The Lord, who had warned them to avoid the desire of high place and vain glory, now distinguishes by a sure test those who brought in gifts.
Wherefore it is said, “And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury.”
In the Greek language, “phylassein”, means to keep, and “gaza” is a Persian word for treasure; wherefore the word “gazophylacium” which is here used means a place where riches are kept, which name also was applied to the chest in which the offerings of the people were collected, for the necessary uses of the temple, and to the porch in which they were kept.
You have a notice of the porch in the Gospel, “These words spake Jesus in the treasury as He taught in the temple:” [John 8:20] and of the chest in the book of Kings, “But Jehoiada the priest took a chest.” [2 Kings 12:9]
Reproduced in full. Translation: Oxford 1841 (Newman), public domain (Public domain).