While Jesus was in the Temple, He watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. “I tell you the truth,”Jesus said,”this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”
Luke 21:1-4
What a curious little pericope sandwiched in amongst the big boys. Interesting isn’t it, that we have this innocent little story sandwiched between the pericope where Jesus criticizes the religious leaders before the disciples and the pericope following, related to the destruction of the temple and the Coming of the Son of Man. What then, is this story doing in between those two stories? It seems like it is misplaced. Maybe Luke had a leftover story that he had decided to use but didn’t quite know where to put it. Now he was running out of space and so he decided to just put the story in here.
It appears that the story just doesn’t fit. True or not? Remember, Luke is the one who has given us an ordered account. It doesn’t seem there is much ordering about this story. Frankly, it just seems as though it is misplaced and unconnected. What do you think? See if you can work out why this story has been put in this place. What connects it to the context around it? Is there anything, or must we conclude that it has just been placed randomly by Luke, who doesn’t seem to do anything randomly.
I will continue with this story in the next Gem after you have had time to work out why it is here. What makes this a sense unit? Or at best, what connects it to what has gone before or to what is following after it. This is yet another example for you to get used to spotting the links. I had better make this the last one as some of you will be getting sick of all this homework I am giving you.
I am sure you will survive. Grin and bear it. If you can’t bear it, just grin.
Anon
The value in living is in letting your life count for something. Pay the price – count the cost – make a stand!
Anon
Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing flawlessly.
Robert Scholar
Criticism is something we can avoid by doing nothing, saying nothing and being nothing.
Aristotle
There are three ways to get something done:
- 1. Do it yourself.
- 2. Hire someone to do it for you.
- 3. Forbid your kids to do it.