Making a Connection

In the past couple of days, I've been in a little debate about the meaning of Jesus' story about the Widow's Might:

⁴¹He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. ⁴²A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. ⁴³Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. ⁴⁴For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” --Mark 12: 41-44

The generally accepted interpretation of this text is one of stewardship.  This widow gave everything to God, and Jesus is praising her for doing so.  She trusts God enough to give everything she has to live on, and, the implication is, we should do the same.

I had a seminary professor who disagreed with this interpretation.  He argued that Jesus is not praising the widow but condemning the temple system which demanded a person tithe in order to be in God's good graces.  He based this upon the historical understanding of what was taught by the temple system at the time and a mistranslation of the ancient Greek.  The last few words are literally translated, "put in everything she had, her entire life."  This meant she now had three choices: beg, become a prostitute, or die for she had no money to buy food.  As such, my professor argued this text was a justice text condemning religious practices that forced the poor to give money to be accepted by God.

Of course, my prof's argument does go against many years of standard interpretation, but the argument he made was compelling.  In fact, I bought it.  But things began to change for me as I thought it over during my morning bike ride as I considered a couple of other things--especially in regard to the other folks "giving out of their abundance."

Thing #1:  Another teaching of Jesus popped into my head which I think could be related:

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others.  --Matthew 23:23

Thing #2: A story about Mother Teresa in Mary Poplin's book: Finding Calcutta:

Mother told of a time when she spoke at a conference on world hunger in Bombay.  "I was supposed to go to that meeting and I lost the way.  Suddenly I came to that place, and right in front of the door to where hundreds of people were talking about food and hunger, I found a dying man, I took him out and I took him home.  He died there.  He died of hunger.  And the people inside were talking about how in fifteen years we will have so much food, so much this, so much that, and that man died.  See the difference.  pg. 90

Look at these three stories/teachings side by side, and see if you make the connection.  Do you see what Jesus is seeing?  Do you see the one in need and the failure of the temple, the tithers, and our interpretations years later to see her as well?

Right under our noses is one who is in need--who has given her whole life.  The temple is oblivious to her.  The tithers are oblivious to her.  We are oblivious to her.  The temple is celebrating it got one more penny.  The tithers are self-absorbed in believing they are honoring God.  We are praising the widow for giving everything and depending upon God or railing against the temple system for making her pay. 

What if Jesus is criticizing all of us and saying, "Here is a child of God in need.  Do something about it!"?  And what if we are failing to make the connections?