“Et sedens Jesus contra gazophylacium, aspiciebat quomodo turba jactaret æs in gazophylacium, et multi divites jactabant multa.”
“And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. money: a piece of brass money”
“As Jesus was sitting opposite the treasury, He watched the crowd putting money into it. And many rich people put in large amounts.”
“Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much.”
“And he sat down over against the treasury, and beheld how the multitude cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.”
2. They affect to appear very good; for they pray, they make long prayers, as if they were very intimate with heaven, and had a deal of business there. They took care it should be known that they prayed, that they prayed long, which, some think, intimates that they prayed not for themselves only, but for others, and therein were very particular and very large; this they did for a pretence, that they might seem to love prayer, not only for God's sake, whom hereby they pretended to glorify, but for their neighbour's sake, whom hereby they pretended to be serviceable to.
Verses 41-44 Let us not forget that Jesus still sees the treasury. He knows how much, and from what motives, men give to his cause. He looks at the heart, and what our views are, in giving alms; and whether we do it as unto the Lord, or only to be seen of men. It is so rare to find any who would not blame this widow, that we cannot expect to find many who will do like to her; and yet our Saviour commends her, therefore we are sure that she did well and wisely. The feeble efforts of the poor to honour their Saviour, will be commended in that day, when the splendid actions of unbelievers will be exposed to contempt.