Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans.
So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; "for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood." Mark 12:41-44
Jesus when He walked the earth as the son of man, taught much about doing things and giving things in secret including praying to God in secret. A lesson which seems to be lost in our generation even though God’s word states:
"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. "Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
"But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, "that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
"And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
"But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6:1-6
Men are always right in their own minds but the words of God will go on forever. It is what Jesus says that matter and not what other say. His word is unchangeable “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
When charitable deeds are done men must not sound a trumpet before them as the hypocrites. The left hand must not know what right hand is doing where charitable deeds are done. So that their charitable deed may be done in secret and their heavenly Father who sees in secret will Himself reward them openly.
Now on the subject of secrecy even in His own ministry Jesus had some very important profound words to say including:
"For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. Matthew 8:17
The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine. Jesus answered him, "I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing. John 18:19-20
Jesus was not a hypocrite, what you saw is what you got be it in the public eyes or in private eyes. He did not shift gears nor change His personality when it came to any one. Jesus was Jesus whether he dealt with the poor, the scribes, or how the people put money into the treasury. He observed by the gifts of the Spirit, that many who were rich put in much but that one poor widow came and threw in two mites. While others all put in out of their abundance, she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.
While this observation was not important to men it was important to God who not only sees and understands the things which are done in secret but will reward people openly not only in the current time of life but in heaven. For that one poor widow did exactly what Jesus commanded her to do she gave away the temporal to gain an eternal reward. God’s word records:
"Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
"But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, "so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:16-21
There are many mansions in heaven which God has reserved for His own. But not all mansions and rewards are identical. Some mansions and rewards are really magnificent and their occupants have a reserved a place for them beside Jesus in the very throne room. While others their place is in the outer court yards just like in the Tabernacle which the children of Israel worshipped here on earth. For the words of Jesus are true:
Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom."
But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able."
So He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father." Matthew 20:20-23
Depending on what men do in secret for God and the things which God only knows He has prepared a special place for them as their rewards.
While others will be shocked to find out what their reward will be even though they expected more. For Jesus told us about such a case:
"There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. "But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, "desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
"So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. "And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. "Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'
"But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'
"Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, 'for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' "Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'
"And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' "But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.' " Luke 16:19-31
The rich man ended in hell in a place of torment and he definitely did not want others to follow him. While the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. Now Jesus said something quite significant in His words that man have ignored including why He kept His resurrection a secret from non believers. If men do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.
Miracles, signs and wonders might tickle the ears of men and give them something to talk about but it will not necessarily save them. For the old expression is true “Do not give me facts as my mind is made up, just entertain me. Hence Jesus spoke and taught in parables for the word of God is true:
"Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. "And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive;
For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.'
"But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; "for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. Matthew 13:13-17
Contrary to what some men teach and say it is not God’s will to save and heal all as expressed by Jesus’ own words. God has no place in heaven for hypocrites. There place is where there is torment, weeping and gnashing of teeth. For they did not learn to do things in secret.
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