The Poor in the Old and New Testament Part Two

The Poor in the Old Testament (OT) 

            There are many applicable passages in the Old Testament dealing with the challenges and treatment of the poor. With special concern to prevent permanent and hopeless poverty, God gave specific commands to His people, Israel, regarding the poor. If a man’s need caused him to be sold into slavery, he must be freed after six years (Exod 21:2). They were to sow the land and gather its produce for six years, then on the seventh year let it rest and lie fallow, so the poor could eat (Exod 23:10, 11). In Exodus, the poor were not to be exploited (22:25), mistreated or oppressed (22:21); nor oppressed in the courts (23:3, 6). God stood as protector of the poor and by legislation sought social justice for the poor (Exod 22:25, 23:3; Lev 19:10, 23:22). In Leviticus, the brethren who became poor had to be helped like a stranger or a sojourner. According to Spencer (2019), the Hebrew term for sojourner and its translation convey the basic idea that a person or group who are residing, either temporarily or permanently, in a community and place that is not primarily their own and is dependent on the good-will of that community for their continued existence. In other words, a transient.

            The Hebrew monarchy brought economic development and prosperity for some, but poverty for others. As the situations of the poor worsened, the prophets took on their cause, especially criticizing forced labor (Amos 5:11, 12), the enslaving of fellow countrymen (Jer 34:8-11), and the depriving of widows, orphans, and the poor of their rights (Isa 10:1, 2). The socially strong were guilty of oppression (Amos 2:7; 4:1; 5:11) and an unreasonable desire to increase wealth (Isa 3:15; Amos 8:4). Their hunger for land was driving the poor from their inheritance (Isa 5:8; Mic 2:2). The injustice was so great that God used terms for the poor, such as “My” and “His” for the people (Isa 3:15; 10:2; 14:32).

            The situation of the poor often seemed hopeless, but God would not forget them (Ps 9:12; 40:17). He pities them and comforts them (Ps 34:6; Isa 49:13). The OT king likewise had a special responsibility to the weak and poor (Ps 72:4, 12) and he established his throne by fair treatment of them (Prov 29:14). God shows personal interest in the treatment of the those in need. In Job 34:28, their cry goes out before God and God hears them. Anyone who has a concern for the poor is a blessing and rewarded by God (Ps 41:1; Prov 14:21), and to honor the poor is to honor God (Prov 14:31).

The Poor in the New Testament (NT)

The Greek word (πτwcoς) for poor means to be unsteady, unsettled, homeless, a vagabond, and those who have no certain dwelling-place (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, 2004/2021). In the NT, it is used of beggars (Luke 16:20) and those who are poor in a material sense (Luke 19:8). Christ Himself became poor (πτwceiw) to make others rich. Often the poor are singled out as having the good news preached to them (Matt 11:5; Luke 4:18, 7:22). Sometimes the term is used figurately for the poor in spirit, who are considered especially blessed (Matt 5:3; Luke 6:20).

            Jesus was a realist when He said that there would always be poor people (Matt 26:11), but this did not diminish His concern for them and aid to them. He preached the Good News to the poor (Matt 11:5). He and His disciples had a common treasury from which contributions were made to the poor (John 13:29). He encouraged the rich man to distribute his wealth to the poor (Matt 19:21) and taught about the attitude of mercy toward those in debt (Luke 7:41). The guests for a banquet were to be the poor, maimed, lame, and blind, because they could not repay (Luke 14:13, 14). Likewise, in the parable about the heavenly banquet, God has a great desire to fill His house with the wanderers and outcast (poor and needy) to experience His riches. They must be convinced that they are welcome and compelled by the love we show them through our actions (Luke 14:15-24).

            The Early Church in the Book of Acts cared for its own poor (2:45; 4:34) and its widows (6:1). The Apostle Paul was anxious to remember the poor (Gal 2:10) and to promote the collection for the poor (Rom 15:26; 2 Cor 9:1.9) in his letters. James criticized the disrespect shown to the poor by the Church in contrast to their attitude toward the rich (Jas 2:2-7). Here the poor are considered to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom of God (Jas 2:5).