Luke 21:4 Meaning and Explanation
“For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Jesus explains the verdict: the rich gave from their surplus, but the widow, out of her poverty, gave everything she had to live on.
What Does Luke 21:4 Mean?
Jesus now gives the reason for his startling arithmetic. The wealthy gave out of abundance, gifts that cost them no comfort and carried no risk. The widow gave out of penury, out of lack itself, casting in all the living that she had, her entire means of life.
Her two coins were an act of total trust, placing tomorrow's bread in God's hands. In that she points beyond herself to the Lord who watched her, for within days Jesus would give not from surplus but everything, his very life, for the world. The gift God treasures is the one that holds nothing back, and he himself gives that way first.
Luke 21:4 in the Original Language
bios (βίος), 'living' -- one's whole means of life, the livelihood itself.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 21:4
What does Luke 21:4 mean?
Jesus explains the verdict: the rich gave from their surplus, but the widow, out of her poverty, gave everything she had to live on.