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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Mark 12:42

Mark 12:42. And one poor widow. ‘One' in contrast with the ‘many' just spoken of, not without a suggestion of her loneliness. Possibly this widow was ‘poor,' because her house had been ‘devoured' (Mark 12:40).

Two mites. The ‘mite' (lepton) was the smallest Jewish copper coin. The Greek name means ‘fish-scale,' suggesting its diminutive size. Its value was about one tenth of an English penny, one fifth of a cent. She had two and gave both.

A farthing. Mark (not Luke) adds for his Roman readers an explanation, using a Greek word (taken from the Latin) meaning the fourth part, as our word ‘farthing' does.

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See also Mark 12:42 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    TWO MITES - The word translated “mite” denotes a small coin made of brass - the smallest in use among the Jews. The precise value cannot now be easily estimated. It was much less than any coin we have...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 12 _ 1. The Parable of the Vineyard. (Mark 12:1 .Matthew 21:33; Luke 20:9)_ 2. The Question concerning the Tribute Money. (Mark 1

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    THE WIDOW'S MITES. After teaching in the court of the Gentiles, Jesus sat down near to the treasury in the court of the women. He watched those who came to contribute. As (a poor widow) brought her la...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    When Jesus had sat down opposite the treasury, he was watching how the crowd threw their money into the treasury, and many rich people threw in large sums. A poor widow woman came and threw in two mit...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    REJECTION AND RETRIBUTION (Mark 12:1-12)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    A CERTAIN POOR WIDOW. one poor widow. THREW. cast, as above, MITES. Pl, of _lepton_. the small thin Jewish copper coin (from _leptos =_ peeled, or pared down). Occ only here, and Luke 12:59; Luke 21...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _a certain poor widow_ One of the helpless class which He had just described as _devoured_by the extortion of the Scribes and Pharisees. In three words St Mark presents to us a picture of her desolati...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    41–44. THE WIDOW’S TWO MITES Luke 21:1-4...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΜΊΑ ΧΉΡΑ ΠΤΩΧΉ. The use of εἷς for τις, common enough in modern Greek, had begun before this period, and this may be an instance; Lk. has τινα. On the other hand, μία may point to her loneliness; it c...

  • Catena Aurea Commentary

    Ver 41. And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. 42. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _JESUS TEACHING IN THE TEMPLE -- MARK 12:35-44:_ The Jews had to admit that Jesus was a descendant of David according to the flesh. However, they denied that He was divine or related to him in any spi...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΈΛΘΟΎΣΑ _aor. act. part. пот. fem. sing., см._ Mark 12:9. _Сопутств._ или _temp. part._ ΠΤΩΧΉ (G4434) _adj. fem._ бедный, страдающий от нищеты; человек, у которого в буквальном смысле ничего нет и кот...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 1453 THE WIDOW’S MITE Mark 12:41. And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a cer...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    SHE THREW IN TWO MITES, WHICH MAKE A FARTHING, &C.— Κοδραντης. This coin in value was no more than three-fourths of our farthing: wherefore the offering given by this poor widow was very small in itse...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _SUMMARY 11:1 TO 12:44_ In this section the historian has presented only one miracle, that of withering the barren fig-tree. The section is chiefly taken up with conversations and speeches, in which s...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    9. THE POOR WIDOW AND HER OFFERING 12:41-44 _TEXT 12:41-44_ And he sat down over against the treasury, and beheld how the multitude cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. For the exposition, see the notes at Luke 21:1....

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    18 Now that He has answered the hardest question of the Pharisees and Herodians, the Sadducees bring Him their best argument against the truth of resurrection. There is the constant tendency, even amo...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    12:42 farthing. (f-14) _ Kodrantes_ , as Matthew 5:26 ....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    A (lit. 'one') POOR WIDOW] cp. Matthew 21:18 : 'one fig tree.' TWO MITES] lit. 'two _lepta,_ which make a quadrans.' The _lepton_ was a Greek coin, the smallest in circulation, equivalent to of a _de...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    VARIOUS INCIDENTS AND DISCOURSES IN THE TEMPLE 1-12. The wicked husbandmen (Matthew 21:33; Luke 20:9). See on Mt....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    CHRIST IN THE BIBLE: MARK’S GOSPEL _KEITH SIMONS_ This commentary HAS BEEN through Advanced Checking. CHAPTER 12 THE GARDEN AND THE CRUEL WORKERS VERSES 1-12 A servant does his work on behalf...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 12:41-44 (MARK 12:41) THE WIDOW'S MITE "And He sat down over against the treasury, and beheld how the multitude cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there c...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    _The widow's offering_ (Luke 21:1-4). This charming story comes in with dramatic effect, after the repulsive picture of the greedy praying scribe. The reference to the widows victimised by the hypocri...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    μία χ. π., _one_ poverty-stricken widow. With what intense interest Jesus would watch her movements, after His eye fell on her! How much will _she_ give? λεπτὰ δύο, “two mites”; minute, of course, but...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE FIRST COMMANDMENT Mark 12:28-44 To the young ruler our Lord named one command as great-the love of one's neighbor. Now, in answer to this scribe, he turned with unerring choice, first to Deutero...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    In this parable of the vineyard the Lord very graphically sketched for those people their own national history, and condemned them thereby. "They perceived that He spake the parable against them." The...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    CHAPTER 19 THE WIDOW'S MITE Luke 21:1-4; Mark 12:41-44. “Jesus, sitting in front of the treasury, was seeing how the multitude cast their money into the treasury. And one poor widow, having come, cas...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The transfiguration, as a matter of fact witnessed by the eyes of chosen witnesses, introduces naturally the great change that was about to be effected by the mighty power of God; for that wondrous sc...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The Lord afterwards gives the substance of the whole law, as the principle of blessing between the creature and God, and that which formed the touchstone for the heart in the rejection of Christ. I sa...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND THERE CAME A CERTAIN POOR WIDOW,.... Among the many that came to offer their gifts freely, there came one that was particularly taken notice of by Christ; and she was a "widow", had no husband to...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. Ver. 42. _Two mites_] A mite is valued of our money to be three parts of one cent. (Godw. Ant.) Her mite could...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Jesus sat over against the treasury_ “Jesus was now in the treasury, or that part of the women's court where the chests were placed for receiving the offerings of those who came to worship. These che...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    TWO MITES; a very small sum....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE WIDOW'S MITE. Mark 12:41....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    AND THERE CAME A CERTAIN POOR WIDOW, AND SHE THREW IN TWO MITES, WHICH MAKE A FARTHING....

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    (This is done near the close of the service as a follow-up to the sermon.) 1. Pass out cards - 4X6 card with “Present” and “Future” and a box under each word. 2. Instructions 1. Do not write your n...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    MITES: It is the seventh part of one piece of that brass money...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    41-44 Let us not forget that Jesus still sees the treasury. He knows how much, and from what motives, men give to his cause. He looks at the heart, and what our views are, in giving alms; and whether...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    SEE POOLE ON "MARK 12:41...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Instructions of Commodianus In the treasury, besides, thou oughtest to give of thy labour, even as that widow whom the Anointed One preferred.[21] Constitutions of the Holy Apostles Book III And Chr...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Mark 12:42 Then G2532 one G3391 poor G4434 widow G5503 came G2064 (G5631) in G906 (G5627) two...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And there came a poor widow, and she dropped in two mites which make a fraction of a penny (a cent or two).' And lastly there was a poor widow. No one apart from Jesus noticed the poor woman who crep...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE POOR WIDOW WHO GAVE MORE THAN EVERYONE ELSE (12:41-44). In contrast with the greed of some of the Scribes (Mark 12:40), and the love of money of the rich young man (Mark 10:22), we now have drawn...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    ONE POOR WIDOW (μια χηρα πτωχη). Luke has πενιχρα, a poetical late form of πενης. In the N.T. the πτωχος is the pauper rather than the mere peasant, the extreme opposite of the rich (πλουσιο). The...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Mark 12:41 The Widow's Gift. I. Look first at the giver; a widow and a poor widow. Sorrow often makes people selfish, but the benevolent donor in the case before us was a widow. II. Look next at the...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Mark 12:12. _And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way._ Christ's enemies could not i...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Parable of householder demanding fruit from his vineyards. The tribute question. Jesus answers the Sadducees. The great commandments. The widow's mite. CHARACTERS: Jesus, Holy Spirit, Caesa...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Mark 12:1. _A certain man planted a vineyard._ See on Matthew 20:1. The idea conveys an enlarged view of its magnitude, conformably to what is said in Psalms 80. and Isaiah 5.

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    THEN A POOR WIDOW CAME ALONG. In the world in which Jesus lived, widows had almost no job opportunities, and so were extremely poor. TWO LITTLE COPPER COINS. The very smallest of the Jewish coins, tog...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And Jesus sat over against the treasury._ THE TREASURY TEST The lesson taught by this narrative is-man’s treatment of God’s treasury the true touchstone of piety. I. God has a treasury in His churc...

  • The children's great texts of the Bible by James Hastings

    THE WIDOW'S MITES [COINS] And there came a poor widow, and she cast in two mites, which make a farthing. Mark 12:42. Three days before His crucifixion Jesus paid His last visit to the Temple. He sat...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    MARK—NOTE ON MARK 12:42 The SMALL COPPER COINS were worth about 1/128th of a denarius, which was a day’s wage for a laborer. ⇐...

  • The Gospels Compared

    A POOR WIDOW GIVES ALL SHE HAS MARK 12:41-44; LUKE 21:1-4; MARK 12:41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in m...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    CHAPTER 12 1 _The parable of the vineyard_. 13 _Touching the paying of tribute_. 18 _The Sadducees confuted_. 35 _A difficulty proposed to the scribes._ VER. 1 _. Planted a vineyard._ Gr. _ε̉φύτευσεν_...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    _A certain poor widow cast in two mites_, _which make a farthing._ Not as if one mite made a farthing, as Euthymius understands, relying on Matthew 5:26. But two mites were equivalent to one farthing,...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Mark 12:41_ (PARALLEL: Luke 21:1.) _A celebrated contribution_.—The “collection” is generally considered to be commonplace. Jesus, in this passage, clothed it with...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION MARK 12:1 AND HE BEGAN TO SPEAK UNTO THEM IN PARABLES. This particular parable which follows was specially directed against the scribes and Pharisees; but it was uttered in the presence o...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Mark's gospel, chapter 12. Now we remember that Jesus is in the temple. This is the day after He had cleansed it again. It is on Tuesday. It is His final week. Sunday He had made His triumphant entry...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Mark 12:42...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    A certain [μ ι α]. Not a good translation. Lit., one as distinguished from the many rich. Better, simply the indefinite article, as Rev. Poor [π τ ω χ η]. See on Matthew 5:3. Mites [λ ε π τ α]. From...

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Old Testament