Luke 21:2

21:2 two small coins: Together, two lepta were worth only about 1/64 of a denarius (the standard day’s wage for a laborer).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk 21:2. Τινὰ καὶ χήραν) He saw a certain woman, and her too a widow.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 21:2 . πενιχρὰν , needy, from πένομαι or πένης ; a poetic word rarely used, here only in N.T. πτωχὴ , Mk.’s word, is stronger = reduced to beggary. δύο λεπτά . Lk. does not think it necessary to explain what the coin was or what the contribution amounted to. Mk. states its value in Roman coinage ( κοδράντης ).

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

two mites--"which make a farthing" (Mar 12:42), the smallest Jewish coin. "She might have kept one" [BENGEL].

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 2. A certain poor widow] A widow miserably poor; this is the proper import of πενιχραν, and her being miserably poor heightened the merit of the action.

Two mites.] Which Mark says, Mr 12:42, make a farthing or quadrans, the fourth part of an AS, or penny, as we term it. In Plutarch's time we find the smallest piece of brass coin in use among the Romans was the quadrans, but it appears that a smaller piece of money was in circulation among the Jews in our Lord's time, called here, and in Mark, Mr 12:42, a lepton, i.e. small, diminished, from λειπο, I fail. In ancient times our penny used to be marked with a deep indented cross, dividing the piece into four equal parts, which, when broken in two, made the half-penny, and, when broken into four, made the fourthing, what we have corrupted into farthing. Probably the Roman quadrans was divided in this way for the convenience of the poor. Our term mite seems to have been taken from the animal called by that name; for as that appeared to our ancestors to be the smallest of all animals, so this being the smallest of all coins was called by its name. Junius says that mite was a small base coin among the Dutch. Our word mite seems to be a contraction of the Latin minutum, a small thing, whence the French miete, a crumb, a very small morsel. See Clarke on Mr 12:41.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(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.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. also] If the kai be genuine, it should perhaps follow the tina— “some one—even a widow.”

two mites] “which make a farthing,” Mar_12:42. The lepton or prutah was the smallest of coins, and the Rabbis did not allow any one to give less than two.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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 Mar 12:42,

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.

Ver. 2. Casting in thither two mites] That is, two eighth parts of a half-penny, saith the Syriac. {See Trapp on "Mar 12:41"} {See Trapp on "Mar 12:42"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. The mite (lepton) 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.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. τινα. If the καὶ of some MSS. (AEGHD, &c.) be genuine, it should perhaps follow the τινα—“some one—even a widow;” aliquam, eamque viduam.

δύο λεπτά. “Which make a farthing,” Mar 12:42. The lepton or prutah was the smallest of coins, and the Rabbis did not allow any one to give less than two.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. πενιχράν. Exo 22:25; Pro 28:15, 29:7; but nowhere else in N.T. Vulg. and l have pauperculam: see also Vulg. of Isa 66:2. Note the τινα.

λεπτά δύο. See on 12:59. The exact amount would not be visible from a distance. Jesus knew this, as He knew that it was all that she had, supernaturally. It was not lawful to offer less than two perutahs or mites. This was therefore the smallest offering ever made by anyone; so that Bengel’s remark on the two mites is out of place: quorum unum vidua retinere potuit. She could have kept both.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Poor. See on Mt 5:3.

Mites. See on Mr 12:42.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.