Sunday thought: Devouring widow's houses

Here is an interesting lesson in the power of context. Here are two versions of a famous Gospel story. Version 1 [Luke 21: 1-4]

He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than any of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.

This, or it's is equivalent from Mark 12: 41-44, is regularly read in churches. Following which an individual, often wearing a long robe, will get up and preach that the widow is an example to all Christians, so give until it hurts.

Even the NRSV, which I usually recommend with reservations, engages in this cluelessness. A footnote in my edition says, "The Widow is again an example of faith, displaying a generosity from her poverty that warns the rich against false security."

I don't think so! For starters, have you ever seen anyone who preaches this nonsense actually follow that example; that is, have you seen them drain their bank account so their mortgage payment will bounce and so that their children will go hungry because there won't be enough for groceries? Because that is what this widow did. She gives away money she cannot afford to give away. That is an example of faith? That is what Jesus meant here?

Of course not and we can see that as soon as we put a little context into the story with version 2 which begins a few lines earlier in the Gospel of Luke [Luke 20: 45 to Luke 21: 4]:

In the hearing of all the people he said to the disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplace, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets. They devour widow's houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.

He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than any of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on."

Notice the nice symmetry here. The temple treasury is in plain sight so that everyone knows how much everyone else gives. If you only had two coins, you'd be under tremendous social pressure to put them in. The only way the poor could be spared of this abuse would be if some person of authority, and you can spot them by their long robes, spoke up and demanded that the treasury be moved to a place where how much each gave was no longer public and explained that the poor should not give if they cannot afford it. So Jesus, ostensibly speaking to his disciples, speaks loudly enough that he will be overheard so that everyone knows he is condemning the scribes for exploiting this poor widow.

What an appalling affront to his teaching that this reading is often used to reverse his meaning. No one should give out of their poverty. Give out of your abundance.