In talking with his disciples on one occasion Christ Jesus felt constrained to call attention to the type of gifts which he observed being cast into the temple treasury. He had been warning them against the conduct of the scribes—their desire to walk in long robes, to love greetings in the market place, to hold the highest seats in the synagogues, to occupy the chief rooms at feasts, and, for a show, to make long prayers. We read (Luke 21:1-4): "He looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: for all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had."
It is indicated in the Scriptures that an offering or gift which involves no sacrifice is not a true gift. This is brought out in the first chapter of Malachi. The irreligiousness of the people had led them into offering polluted bread upon the temple altars, whereupon the prophet wrote (1:10), "I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand." The prophet assured them (3:3) that Christ "shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness."
An offering in righteousness may be assumed of necessity to involve the element of unselfishness, a gift wherein no evasion of purpose is employed. The right-minded donor will not present his gift out of a sense of ritualistic obligation. He will employ no flourish of trumpets, no flare of long robes, no effusions in the market place, no long prayers before the worshipers. Dipping into the purse for the traditional tithe is always good practice, but it is not necessarily the exemplification of sacrifice. The widow had "cast in all the living that she had." The rich men had contributed of their bounty.
