Christ sees the workman's sixpence, and how much it is in relation to his weekly wages. The subscription of a thousand pounds from " many who are rich " is not, in His eyes, half so much. The offerings of the very poor make a deep impression on His heart. He specially calls the attention of the disciples to the gi-eatness of least gifts. He excites their reverence and wonder by speaking of a poor widow who had cast in " more than all." To the treasury of the Temple her offering was next to nothing, but it was very great in the sight of God. How easily and reasonably she might have said, " My two mites are much to me, but they will not make the treasury noticeably richer : I will keep them for my own need " ; instead of which, she kept her need, and gave her money, all that she had. And Jesus has built her an eternal monument : she cast in more than they all.
^ " Poor widow " indeed ! but in a sense quite different from that in which Christ uses the words. Her naD:ie is unknown, her deed immortal, but verily she hath been made a packhorse for more stinginess than any other character of history. Surely we may well be thankful that her name is not known, else we would have had societies bearing it while belying her character. We talk about our " mite," of course referring to her, and there is no near relationship between the two. She did not foretell, or aftertell, what she gave. We do both. She gave two mites, we give what we call a mite — and generally speaking it is, but not much like the widow's. "She of her want did cast in all
ST. MARK 363
that she had, even all her living " ; but we of our superfluity cast in what we happen to have with us or feel like giving, and this is a mite, but rarely all our living. Usually it does not ajffect our living in the least.
" I would my gift were worthier ! " sighed the Greek,
As on he goaded to the temple-door
His spotted bullock. "Ever of our store
Doth Zeus require the best; and fat and sleek
The ox I vowed to him (no brindled streak,
No fleck of dun) when through the breaker's roar
He bore me safe that day, to Naxos' shore ;
And now, my gratitude, how seeming weak !
But here be chalk-pits. What if I should white
The blotches, hiding all unfitness so ?
The victim in the people's eyes would show
Better therefor; — the sacrificial rite
Be quicklier granted at thus fair a sight.
And the great Zeus himself might never know."
We have a God who knows. And yet we dare On His consuming altar-coals to lay (Driven by the prick of conscience to obey) The whited sacrifice, the hollow prayer. In place of what we vowed, in our despair. Of best and holiest; — glad no mortal may Pierce through the cheat, and hoping half to stay That Eye before whose search all souls are bare !
Nay, rather; — let us bring the victim-heart, Defiled, unworthy, blemished though it be. And fling it on the flame, entreating, — "See, I blush to know how vile in every part Is this my gift, through sin's delusive art. Yet 'tis the best that I can offer Thee!"i
Hi. The Sacrifice of Ourselves.
1. What do we mean by the word ourselves ? Christ has said, " Whosoever would save his life shall lose it ; and whoso- ever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's shall save it. For what doth it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life ? For what should a man give in exchange for
^ Margaret J. f lestuu.
364 THE GREAT TEXTS OF THE BIBLE
his life ? " This, then, is what we mean by ourselves : our time, our talents, our desires, our affections, in short, all that which makes up our life ; and Christ has taught us that nothing short of ourselves is an offering worthy of Him. This may be called the ideal way of looking at the subject.
^ " Two mites, which make a farthing." Is that merely the Evangelist's explanation, or is he quoting Christ ? It would have been like Him to give the equation ; for no one reckons as He the value of human love. She had two mites. Had she had the farthing in one piece it might have been different; but while there are two pieces there is always room for a double heart. It is not in money only that we are tempted to halve with God. Our talents, our time, our love, our conscience — let us keep half and give God the other ! ^
I beheld Him
Bleeding on the accursed tree: Heard Him pray, "Forgive them. Father!" And my wistful heart said faintly,
"Some of self, and some of Thee!"
^ I once read a book which suggested that the words, " My Master," should be worn next the heart, next the will, sinking into the very springs of both, deeper every day. The writer says: "Let us get up every morning with this for the instan- taneous thought that my Master wakes me. I wake, I rise. His property. Before I go out to plow, or feed, or whatever it may be, upon His domain, let me, with reverent and deep joy, go into His private chamber, as it were, and avow Him as my Master, my Possessor ; absolute, not constitutional ; supremely entitled to order me about all day, and, if He pleases, not to thank me at the close." ^