Mark 12:35-44

While Jesus was teaching in the courts of the temple, he posed a question to those listening: “Why do the religious scholars say that the Messiah is David’s son? Yet it was David, inspired by the Holy Spirit, who sang: YAHWEH said to my Lord, ‘Sit near me in the place of authority until I subdue all your enemies under Your feet.’ Since David calls him Lord, how can he be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with delight. Jesus also taught the people, “Beware of the religious scholars. They love to parade around in their clergy robes and be greeted with respect on the street. They crave to be made the leaders of synagogue councils, and they push their way to the head table at banquets. For appearance’s sake, they will pray long religious prayers at the homes of widows for an offering, cheating them out of their very livelihood. Beware of them all, for they will one day be stripped of honor, and the judgment they receive will be severe.” Then he sat down near the offering box, watching all the people dropping in their coins. Many of the rich would put in very large sums, but a destitute widow walked up and dropped in two small copper coins, worth less than a penny. Jesus called his disciples to gather around and then said to them, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given a larger offering than any of the wealthy. For the rich only gave out of their surplus, but she sacrificed out of her poverty and gave to God all that she had to live on, which was everything she had.”