Jesus had just faced attempts by the religious leaders to trap Him by His own words. Having defused their attempts, He turned to the disciples while all could hear and warned them about these religious leaders. They were self-exalting in their actions. They desired attention and praise and prominence and even sought it out. Their greed was so great that instead of helping emotionally and economically distressed widows, they took what little they had. Then they publically prayed long prayers to present an appearance of godliness that only sealed their hypocrisy. Jesus concluded that they will receive the greater condemnation. Jesus’ statement teaches that there will be degrees of punishment after death. Unbelievers will be judged to a lesser or greater extent based on the lives they have lived.

Jesus saw people putting money into the offering box and pointed out the significance of a poor widow’s offering over the offerings of the wealthy. She had put in two small copper coins and yet Jesus said her offering was greater than all the rest. She had given to God all she had to live on while the wealthy had given from their abundance. When we give to God, it’s not the amount that matters but the heart (2 Cor 9:7). What does your giving say about your reliance on God or money? The amount you give doesn’t necessarily answer that.