Give to the Poor

Christians should be generous. But to whom should we give?

Jesus’ Teaching

• Jesus told the Pharisees, “be generous to the poor” (Lk 11:41 NIV).
• He told his disciples, “sell your possessions and give to the poor” (Lk 12:33).
• He told a Pharisee who invited him to dinner, “when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” (Lk 14:13)
• He told a rich young ruler, “Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Lk 18:22).
• In a parable he used a Samaritan as an example we should emulate. When he saw a man who had been robbed and beaten, the Samaritan “took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.” (Lk 10:33-34)
• He said that on judgment day people will be divided into two groups—sheep and goats. The sheep served the needy while the goats didn’t. As a result, the sheep will hear these words:

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matt 25:34-40)

The Apostles’ Teaching and Example

• The church in Jerusalem had a program to assist widows. When a dispute arose due to certain widows being overlooked in the daily distribution of food, the apostles assigned seven men to make sure everyone was served properly (Acts 6:1-7).
• The church in Ephesus also had a program to assist widows. Paul told Timothy, “Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need” (1 Tim 5:3). He then explained requirements that should be met before placing a widow on the list for assistance: she must be all alone without family to help her, “well known for her good deeds,” and “over sixty.”
• Peter, James, and John told Paul and Barnabas, “to remember the poor.” And Paul said that was “the very thing I had been eager to do all along” (Gal 2:10).
• James writes, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (Jam 1:27).
• After spending three years in Ephesus, Paul gave this farewell speech to the Ephesian church leaders: “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)
• Paul also worked hard to raise money for the poor believers in Jerusalem:
  • “Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord’s people there.²⁶ For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem. ²⁷ They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. ²⁸ So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this contribution, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way.” (Rom 15:25-28)
  • He refers to this act of service in Acts, “After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings” (24:17).
  • This donation for the poor in Jerusalem was the result of Paul’s fundraising efforts. He had encouraged the churches in Galatia and Corinth to give to the poor: “Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. ² On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. ³ Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. ⁴ If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.” (1 Cor 16:1-4)

The Hebrew Bible

Where did this emphasis on serving the poor come from? Jesus, Peter, James, John, and Paul were all Jews so they shared the same Scriptures. The Old Testament or Hebrew Bible contains many references to the poor. Here’s a sample:

• When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. ¹⁰ Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God. (Lev 19:9-10)
• If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and are unable to support themselves among you, help them as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you. ³⁶ Do not take interest or any profit from them, but fear your God, so that they may continue to live among you. ³⁷ You must not lend them money at interest or sell them food at a profit. ³⁸ I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God. (Lev 25:35)
• At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, ²⁹ so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. (Deut 14:28-29)
• If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. ⁸ Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need. . . ¹⁰ Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. ¹¹ There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land. (Deut 15:7-11)
• Surely the righteous will never be shaken . . .They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honor. (Ps 112:6-9)
• Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done. (Prov 19:17)

This post began with a question: to whom should we give? The answer is simple. Give to the poor.

Les Bridgeman

After graduating from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, I served as a high school Bible teacher in Asia. I enjoy traveling, writing, and playing the drums. My latest book focuses on Paul’s work as a tentmaker and what it means for today.