Your Last Two Cents

"And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing." (Mk. 12:42)

I'm sure my readers are familiar with the the story of the widow and her two mites. In today's article I'd like to center our attention on the "two mites which make a farthing." 

Since the Bible is its own interpreter (A.V. 1611) we will allow it to show us the significance of the two mites or, farthing. When Jesus told the story of the man being cast into prison, He said he would not be released until, as Luke writes, "thou hast paid the very last mite." And Matthew puts it this way, "till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

Now we understand Jesus' statement concerning her when He said, "but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." That is, she scraped the bottom of the barrel, there was nothing left! She had cast in her last two cents, so to speak.Unlike Ananias and Sapphira, who "kept back part," she gave her all, even down to her last mite.

From our story, we find our Lord is not interested in what we have given Him, but rather, what we have left. Common sense tells us He already has the latter. From the whole burnt offering in the Old Testament, to the great Commandment in the New, the characteristic word is "ALL." I close my article with asking a question from a Gospel song.

Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?
Your heart does the Spirit control?
You can only be blest,
And have peace and sweet rest,
As you yield Him your body and soul.