1. So this issue has come up again & so I will speak on it briefly b/c I do believe it is important. Throughout church history, there have been certain interpretations of biblical texts that have been embraced based on various bias’ which, imo, has led to spiritual abuse.

2. One of these texts, is the narrative of ‘The Widow’s Mite’. This text is most often taught as a lesson in generous giving when in context it’s clearly a text about systemic injustice & the abuse of power by the religious institution of the day which was supposed to be a haven.

3. One of the reasons a toxic interpretation of this text has been able to persist is b/c of how we format our current Bible’s. The original texts were written with no verse numbers or chapter/event heading. To understand a gospel or epistle, you had to read the entire context.

4. In the “Widow’s Mite” story, it’s important to understand that her story is sandwiched in between a warning and a judgement. It does not sit in isolation. Jesus warns about the religious authorities & specifically mentions how they rob widows! He then begins to give example.

5. How did the religious authorities do this? Well, Women couldn’t own property. Only their husband or sons could. A widow is someone without a husband & if she doesn’t have sons or her sons are dead, her property was forfeit. Jesus shares this warning & then used an example.

6. The example Jesus gives is of a widow coming into the temple and having to give the last little penny coins she had to temple tax. Instead of being able to feed herself, she was forced to give whatever she had left TO LIVE ON! The temple took the last Penny she had.

7. This text has been used to pressure poor or financially struggling people to give to the church. They are told Faith is being like this widow. However, The widow had no choice, & she’d go starve somewhere now. That is why Jesus’ uses this example as evidence to his judgement.

8. After the example of the Widow having to give away all she had to live on, Jesus begins a judgement in the temple. He speaks of tearing it all down. Why? Cuz Jesus tells us pure & undefined religion is caring for widows & orphans & the temple has become defiled!! Read again.

9. Read the text in its context, don’t let people strip it from its context to try & guilt people into giving. This text is about spiritual abuse & systemic oppression, especially of women. It’s not abt generous giving. Context is King.

Warning
Example
Judgement

10. But what about the church father’s & tradition?

Church Fathers were largely misogynists, shouldn’t surprise us they’d interpret this text free of the abusive power dynamics towards a woman.

We are to care for widows in their affliction, not celebrate & repackage it.

11. In the Ancient times, women in general & especially Widows were extremely vulnerable due to being in a patriarchal society so they are uniquely advocated for. This is why we constantly see Jesus advocating for both. We also see the Apostles doing the same in Acts.