Jesus Casts Out a Widow

A while back I had an elderly widow inform me that she had sinned and had prayed for forgiveness but wanted my opinion on if she needed to make a public confession of sin to the whole congregation?

I asked her… what was the sin? She said she had been making cookies and other items and was selling them to the members to supplement her income. The church building was where the goods were being exchanged.

I then asked her… why do you think that is a sin? She said because Jesus threw out the money changers, etc. out of the Jewish Temple and charged those involved with making the Temple a den of robbers.

I told her I didn’t think the Jewish Temple was parallel to the church. That God didn’t dwell in a man made Temple anymore but dwelt in his people.

So just what did Jesus have in mind when he cast out those providers of sacrifices and money changers from the Jewish Temple?

Let me suggest that those activities in and of themselves were legitimate activities that facilitated Temple worship.

Apparently they had taken it too far and were taking monetary advantage of the worshippers.

My guess is that if there was an impoverished widow on the Temple grounds begging for money or selling a few small items to earn money that the dead last thing Jesus would do would be to call her a robber and thrown her out on her ear.

Note with me this verse 1 Timothy 5:9-10.

“Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man. Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.”

This verse is a verse that obligates the church to care for a “widow in deed” and gives qualifications for being a woman being a “widow in deed”

This particular widow who I am referring to would definitely meet those qualifications.

So… if the church is required to assist her for her financial needs… cannot the church also help a widow in that same regard by allowing her to to sell (or deliver) a few homemade cookies even in the church building? Isn’t that love for her and by extension love for God? I told her I didn’t think she had sinned.