Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Luke 21:3

"And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than they all:" — Luke 21:3 (ASV)

The comment on how teachers of the law victimized widows (20:47) leads to a story on how a poor widow set an example of acceptable giving. The “temple treasury” was either a room in the temple or a “contribution box.” The widow’s “two very small copper coins” were each worth only a small fraction of a day’s wage. Proportionate to her total financial worth, however, the woman’s gift was far more valuable than the gifts of the wealthy.