The Widow's Mite is a story that most pastors champion and use as a reason to urge their congregation to dig deep and give to the church sacrificially.
It is a story found in Mark 12 vs 41 - 44 and Luke 21 vs 1 - 4 that pastors closely connect to the tithes and offering segment of their weekly Sunday services. Some pastors even urge that you should give to them 1st before paying one's bills or attending to one's family's most important needs. These pastor go so far as to say that you should give your last penny, even if you are out of work, as your widow's mite because in the scriptures 'this widow, and her sacrifice of all that she had financially, is a shining example of how to give sacrificially' ... most especially since it was enough to catch MASHIACH's attention.
It was important enough for MASHIACH to point it out to His Apostles, mentioning the Widow's sacrifice, and then, subsequently, it was important enough that the story was written about in the bible.
But ... could it be ... by any stretch of the imagination ... could it be possible, hmm?! Could it be possible, or perhaps I should ask, is it, in any way, possible that 99.9999% of pastors have misrepresented or misinterpreted this scripture? (Intentionally or Unknowingly)
Was this story truly about sacrificial giving or was this meant to serve as a catalyst or as evidence for the coming judgement on an oppressive religious system that taught people that they can buy favor or salvation from ABBA YAHAWAH with money and earthly possessions?
Now. It is well known and has been shown ... in fact it's been proven ... that what most pastors (and many people) don't do when reading the scriptures, is they don't identify or highlight or follow the surrounding context connected with the verse or story they are focused on. They do not use the true context in their examples. They take and use bible verses completely out of context, then perform an eisegesis on the text.
In this particular situation, regarding MASHIACH's 'Widow's Mite' story, most pastors (and many people) do not see or perhaps outright ignore, the *preceding narrative ... taking the story completely out of context. These pastors declare that MASHIACH was pointing out the honor in sacrificial giving. This position totally goes against the surrounding context which was, actually, focused on MASHIACH's stern rebuke of the Scribes. His strong words against the Scribes started from the previous chapter Luke 20 vs 46 - 47 (also found in Matthew 23 vs 14 & Mark 12 vs 40), where MASHIACH notably mentioned how the Scribes 'devour widow's homes' and pray long prayers for show.
Then, in the *next event that occurred immediately after MASHIACH had pointed out the widow's giving of 2mites, these verses in the 3 Synoptic Gospels, Matthew 24 vs 1 - 2; Mark 13 vs 1 - 2 and Luke 21 vs 5 - 6 all dedicatedly speak of MASHIACH's prophecy about the destruction of the temple, to His Apostles, as the coming judgement on the oppressive religious system that the Scribes had set up in Jerusalem.
Once the complete context is kept while reading this scripture, it becomes extremely clear that the story of the widow's mite has nothing to do with sacrificial giving (which is founded on 'works'). No! After reading MASHIACH's story in all its complete context, it becomes abundantly clear to all that the narrative is about MASHIACH's strong condemnation of the corrupt, oppressive religious system of the Scribes and the impending judgement.
Using other scriptures, as further forms of perverted persuasion and manipulation, to push their 'fleece the flock' agenda, some pastors even go on to quote 2 Samuel 24 vs 24, from King Dawid/David, where the King says he will not give YAHWAH a burnt offering that costs him nothing. And then they immediately follow up with 'that is why the bible calls him a man after ABBA's Heart' to shove their narrative home into the minds of their congregation, the gullible masses. That is deceitful and manipulative.
The Old Testament focuses on works of obedience and action tempered with faith in ABBA to obtain a good report and King Dawid's action was of such. We are no longer in the era of works but we are now in the era of Grace.
Yet again, others talk of the story about the encounter that the Widow of Zarephath had with Elijah in 1 Kings 17. They talk about the cakes she made for him with her last flour (meal) and oil too as another form of sacrificial giving. These pastors reference this but completely ignore that verse 9 states that Elijah's visit to the widow was directly commanded of ABBA YAHAWAH to sustain Elijah and the widow during the drought. Her obedience was indeed showcased here, just like the widow mentioned above with her 2 mites, but unlike the oppressive system highlighted above that exploited the widows obedience, Elijah came to visit the widow upon a command from ABBA YAHAWAH, to bring a blessing in hard times and to protect the widow ... not to exploit her.
Now note the following though, on the obedience of the Widow of Zarephath, while being displayed, she was also divinely positioned to do so by ABBA, per verse 9, which is strikingly similar to when MASHIACH sent 2 of His Disciples to untie the colt, that had never been ridden by man, for His Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem found in Matthew 21 & Mark 11 as well. It is also very similar to when Peter & John are sent into the city, by MASHIACH, to meet a man, carrying a jar of water, to enquire about the guest chamber that is meant to be prepared for the Rabbi where He will eat the Pesach meal (the Last Supper) which is found in Matthew 21 & Luke 22 also.
Her obedience was preordained to fulfill the Will of ABBA in Heaven just like the case of the colt owner and just like the man with the water jar, who provided the guest chamber for the Last Supper.
MASHIACH's Besorah (Gospel) is about the arrival of ABBA YAHAWAH's Kingdom. It is about ABBA's love for mankind and MASHIACH's sacrifice at Calvary. It is a story of repentance, redemption and restoration through MASHIACH.
Sadly, this message of hope is not what is preached today. Nope! What is preached, in today's church, is no longer the truth but something else. What is preached now is a lie ... a counterfeit gospel. Which, unfortunately, is why the prosperity gospel (which is not a gospel at all), and those that fervently preach it, see the widow's mite story as heroic and choose to remain blind to the coming and inevitable judgement on such a deceitful and oppressive religious system ... which is what the story is truly about.
Shalom!
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