a complex oneness (’ekhad) between husband and wife (Gen. 2:24; one unit, two persons) and the complex unity of the tabernacle: “So the tabernacle was a single whole” (ekhad; Ex. 36:13).
12:33 Subsequently the scribe readily agrees with Jesus that these two central commandments are more significant (Gk. perissoteron; see Mark 12:40; cf. Matt. 22:40) than the entire ceremonial and sacrificial system of the law put together: “All whole burnt offerings and sacrifices” (cf. Hos. 6:6; Prov. 2:5–6). The two central commandments can be summarized as loving God holistically from a full heart, insightful understanding, and strength (Deut. 6:5). By agreeing with Jesus this scribe deviates from the popular view of Pharisaic Judaism, which appears to put the double commandment of love on the same level as the ceremonial law.
12:34 One may ask, then, what still separates this scribe from entering the “kingdom of God” (contrast Mark 12:38–40). Since he has “answered wisely,” why does Jesus merely concede that he is “not far” from entering? What may still hinder him from welcoming Jesus as God’s beloved eternal Son (9:7)?
The dialogue is concluded by a curious comment, especially after this friendly encounter and dialogue with the scribe. Mark reports, “No one dared to ask him any more questions.” This concluding remark may signal that there is a point at which debating and engaging with Jesus must give way to acting from the heart. Questions, if sincere, must be asked and answered. At the end, however, the decisive factor in conversion is one’s heart posture toward Jesus, his deeds and his claims (cf. Luke 19:48). If the living God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has indeed sent his eternal Son (John 3:16; 5:43), what should be the response? If the living God loves and endorses him (Mark 1:11; 9:7), what should be the hearer’s attitude? If God bids human beings to hear (9:7; Deut. 18:15, 18–19) and to love him as well (John 14:21; cf. Ex. 20:6), they would indeed break the commandment given in Deuteronomy 6:4–5 if they did not love him in return. No other than the God of Abraham endorses Jesus, his servant and exalted Messiah.
12:35–37 After Jesus has been confronted with many questions, mostly putting him to the test, he now surprises his hearers by publicly confronting them with a question in the temple (lit., “he continued saying, as he was teaching”; cf. Mark 11:29). Previously Jesus had repeatedly raised among his disciples the question of who was the Messiah of God (e.g., 8:31, 38). Now he brings this question into public debate by provocatively asking in effect: “Is the Messiah essentially the ‘son of David’ or the lord of David?” Jesus probably does not question that he himself is, as the Messiah of God, also a legal descendant of David. Since Joseph was a descendant of David, Jesus was legally from the house of David as well. The Davidic lineage of Jesus through Joseph is affirmed by both Matthew and Luke. Concerning the Davidic descent of the Messiah, see, e.g., Psalms 2; 89; 132; Isaiah 9:1–7; 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5–6; and Ezekiel 34:22–24.
The significance of Jesus’ question is that in the divinely inspired Davidic text of Psalm 110:1–5 there is no mention of the Messiah as the son of David. Rather, Psalm 110:1–5 reveals the Messiah as the lord of David (see Mark 12:36–37). The Messiah of God is thus much greater than a mere descendent of David or a mere political liberator.
12:36–37 Significantly, Jesus asserts the divine inspiration of Psalm 110 through the “Holy Spirit.” He makes this point concerning a psalm attributed to the king on whose throne the Messiah is to sit (2 Sam. 7:13, 16; 1 Kings 2:45). In Psalm 110:1, Yahweh offers the lord (Hb. Adonai) of David an exceptional place of dignity at his “right hand” (cf. [Mark 16:19]). Yahweh assists the lord of David in overcoming his “enemies” (cf. 1 Cor. 15:25; 1 Kings 2:33). Yahweh will lead the lord of David to victory and allow to him sit in judgment over the unrighteous (Ps. 110:2–6). Additionally, the lord of David serves as a priest in the order of Melchizedek (Ps. 110:4). All of this is affirmed as messianic (Mark 12:35–36).
As he later stands trial before the high priest (14:62), Jesus will directly identify himself as this exalted and messianic Lord of David. Jesus thus anticipates that he will be exalted to the right hand of Yahweh. He thereby far exceeds the expectations of a merely political, Davidic messiah-figure. In the context of the entire Gospel of Mark and in conjunction with the beginning of Acts, the Messiah of God absorbs Davidic, political expectations within the universal mission of God.
12:38–40 According to Jesus, various scribes seek public recognition with much pride. Their white linen robes are easily spotted. They also seek to occupy “places of honor” in public places (cf. 8:15). As lawyers who charge high fees, they at times even exploit needy “widows” and still pretend to be devoted to God. It becomes clear that Jesus does not separate true devotion to God from individual moral conduct or social justice (cf. Amos 2:7; 8:5–6).
The present controversy between Jerusalem scribes and Jesus continues the ongoing and long-standing tensions between Jesus and his opponents (Mark 3:22–30; 7:1–5; 11:18, 27–28; 12:12). Contrast this, however, with 12:28–34. Jesus also questions the motive for their ostentatious “long prayers” (cf. Matt. 6:5). It is important to note that Jesus does not speak in principle against lengthy times of personal prayer (see Mark 1:35; 6:46). Jesus’ critique of scribes, or any other Jewish leaders of his time, is an expression of intra-Jewish tensions and may not be exploited for—or justify—any sentiments of anti-Semitism.
12:41–42 In contrast to various proud and oppressive scribes, Jesus points to the humility and existential faith of a “poor widow” of the type “devoured” (12:40) by the scribes. A widow can be recognized by the way she is dressed. Paradoxically, it is she who is meant to benefit from temple offerings. “Copper coins” represent the lowest currency denomination, their value being a fraction of a cent.
12:43–44 According to Jesus, the widow is forced to give “more” than those who give a substantial sum. She gives “everything” from that which she needs for sustenance (cf. Luke 15:12), meaning she must trust utterly in God’s provision. The rich, in contrast, are unburdened by the scribes, being able to give from their excess and unneeded surplus, some of which may have even been acquired by exploitation (contrast 2 Cor. 8:9–15).