𝕷𝖚𝖈𝖆𝖘

In Ch. 89 of Moby-Dick, "Fast-Fish and Loose-Fish", Melville lists a number of "fast-fish" which are bound to be exploited by certain powers, including "What to the rapacious landlord is the widow's last mite but a Fast-Fish?"

"Widow's last mite" is a nod to The Widow's Gift as told in Mark 12:41–44 and Luke 21:1–9, where her "last mite" is one of two coins she gives to the temple.

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. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

I feel like this story was, in my own Sunday School experience, always taught as a demonstration of the Widow's sacrifice and willingness to give all to God and etc. "Wow, she could've kept one of those mites for herself, right? But so great is her faith and blah blah."

But Melville here brings out something that I only realized when I sat and read the Bible myself: this story is a condemnation of the "rapacious" lords—landlords, temple scribes. Jesus is drawing an underline not under the Widow's faith, but the greed and vanity of the scribes.

Just before the Widow's story (Mark 12:38–40), he says

Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces… which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

In Luke 21:5–6, immediately after noting how poor she is, the conversation turns to just how ostentatious the temple is thanks to the self-satisfied gifts of these heartless sponges.

And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

Anyway, really appreciate Melville's phrasing here—hinting at the better Christian reading, I believe—as it was something that stood out to me in my own education.