To the young ruler our Lord named one command as great-the love of one's neighbor. Now, in answer to this scribe, he turned with unerring choice, first to Deuteronomy 6:4-5, and then to Leviticus 19:18, for the two pillars on which the collective and individual life of man must rest. The reverent answer of the scribe proves that he was no ordinary questioner; and our Lord acknowledged this when He told him that a few steps more would bring him into the kingdom of God. Our Lord was David's son by human descent, but as Son of God, proceeding from the Father, He is exalted far above David and all mankind.
In terrible words, Mark 12:38-40, Christ denounced the moral and religious leaders of the time. They made a pretense and a gain of their religion. How great the contrast between them and this poor widow, who cast into God's treasury all that she had to provide for her day's living! Our Lord is quick to notice acts like these, which give evidence of the true heart. [source]
Chapter Summary: Mark 12
1Jesus tells the parable of the tenants 13He avoids the snare of the Pharisees and Herodians about paying tribute to Caesar; 18convicts the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection; 28resolves the scribe, who questioned of the first commandment; 35refutes the opinion that the scribes held of the Christ; 38bidding the people to beware of their ambition and hypocrisy; 41and commends the poor widow for her two mites, above all
Greek Commentary for Mark 12:42
One poor widow [μια χηρα πτωχη] Luke has πενιχρα penichra a poetical late form of πενης penēs In the N.T. the πτωχος ptōchos is the pauper rather than the mere peasant, the extreme opposite of the rich The money given by most was copper (χαλκον chalkon). [source]
Two mites [δυο λεπτα] Λεπτος Leptos means peeled or stripped and so very thin. Two λεπτα lepta were about two-fifths of a cent. Farthing (κοδραντες kodrantes Latin quadrans, a quarter of an as). [source]
Farthing [κοδραντες] (κοδραντες kodrantes Latin quadrans, a quarter of an as). [source]
A certain [μία] Not a good translation. Lit., one as distinguished from the many rich. Better, simply the indefinite article, as Rev. [source]
Mites [λεπτὰ] From λεπτός , peeled, husked; and thence thin or fine. Therefore of a very small or thin coin. [source]
Farthing [κοδράντης] A Latin word, quadrans, or a quarter of a Roman as; quadrans meaning a fourth, as farthing is fourthing. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 12:42
Matthew 5:26The last farthing [τον εσχατον κοδραντην] A Latin word, quadrans, 1/4 of anas (ασσαριον assarion) or two mites (Mark 12:42), a vivid picture of inevitable punishment for debt. This is emphasized by the strong double negative ου μη ou mē with the aorist subjunctive. [source]
Luke 12:59The last mite [το εσχατον λεπτον] From λεπω lepō to peel off the bark. Very small brass coin, one-eighth of an ounce. In the N.T. only here and Luke 21:2; Mark 12:42 (the poor widow‘s mite) which see note. [source]
Luke 21:2Poor [πενιχραν] A rare word from πενης penēs Latin penuria and Greek πειναω peinaō to be hungry are kin to it. Here only in the N.T. Mark 12:42 has πτωχη ptōchē a more common word from πτωσσω ptōssō to be frightened, to strike and hide from fear, to be in beggary. And Luke uses this adjective also of her in Luke 21:3. [source]
1 Timothy 5:3That are widows indeed [τας οντως χηρας] For οντως ontōs (actually, really), see Luke 23:47; 1 Corinthians 14:25; and 1 Timothy 5:5. For widows (χηρα chēra) see note on Mark 12:40; note on Mark 12:42; note on Acts 6:1; and note on 1 Corinthians 7:8. Parry notes that in 1 Timothy 5:3-8 Paul discusses widows who are in distress and 1 Timothy 5:9 those who are in the employment of the local church for certain work. Evidently, as in Acts 6:1-6, so here in Ephesus there had arisen some trouble over the widows in the church. Both for individual cases of need and as a class Timothy is to show proper respect (τιμα timā keep on honouring) the widows. [source]
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κοδράντης
Sense: a quadrans (about the fourth part of an “as”); in the NT a coin equal to one half the Attic chalcus worth about 3/8 of a cent.
What are the major concepts related to Mark 12:42?
Greek Commentary for Mark 12:42
Luke has πενιχρα penichra a poetical late form of πενης penēs In the N.T. the πτωχος ptōchos is the pauper rather than the mere peasant, the extreme opposite of the rich The money given by most was copper (χαλκον chalkon). [source]
Λεπτος Leptos means peeled or stripped and so very thin. Two λεπτα lepta were about two-fifths of a cent. Farthing (κοδραντες kodrantes Latin quadrans, a quarter of an as). [source]
(κοδραντες kodrantes Latin quadrans, a quarter of an as). [source]
Not a good translation. Lit., one as distinguished from the many rich. Better, simply the indefinite article, as Rev. [source]
See on Matthew 5:3. [source]
From λεπτός , peeled, husked; and thence thin or fine. Therefore of a very small or thin coin. [source]
A Latin word, quadrans, or a quarter of a Roman as; quadrans meaning a fourth, as farthing is fourthing. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 12:42
A Latin word, quadrans, 1/4 of anas (ασσαριον assarion) or two mites (Mark 12:42), a vivid picture of inevitable punishment for debt. This is emphasized by the strong double negative ου μη ou mē with the aorist subjunctive. [source]
See on Mark 12:42. [source]
See on Mark 12:42. [source]
From λεπω lepō to peel off the bark. Very small brass coin, one-eighth of an ounce. In the N.T. only here and Luke 21:2; Mark 12:42 (the poor widow‘s mite) which see note. [source]
A rare word from πενης penēs Latin penuria and Greek πειναω peinaō to be hungry are kin to it. Here only in the N.T. Mark 12:42 has πτωχη ptōchē a more common word from πτωσσω ptōssō to be frightened, to strike and hide from fear, to be in beggary. And Luke uses this adjective also of her in Luke 21:3. [source]
For οντως ontōs (actually, really), see Luke 23:47; 1 Corinthians 14:25; and 1 Timothy 5:5. For widows (χηρα chēra) see note on Mark 12:40; note on Mark 12:42; note on Acts 6:1; and note on 1 Corinthians 7:8. Parry notes that in 1 Timothy 5:3-8 Paul discusses widows who are in distress and 1 Timothy 5:9 those who are in the employment of the local church for certain work. Evidently, as in Acts 6:1-6, so here in Ephesus there had arisen some trouble over the widows in the church. Both for individual cases of need and as a class Timothy is to show proper respect (τιμα timā keep on honouring) the widows. [source]