#1428 Luke 21 Part 1 A Shameful Place

 

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. 3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Luke 21: 1-4 ESV

Luke 21: 1-4 Shaming

…26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless. 27Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1: 26-27

Jesus looked up - Some context, we just left off at the end of chapter 20 with Jesus warning the people about the Scribes. They loved the things the world loves and used religion as a means to get more creature comforts while ignoring the very heart of religion. The Scribes wanted to have titles, to amass great possessions, and would even do so at the cost of what was truly edifying, even twisting, ignoring, perverting the soul of true religion. Their idea of religion was to be seen of men, to wear it outwardly, to elevate form over function, ritual over reality. As long as they achieved their worldly aims then the price of a widow's suffering, an orphan's grumbling belly, was not such a big deal and even necessary because they were only getting what they deserved. In their minds, contrary to the book of Job, they were doing well because they were doing it right, and the poor were doing poorly because they were paying for their sins. 

45 And in the hearing of all the people he said to his disciples, 46 “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 47 who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” Luke 20: 45-47

Saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box - He probably looked up because he heard them clanging their coins, making a great spectacle of their giving. "Look, I am a philanthropist, it feels so good to give." Or, maybe they should say, "it feels so good to be seen giving." Jesus doesn't go into any great detail about their motives, but we have learned about their ways and motives prior to this. He has warned about people like this, they want the praise of men, a Mr. Beast moment with a billion likes.

1“Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,… Matthew 6: 1-3

He saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins - Now these were small coins, worth about  1/8 of a cent, so she gave about a quarter of a cent, not keeping even one of the coins. From here most sermons I have heard on this as a kid will go into how we are to give, or coming in before the plate, "remember the widow's story, how God loves a cheerful giver." He does love a cheerful giver, no doubt, the good Book says as much, and we know that God looks at the heart, but here her motives are not discussed. He doesn't even tell us the motives of the rich, yet He has in this context diminished the value of their gifts, and He has been warning us about those who are outwardly religious and inwardly bankrupt. I listened to J Mac's sermon on this, and while many disagree, when I see their notes and commentary they behave as those having special revelation. I think, John, once again, has done the better exegesis. 

John MacArthur comments - The point that I want you to understand is this: God is concerned that people have their needs met. It is the responsibility in the Ten Commandments of children to provide for their parents when their parents need care and provision. To say we can't do that because we have given it to God is to violate the Law of God with your tradition. (MacArthur quotes Mk 7:9-13 - "He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 10“For Moses said, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER’; and, ‘HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER, IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH’; 11 but you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, given to God),’ you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”) MacArthur goes on to comment that "You have invented a kind of religion that has nothing to do with the commandment of God. You have nicely set aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. They had a word for corban which means “devoted to God.” You no longer do anything for your mother or father, thus invalidating the Word of God by your tradition. The system that had developed in Judaism abused poor people. And it abused it on a spiritual level. Anyone who withholds money from needy parents in order to give it to God is in direct disobedience to God and is dishonoring God's Word and substituting a man-made tradition for God's Word. Basic human needs come first with God before religious offerings. Listen, God's law was never given to impoverish people, but to help them. Man was not made for the law but the law was made for man. We would conclude that this woman was part of a system that took the last two cents out of her hand on the pretense that this was necessary to please God, to purchase her salvation and to bring her blessing. She was manipulated by a religious system that was corrupt. This is not an illustration of heartfelt, sacrificial giving that pleases the Lord, this is not a model for all of us to follow. Jesus never expects that, in fact He told a servant who had very little, you should have put your money in the bank and earned interest because you need that to meet your own physical needs. (Sermon) - J Mac quoted in Precept Austin

V. 3 This poor widow has put in more than all of them - It doesn't say because of her attitude, which some have extrapolated from this, that she loved the Lord, which it also doesn't say. Some commentaries even assume the difference here between the saved and the unsaved, as though this says as much about her. In the context preceding, remember, it warns about the Scribes, "who devour widows' houses",  and this lady is in their space, the place that they turned into a den of thieves where Christ drove them out, twice. The Scribes, Pharisees and Priests were to be shepherds and look after those who had no one to look after them. The first century A.D. was not favorable to women, and it is difficult for people in the first world, in modern times to imagine, but if a woman's husband died and she had no sons then she was basically destitute. Younger women were a target for sex traffickers, older women were cheated out of their ancestral inheritance by these same Scribes and Priests, all in the name of religion. It is no different than the Pentecostal movements of today. They go to the poor and say, "hey poor, you don't have to be poor anymore; just plant this seed gift of faith. If you want a tenfold blessing then give this amount, if you want even more then give it all." So the church building is built upon these false promises, fancy cars are bought, mansions are purchased, all upon the backs of poor people, especially women, hoping for a way out of poverty. Jesus is commending the widow here, He is condemning the people that take her money for their comforts and luxury, point at a shiny building, ignoring her plight, and thinking, look how beautiful this gold plating is, this was so worth it. 

For they all contributed out of their abundance - He gives the simple explanation, the comparison, her less was more because it was everything. They gave out of a surplus, it says, "abundance", which means they had a lot of  money that wasn't spoken for, and besides, it was all part of the show. Why use their money to help out an old, worn out widow who can't pay them back. Where is the prestige in that? At least here I can donate to the temple building and get my name on a plaque or one of the bricks. 

…18‘Cursed is he who lets a blind man wander in the road.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ 19‘Cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ 20‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his father’s wife, for he has violated his father’s marriage bed.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’… Deuteronomy 27: 18-20

…22You must not mistreat any widow or orphan. 23If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to Me in distress, I will surely hear their cry. 24My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword; then your wives will become widows and your children will be fatherless.… Exodus 22: 22-24

Woe to those who make unjust laws,

to those who issue oppressive decrees,

2 to deprive the poor of their rights

and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people,

making widows their prey

and robbing the fatherless.

3 What will you do on the day of reckoning,

when disaster comes from afar?

To whom will you run for help?

Where will you leave your riches?

4 Nothing will remain but to cringe among the captives

or fall among the slain.

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,

his hand is still upraised. Isaiah 10: 1-4

…3This is what the LORD says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Do not shed innocent blood in this place. 4For if you will indeed carry out these commands, then kings who sit on David’s throne will enter through the gates of this palace riding on chariots and horses— they and their officials and their people. 5But if you do not obey these words, then I swear by Myself, declares the LORD, that this house will become a pile of rubble.’ ”… Jeremiah 22: 3-5

This woman was the poorest sort, and there was instruction given to the early church regarding widows as well. It was not a welfare system that encouraged laziness, as he who does not work shall not eat. It was a responsibility of the elders and deacons to see to the widows, to make sure that none were taking advantage of them, and that they were guarded from the wolves.

4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. 5 The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. 6 But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. 7 Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame. 8 Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

9 No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, 10 and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.

11 As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. 12 Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. 13 Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to. 14 So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. 15 Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.

16 If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need. 1 Timothy 5: 4-16

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.

7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. Acts 6: 1-7

…5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these! 6 They are the kind who worm their way into households and captivate vulnerable women who are weighed down with sins and led astray by various passions, 7who are always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.… 2 Timothy 3: 5-7