An Odd Saying
by Dr. William Edgar
In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus is recorded as saying, “For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.” (Matthew 26:11).
Taken out of context, as happens often, this appears to advocate, at best, apathy toward the poor. ie. The poor will always be here; nothing can really be done about them; therefore, do what you always should do; worship me.
While Los Angeles County boasts the largest economy in the U.S., 30% of South LA residents live in poverty.
This view would be strange and out of synch with not only Jesus’ views about poverty, but those of the whole Bible. The Book of Proverbs is full of admonitions about caring for the poor. It compares loving the poor to loving God and, conversely, neglecting the poor to hating God. Proverbs 14:31 says, “Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker; but he who is generous to the needy honors him.” Proverbs 19:17 goes so far to say, “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord…”
This view extends into the New Testament. Jesus’ first sermon announces that there is now good news for the poor (Luke 4:18).
He berated the Pharisees for keeping money from their needy parents in the name of worship (Mark 7:11). He healed the lame and honored the destitute people. Likewise, the rest of the New Testament has abundant references to caring for the poor. Paul is told not to forget the poor, “The very thing I had been eager to do all along” (Galatians 2:10). James goes so far as to say that looking after orphans and widows in their distress is of the essence of true religion (James 1:27).
One of the best books I have read on the subject of generosity is James Petty, Act of Grace: The Power of Generosity to Change Your Life, the Church, and the World (Phillipsburg: P & R Publishing, 2019). Petty’s simple but profound premise is that God is, above all, a generous, giving God. It is only a small step from God’s behavior to urging us to be generous.
So, what about this peculiar saying by Jesus? The context is all important. He is admonishing Judas, who had criticized a woman for pouring expensive perfume on the Savior. When Judas claimed the money could have been used to give to the poor, his hypocrisy is noted. John tells us frankly, “He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.” (John 12:6).
Exactly how is Jesus’ quote a rebuke?
Presumably, Judas’ worldview affirmed that there was little room for the astonishing person of Jesus. Did he hide behind the materialistic view of development described by Christian Parker in his Popular Religion and Modernization in Latin America (Orvis, 1996, p. 259)? This view sets up unaided human reason as the sure guide to improvement. That may credit Judas with more sophistication than he deserves. Modern believers in reason are not necessarily thieves in the traditional sense. Judas is, of course, one of the most tragic figures in history. He was a thief. He was devious. And he never quite saw the glory of the one whom he was presumably serving.
Entrepreneurs and business mentors from the 2022 South LA project, Convergence. It’s one of many Hope Ventures’ projects that comes alongside underserved communities to start and grow businesses.
Still, what explains Jesus’ apparent neglect of the poor?
It should be noted that he only quotes half of the verse from Deuteronomy. The full verse reads, “For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land’” (Deuteronomy 15:11). The sense here is that opportunity to help the poor will never cease. And that is the meaning behind Jesus’ use of Deuteronomy.
Opportunities to help the poor are ever with us.
But I, Jesus, am not! The reason? In a few days he would be put to death, then rise and ascend to heaven. The woman had seen it (Matthew 26:7). She anointed Jesus ritually in anticipation of his death. Of course, she may not fully have realized the entire significance of her act: through his death and resurrection, all sin, all poverty, would be eradicated. But her priorities were right.
Jesus declared the poor to be blessed, as they would inherit the Kingdom of God. The fact that the poor are qualified as “poor in spirit” should not be taken to mean some Platonic emptiness.
Poverty is poverty, spiritual and material.
The Book of Revelation announces the complete eradication of every effect of the fall: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’” (Revelation 21:3-4)