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Mark 12:38-44
 | Reading the Text:
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| Historical References, Commentary and
Comparative Texts:
 | The
Five Gospels Parallels, John W. Marshall, University of Toronto. |
| Comparative World Scriptures from United
Communities of Spirit:
Donations. |
| "Of
David's Lineage," The Jesus Database, an online annotated inventory of
the traditions concerning the life and teachings of Jesus. Dr. Gregory C.
Jenks, FaithFutures Foundation. |
| Vision III.9, Shepherd
of Hermas.
(c.145) |
| XXXII.12-13, 15;
XL.32-33, 35;
Tatian's Diatessaron
(c. 150-160). |
| VI.13, Stromata,
Clement of Alexandria (c 200) |
| From the
Catena
Aurea, Patristic Commentary by St Thomas Aquinas. |
| From the Geneva Notes.
 | "The doing of our duties which
God allows is not considered worthy according to the outward value,
but instead according to the inward affections of the heart." |
|
| From
Matthew
Henry's Commentary.
| "If the common people hear
these things gladly, while the learned and distinguished oppose, the
former are happy, and the latter to be pitied. And as sin, disguised
with a show of piety, is double iniquity, so its doom will be doubly
heavy." |
|
| From Wesley's Notes.
| "See what judgement is cast on
the most specious, outward actions by the Judge of all! And how
acceptable to him is the smallest, which springs from self - denying
love!" |
|
| From the
Commentary on the Whole Bible
(Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
| "They took advantage of their
helpless condition and confiding character to obtain possession of
their property, while by their "long prayers" they made
them believe they were raised far above "filthy lucre." So
much the "greater damnation" awaited them." |
|
| From The People's
New Testament, B.W. Johnson, 1891.
| "The worth of a gift is to be
determined, not by intrinsic value, but by what it costs the
giver. The measure of that cost is what is left, not what is
given. For the widow to give her mites was noble; for one well off
to give "his mite" is contemptible." |
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| Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
|
Comments
(commentary) and
Clippings
(technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican
Diocese of Montreal. |
|
A Brief Commentary on the
Gospel of Mark, Chapter 11 - 12, Carl W. Conrad. (Click superscript numbers
for commentary.) |
|
"Extravagant Generosity," Resources for Prophetic
Worship, Speaking to North Carolina Justice Issues, North Carolina Council
of Churches, 2006. |
|
"A
Poor Widow Gives Everything to Temple," Michael A. Turton's
Historical Commentary on the Gospel of Mark, "a
complete verse-by-verse commentary on the Gospel of Mark, focusing on the
historicity of people, places, events, and sayings in the world of the
Gospel of Mark." |
|
"First
Thoughts on Year B Gospel Passages in the Lectionary: Pentecost 23,"
William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia.
| "God’s way is the way of
self giving love and God’s community needs to be a place where
love has freed people to be like that and that includes its
leadership, which can often become an instrument of violence." |
|
|
"Hannah and 2%,"
Gospel Analysis, Sermons from
Seattle, Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle,
Washington. Detailed background and exegesis. |
|
Marginally Mark, by Brian McGowan, Anglican priest in Western
Australia. |
|
Concise Exegesis,
Proper 27B, by Richard Donovan at lectionary.org.
| "Christians are always caught on the
horns of a dilemma. When do beautiful buildings and expensive vestments
stop glorifying God and start glorifying clergy and congregation?" |
|
|
"Widow's Mite:
Praise or Lament? -- A Matter of Context," Addison G. Wright, S.S.
| "...apart from the text, if any one
of us were actually to see in real life a poor widow giving the very
last of her money to religion, would we not judge the act to be
repulsive and to be based on misguided piety because she would be
neglecting her own needs? Do we really think that Jesus would have
reacted otherwise? Do we really think that he would have enthused over
such a donation?" |
|
|
"Little - but Unique and Priceless," Ordinary 32B, Fr. Gerry Pierse, C.Ss.R., from Sundays Into
Silence: Reflections on the Sunday Gospels in the Light of Christian
Meditation. Claretian Publications.
| "Each of us are also like the old
woman. Each of us are unique before God. Each of us has a unique faith
history and a unique gift that only we can offer to the world. Even if we
wanted to, we could not compete because only we can offer what we are and
have." |
|
|
Wellspring of
the Gospel, Ordinary 32B, Catherine McElhinney and Kathryn
Turner, Weekly Wellsprings. |
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"The Widow's Mite," Darcy D. Jensen, Word & World, 1997.
|
"Now in the midst of worship, her family and friends surrounding her,
she has given the last from Henry’s hand into the offering plate. A
surrender. And a benediction. The final offering of a life so beloved." |
|
|
"Widow's Walk," Mary W. Anderson, The Christian Century, 2003.
| "...he praises the poor widow’s
offering, and makes it clear that the standard measurement for assessing
gifts is not how much we give to the work of God or how much we put in
the offering plate, but how much we have left for ourselves." |
|
|
"Virtual Virtuosity," commentary by Robin R. Meyers, The Christian
Century, 2000. At Religion Online.
| "My favorite Kierkegaardian parable is
called 'The Man Who Walked Backwards'..." |
|
|
"The
Churchmen and the Widow,"
Rev. Bryan Findlayson, Lectionary Bible
Studies and Sermons, Pumpkin Cottage Ministry Resources. Includes detailed
textual notes. |
| "Honorable
Exploits," analysis and reflections by
Lori A. Cornell, at Sabbatheology by The Crossings Community
of St Louis, Missouri.
| "No longer do we worry about
whether we'll receive worldly honor by serving him. Instead, we
serve in gratitude because he served us first." |
|
| "The Perfidy of the
Scribes," analysis and reflections by Ed Schroeder, at Sabbatheology by The
Crossings Community of St Louis, Missouri.
| "On the "morning after"
Reformation Day, I'm unable to dismiss from my mind the "treasure" Luther speaks
of in #62 of the 95 theses: "The true treasure of the church is the Gospel of the
glory and grace of God." That can't be far from Mark's theology
either." |
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| Articles & Background:
|
"Mark 12:
Teaching the Crowd,"
"The
Widow's Mite," wikipedia. |
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"Jesus and the
Temple," Daniel P. Schrock, Windows to the World of Jesus: Studies of
Mark's Gospel. (Continue to click on "next" at bottom of the page for
Class 10 to work through the material.) |
|
"The
Changing Role of Women in the Early Christian World,"
Howard Clark Kee, University of Pennsylvania. Theology Today,
1992.
| "If the church in our time
were to take with full seriousness the radical openness toward women
and their participation in the life of God's people that
characterized the movement at the outset, it could result in a
significant contribution toward renewal of both the church and the
human race." |
|
|
"Blurring
the Boundaries: A Response to Howard C. Kee,"
Virginia Burrus, The Theological School at Drew University. Theology
Today, 1992.
| "...a blurring of
religious or cultural boundaries in our historical
reconstructions may cut against the smugness that frequently
creeps into Christian discussions of Judaism and other religious
traditions. The roots of a distinctive Christian feminism would
appear to be entangled in Jewish and pagan traditions, rather
than emerging in pure and radical opposition to those
traditions. Second, a blurring of chronological boundaries in
our historical reconstructions may cut against the tendency to
locate orthodox or authentic Christianity almost purely in a
statically defined "golden age" of the distant past.
After all, how liberating is it for Christian women to be
invited to focus exclusively on "the insights of Jesus and
Paul"?" |
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| Articles in
ATLAS Journals. (Direct link when you are
subscribed and logged in to
ATLASerials online collection of Religion and Theology Journals.):
| Anderson, Mary W.,
"Widow's Walk," The Christian Century, 2003. |
| Burrus, Virginia,
"Blurring the Boundaries: A Response to Howard C. Kee," Theology
Today, 1992. |
| Carl, William J, Jr.,
"The Single Mother's Mite," The Living Pulpit, 1997. |
| Dampier, Joseph H.,
"The Scrolls and the Scribes of the New Testament," Bulletin of the
Evangelical Theological Society, 1958. |
| Dewey, Joanna,
"Women in the Gospel of Mark," Word & World, 2006. (Section on
this text begins on page 26.) |
| DiCicco, Mario, OFM,
"What Can One Give in Exchange for One's Life? A Narrative-Critical Study of
the Widow and Her Offering, Mark 12:41-44," Currents in Theology and
Mission, 1998. |
| Dyrness, William,
"Two Widows as Role Models," The Christian Century, 1994. |
| Fleddermann, Harry,
"A Warning about the Scribes (Mark 12:37b-40)," The Catholic Biblical
Quarterly, 1982. |
| Gomes, Peter J.,
"Veterans and Stewards," The Christian Century, 1997. |
| Jensen, Darcy D.,
"The Widow's Mite," Word & World, 1997. |
| Kee, Howard Clark,
"The Changing Role of Women in the Early Christian World," Theology
Today, 1992. |
| Malbon, Elizabeth
Struthers,
"Fallible Followers: Women and Men in the Gospel of Mark," Semeia,
1983. (See epsecially the section on this text beginning on page 37.) |
| Malbon, Elizabeth
Struthers,
"The Poor Widow in Mark and Her Poor Rich Readers," The
Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 1991. |
| Meyers, Robin R.,
"Virtual Virtuosity," The Christian Century, 2000. |
| Resner, André,
"Reading the Text for Economic Justice: Mark 12:38-44 for Stewardship
Season," The Living Pulpit, 2003. |
| Rice, Richard J.,
"Breaking Down Barriers," The Living Pulpit, 1997. |
| Smith, Geoffrey,
"A Closer Look at the Widow's Offering: Mark 12:41-44," Journal of
the Evangelical Theological Society, 1997. |
| Smith, Stephen H.,
"The Literary Structure of Mark 11:1-12:40," Novum Testamentum,
1989. |
| Wenell, Karen J., "Contested Space
and Visionary Kingdom Space in Mark 11-12," Biblical Interpretation,
2007.
Image Browse -
PDF |
| Wright, Addison, S.S.,
"The Widow's Mites: Praise or Lament? -- A Matter of Context," The
Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 1982. |
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| Reviews: |
| Sermons:
|
"Hannah and 2%,"
Sermons from Seattle,
Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle,
Washington. |
|
"Against Giving," the
Rev. Dr. Francis H. Wade,
Day 1, 2003. |
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"Widow's Mite,
Society's Sin," Fr. Walter Burghardt, S.J., 30 Good Minutes,
Chicago Sunday Evening Club, 1996. |
|
"The Might of the Mite," a stewardship-oriented sermon starter by
the Rev. David S. Bell is the Director of Stewardship with the General Board
of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church. |
|
"Two Cents, a Jar of
Meal, and a Jug of Oil,"
John Jewell, 2000. |
|
"An Extravagant Lifestyle,"
Dean William Willimon, Duke University Chapel Sermon Archive,
1997. |
| Father
Andrew M. Greeley, "Priest, Author, Sociologist,"
Commentary and Homily:
|
| Top Priority: Mark 12:28-44, by Ray C. Stedman.
Text or
Real Audio. |
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| With Children:
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"The Widow's Mite,"
Charles Kirkpatrick, Sermons4kids.com. |
|
"The Gift of
Betty's Dime,"
children's story by Larry Broding, word-sunday.com. |
|
"A Widow Gives
Everything that She Has," Sunday School
Lessons: Family Bible Study, art projects, music, stories, etc. |
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"God's ATM,"
Jim Kerlin, childrensermons.com. |
|
Mark 11 & 12
Crossword, Don Crownover's Bible Puzzles. |
|
| Drama:
|
"With a Whip in His Hand,"
"Two Copper Coins," from
A Certain Jesus by Jose Ignacio
and Maria Lopez Vigil. Ideal for catechetical and liturgical dramatization
of today's gospel. Claretian Publications. |
|
"Two Copper Coins," from
A Certain Jesus by
Jose Ignacio and Maria Lopez Vigil. Ideal for catechetical and liturgical
dramatization of today's gospel. Claretian Publications. |
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| Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
| Clip Art Images:
Mark 12:38-44, Misioneros Del Sagrado Corazón en el Perú. |
|
Mark 12:38-44 at
Cerezo Barredo's weekly gospel illustration.
Liberation emphasis. |
|
Giving,
Reverend Fun Cartoon, gospelcom.net. Check for printing permissions at
right-hand side of destination page. |
|
The Widow's
Mite PowerPoint Slide Masters. Henry
Martin, sermons4kids.com. |
| Commercial Sites:
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| Hymns and Music:
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| Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's
Art Index:
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| Movies scenes with the following themes,
listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
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| Study Links and Resources for the Book of Mark |
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