The Widow's Mite Bible Study Lesson Series

The Widow’s Mite

NOTE: New Light Faith Ministries and Barry Johnson Ministries, founded by Rodney V. Johnson and Barry O. Johnson, respectively, are partnering to offer Bible studies for Christians who are seeking to grow in their relationship with Jesus. This is a Bible study lesson, not a sermon. The Bible studies teach foundational truth that are designed to challenge, encourage and, most importantly, flame the fire of hunger in the Christian who wants to learn more about who they have become in Christ Jesus. The Bible studies you find on this site contains the written version of the lesson. However, these lessons also include a video and an audio file of the study, a PDF version of the lesson and a sheet for note taking. If you would like any of the additional resources for these studies, please email us at newlightfaithministries@gmail.com or bjteachingltr@gmail.com for more information or contact us at the email provided on both of our Sermon Central pages. Please visit our YouTube Channel (Barry Johnson Ministries; New Light Faith Ministries, Inc.) to watch or listen to these lessons as well as other available sermons. Be blessed.

Introduction

Over the years, the story of the “widow's mite” has been used to show Christians what their attitude should be toward giving. As I think about our childhood memories of attending church, I don’t recall hearing a single message about the widow’s mite even though it was brought up from time to time. The point of talking about her was to make her the standard by which all of us were to examine ourselves when it came to giving our tithes and offerings. It was not uncommon for the preacher to say something like, “This poor widow woman came to the altar and gave her last mite. She gave her last dollar. She gave all that she had, and she gave it to the Lord! What an example she is to us! How can we not do the same?”

We grew up in a Baptist church in Tennessee and when the deacons would take up the tithes and offerings, we would sing the song “You Can’t Beat God Giving.” The lyrics went something like this: “You can’t beat God giving. No matter how you try. The more you give, the more He’ll give to you. So, just keep on giving because it’s really true. You can’t beat God giving, no matter how you try.” The playing of the song was a subtle hint for people to dig a little deeper into their wallets and pocketbooks during the collection of the tithes and offering. Give as much as you possibly can because God will match what you give or even give you more. In this month’s Bible study, we are going to challenge how the story of “The Widow’s Mite” has been taught and what “her story” means to the Church today.

But before we talk about the widow giving the last of her money – thus giving her all, we must first examine why she did it and to do that we must discuss what she was taught about giving to God. Also, when you hear the answer as to why she gave her all we are sure the answer might startle you. So, let’s begin with a summary of the first twenty-seven verses of Mark 12, where the record of the widow’s mite is found.

Summary Mark 12:1-27

At the beginning of the chapter, Jesus presents the parable of the man who had planted a vineyard. We read this in verses one through eleven. After planting the vineyard, the man leased it to vinedressers and went away. When it was vintage time – the time to harvest the vines, the owner sent his servant to the vinedressers to receive some of the fruit. But the vinedressers mistreated the servant and sent him away empty handed. The man sent servant after servant, and some were beaten and others were killed. Finally, the owner decided to send his only son. The vinedressers, believing that getting rid of the son would allow them to keep the vines for themselves, killed him. The parable was an indictment against the religious leaders, and they recognized it as such. (verses 1-12) What we want you to keep in mind from this parable is the fact that Jesus was talking about the Jews who were rejecting Him. This will be important later because in their rejection of Him, they also rejected God’s commandment pertaining to their duties as leaders and their responsibilities for widows.

The second situation that is recorded in the chapter was a plot by the religious rulers to present a no-win scenario that would force Jesus to reverse what he had taught concerning their responsibility to the Roman government, thus trying to use His own words to trap Him. You know the story. The no-win scenario they came in the form of a question: “Jesus, is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?” Specifically, they wanted to know if they had to pay taxes at all. Jesus told them to bring Him a coin. He looked at the coin and told them to tell Him whose image and inscription was on it. Of course, they all agreed that it was “Caesar’s image and inscription on the coin. Jesus told them to give to Caesar what was rightfully his and to give God what was rightfully His.” I can just see the utter contempt for Jesus on their faces. (verses 13-17)