16. (a) How did Jesus come to observe a poor widow’s contribution? (b) How much were the widow’s coins worth?

¹⁶ A couple of days later, on Nisan 11, Jesus spent a long day in the temple, where his authority was questioned and he fielded sticky questions about taxes, the resurrection, and other matters. He denounced the scribes and Pharisees for, among other things, “devouring the houses of the widows.” (Mark 12:40) Then Jesus took a seat, evidently in the Court of the Women, where, according to Jewish tradition, there were 13 treasury chests. He sat for a while, carefully watching as the people dropped in their contributions. Many rich people came, some perhaps with an appearance of self-righteousness, even with ostentation. (Compare Matthew 6:2.) Jesus’ gaze became fixed on one particular woman. Ordinary eyes may not have observed anything remarkable about her or her gift. But Jesus, who could know the hearts of others, knew that she was “a poor widow.” He also knew the exact amount of her gift—“two small coins, which have very little value.”b—Mark 12:41, 42.