Mark 12:41-44 The Widow's Mite
“The mites the widow donated to the temple treasury were small Jewish coins called lepta (Greek for small). They weighed about 1/2 gram (less than 1/50 of an ounce) and were worth less than a ‘farthing’ or quadran, which was the Roman coin of lowest value at the time (see Mark 12:42).
“The fact that the widow gave ‘all that she had’ exemplified her sincere devotion to God, in contrast to the pretense of the scribes (see Mark 12:38-40).
Elder James E. Talmage (1862-1933) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained why the Lord commended the widow even though her offering was a relatively small donation: ‘The rich gave much yet kept back more the widow’s gift was her all. It was not the smallness of her offering that made it especially acceptable, but the spirit of sacrifice and devout intent with which she gave’ (Jesus the Christ, 3rd ed. 1916, 561-62). Elder Talmage also stated: ‘Whether it be the gift of a man or a nation, the best, if offered willingly and with pure intent, is always excellent in the sight of God, however poor by other comparison that best may be’ (The House of the Lord, rev. ed. 1968, 3)” (New Testament Student Manual Church Educational System manual, 2014, 128-29).
“The fact that the widow gave ‘all that she had’ exemplified her sincere devotion to God, in contrast to the pretense of the scribes (see Mark 12:38-40).
Elder James E. Talmage (1862-1933) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained why the Lord commended the widow even though her offering was a relatively small donation: ‘The rich gave much yet kept back more the widow’s gift was her all. It was not the smallness of her offering that made it especially acceptable, but the spirit of sacrifice and devout intent with which she gave’ (Jesus the Christ, 3rd ed. 1916, 561-62). Elder Talmage also stated: ‘Whether it be the gift of a man or a nation, the best, if offered willingly and with pure intent, is always excellent in the sight of God, however poor by other comparison that best may be’ (The House of the Lord, rev. ed. 1968, 3)” (New Testament Student Manual Church Educational System manual, 2014, 128-29).
