(2) A certain poor widow.--St. Luke's word for "poor" differs from St. Mark's, and seems to have been carefully chosen to express the fact that the widow, though "needy," and compelled to work for her scanty maintenance, was yet not a "beggar," as the more common word for "poor" suggested. It is not found elsewhere in the New Testament.

Verse 2. - And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. The mite (λεπτόν) was the smallest current coin. Two of these little pieces were the smallest legal offering which could be dropped into the "trumpet." But this sum, as the Heart-reader, who knew all things, tells us (ver. 4), was every particle of money she had in the world; and it was this splendid generosity on the part of the poor solitary widow which won the Lord's praise, which has touched the hearts of so many generations since, which has stirred up in so many hearts an admiration of an act so strangely beautiful, but well-nigh inimitable.

21:1-4 From the offering of this poor widow, learn that what we rightly give for the relief of the poor, and the support of God's worship, is given unto God; and our Saviour sees with pleasure whatever we have in our hearts to give for the relief of his members, or for his service. Blessed Lord! the poorest of thy servants have two mites, they have a soul and a body; persuade and enable us to offer both unto thee; how happy shall we be in thine accepting of them!And he saw also a certain poor widow,.... Whom he took particular notice of above all the rest: the poor, and the widow, are regarded by him, and are his care; nor are their mean services, done in faith, and from a principle of love, despised by him, but preferred to the greater services of others, where faith and love are wanting:

casting in thither two mites; the value of a farthing. The Persic version renders it, "two bottoms of yarn"; See Gill on Mark 12:42,