Remember The Poor

When the apostle Paul and Barnabas were separating from the Church in Judea, in order to continue missionary work among the people of the nations, they were given an additional instruction by the Judean overseers to "remember the poor". Paul reports in his letter to the Galatians that, "this very thing I also was eager to do." (Galatians 2:9,10 NIV)

It is interesting, on reading this account, that this was the only specifically-mentioned instruction these "pillars" of the faith sought to give to Paul. It is even more remarkable when you think about all the missionary instructions that could have been provided and recorded in God’s Word. It really encapsulates just how highly giving to the poor is esteemed in the Holy Scriptures.

Regrettably, the poor can sometimes be lost in the mix whilst we are fulfilling our Christian activities and ministry assignments, or even worse, neglected all together. As Christians, though, we do well to consider deeply, just how well we are doing in our obligation to remember the poor.

For starters let us consider the nature of the God whom we worship, since we are called to be holy in imitation of him. (1 Peter 1:15,16) The Scriptures show that our Heavenly Father cares very much for needy ones. Psalms 68 beautifully declares of Jah,

“A father of fatherless boys and a judge of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.”

The Law that God gave the nation of Israel illustrates his care and concern for the poor. Therein, God instructed, "you must not harden your heart or be closefisted toward your poor brother." (Deut 15:7) Furthermore The Mosaic Law regulated different ways that the poor should be provided for. For example:

• The poor were allowed to glean the leftovers in the fields after a harvest. (Deu 24:19, 21)
• If they had to sell their possessions because of poverty they received them back during the Jubilee year. (Lev 25:28)
• The poor had a share in the tithes given to the priests. (Deu 14:28)

To the Hebrews, such action was not seen as charity, it was considered an act of justice and righteousness. To them the poor were owed a portion of the provisions of those richer than them by right. Thus, we find that righteousness, justice and almsgiving share the same Hebrew word tzedakah. The Hebrew Scriptures, consequentially, characterize the righteous by their willingness to give to the poor and to lend without interest. (Ezekiel 18:5-9)

The importance of taking care of the poor was something that carried over from the Jews to the Christians through the teachings of Jesus. Jesus as a perfect reflection of his Father too had deep compassion for the poor. (Hebrews 1:3)

In his Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, "Give to the one asking you, and do not turn away from one that wants to borrow from you." (Matthew 5:42), he also tells us that, "there is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving,"(Acts 20:35) and when speaking on giving, Jesus said, "But when you spread a feast, invite the poor people, crippled, lame, blind; and you be happy because they have nothing with which to repay you." (Luke 14:13-14)

Jesus told his followers to be "perfect, as [our] heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48) Now in order to be perfect, or complete, we need to care for the poor just as Jesus told a young rich man, "If you want to be perfect, go sell your belongings and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven, and come be my follower.” (Matthew 19:21) Sadly the rich man would not do this but other disciples of Jesus answered this call to give their possessions to the poor. One notable example is the tax-collector Zacchaeus who declared “Look! The half of my belongings, Lord, I am giving to the poor" (Luke 19:8)

Jesus stressed that our everlasting reward would have basis on our treatment of the poor. In the 16th chapter of Luke Jesus provided parables to his disciples to illustrate the eternal rewards of using our "unrighteous riches" to provide for others. Jesus instructed them, "Make friends for yourselves by means of the unrighteous riches, so that, when such fail, they may receive you into the everlasting dwelling places." (Luke 16:9)

The account continues that the Pharisees who were "money lovers" sneered at Jesus' teaching. So Jesus provides them another parable of comparing them to a "certain rich man" who did not help the plight of a poor beggar named Lazarus. At the time of their death the poor beggar received his reward of being considered righteous by being placed in the bosom position of Abraham; however, the rich man found himself in a position of anguish and judgment. (Luke 16:19-31)

Similarly, in his Olivet discourse Jesus equates righteousness with providing for the poor and shows that judgment is dependant on our taking care of their needs. Jesus says that when he arrives to judge mankind, the righteous "sheep" will be characterized by their providing for the needs of the poor, the least of his brothers. (Matthew 25:34-40) By giving to these ones they are in turn giving to Jesus. (Compare Proverbs 19:17)

Jesus not only taught giving but he put his words into action. While Jesus' primary purpose was to care for the everlasting spiritual needs of the people, he didn't hesitate to provide for their immediate physical needs. Recorded in the Gospels are two separate occasions where Jesus provided food for thousands. (Mark 6:40-44; Mark 8:6-9). The Scriptures bring out that he carried a moneybox to collect alms for the poor. (John 12:4-6; 13:29)

The Christian Scriptures continue to show that those taking the lead in the early Church, such as the apostle John, followed Jesus' example. They taught giving and made sure that the material needs of the poor among them were being met. Thus, in a letter, the apostle writes, "But whoever has this world's means for supporting life and beholds his brother having need and yet shuts the door of his tender compassions upon him, in what way does the love of God remain in him?" (1 John 3:17)

The Acts of the Apostles provides a remarkable example in the openhanded giving of the early Christian Church. It records how "all those who were possessors of fields or houses would sell them and bring the values of the things sold and they would deposit them at the feet of the apostles. In turn distribution would be made to each one just as he would have the need." This giving was so generous that it is boasted that, "there was not one in need among them." (Acts 4:34-35) The apostles also appointed the first servants (deacons) in the Church to oversee that all of their widows were receiving a share in the daily distribution of food. (Acts 6:1-3)

Supporting this, James, an overseer of the Church in Judea, characterizes true and pure religion as, "looking after orphans and widows in their tribulation" (James 1:27) He illustrates that true faith would be evidenced by charitable works when he says, "If a brother or a sister is in a naked state and lacking the food sufficient for the day, yet a certain one of you says to them: "Go in peace, keep warm and well fed," but you do not give them the necessities for their body, of what benefit is it? Thus, too faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself." (James 2:15-17)

The apostle Paul likewise couples the Gospel message with charitable giving in his letter to the Corinthians saying, "the ministry of this public service is not only to supply abundantly the wants of the holy ones but also to be rich with many expressions of thanks to God.” He further complimented their obedience and bigheartedness saying, “you are submissive to the good news about the Christ, and you publicly declare you are, and because you are generous in your contribution to them and all." (2 Cor 9:12,13)

[It is interesting to note Paul’s use of the Greek word leitourgia (public service) in the aforementioned scripture. This word is used three other times in the Christian Scriptures in relation to the priestly service. (See Luke 1:23; Hebrews 8:6; 9:21) So by using it here Paul equates giving to the needy with the sacrifices that the Jewish priests offered to God. Since the entire Christian Church is called to be priests (1 Peter 2:9) our priestly service is to give thanks to God and provide for the needs of others. (Compare Hebrews 13:15,16).]

Paul gave pastoral instruction to Timothy in taking care of the needs of needy widows. (1 Timothy 5:9, 10) He also wrote to the Church in Ephesus regarding the need to work hard so as "have something to distribute to someone in need" (Ephesians 4:28) Furthermore he wrote to two congregations regarding his personal desire to hand carry their material gifts to poor Christians residing in Jerusalem. (Romans 15:25,26; 1 Cor 16:1-4)

With the passage of the first-century Church era giving to the poor did not end. The writings provided by 2nd century Christians show that they continued to "remember the poor" in apostolic tradition.

Regarding such, Christian apologist Justin Martyr wrote, "The wealthy among us help the needy. . . . Those who are prosperous, and willing, give what each thinks fit. And what is collected is deposited with the president, who gives aid to the orphans and widows." (Justin, Apology, chap. LXVII)

Likewise Tertullian in his apology wrote, "Though we have our treasure chest, it is not made up of purchase money, as of a religion that has its price. Rather, on the monthly day, if he likes, each puts in a small donation. . . . to support and bury poor people, to supply the needs of boys and girls destitute of means and parents, and of old persons now confined to the house. These gifts also help those who have suffered shipwreck. And if there happens to be any of us in the mines, or banished to the islands, or shut up in the prisons - for no reason other than their faithfulness to the cause of God's Church - they become the nurslings of their confession." (Tertullian, Apology, chap. XXXIX)

Sadly though, the extreme generosity in taking care of the needy that marked the early Church diminished over the next centuries turning for the worse when Roman Emperor Constantine granted State favor to Christianity. Because there were no “church” buildings or salaried clergy in the early Christian congregation all of the money donated by the congregants could be used in the caring of others, particularly the poor. Under Constantine things would change.

Originally the Christians met in private homes; however, in order to legitimize and popularize the Christian religion Constantine started constructing “church” buildings. These were built over the burial sites of Christian martyrs and were far from modest. Porphyry, a pagan critic of Christianity, noted that these buildings were "worthy of an Emperor".

Among the early Christians for an elder to receive a salary for his ministerial duties was seen as a heresy. [Eusebius Ecclesiastical History, vol. V, chap. XXVIII] However Constantine would institute a salaried clergy whose wages came in part out of the church funds. Originally the funds that were earmarked for the poor were not encroached upon, however later the clergy would dip in there as well.

Also at the time of Constantine many new converts that were not fully committed to the Christian way of life inundated the church. Some of these individuals only converted to Christianity in order to share the religion with the head of the State and have all the privileges thereof. As such they did not fully embrace the kind of radical giving that was the hallmark of the early Church and required by Christ. Over the centuries giving and taking care of the needy, while not being abandoned totally, diminished to something of lesser importance.

Today we are left with this legacy of misappropriation of donated funds and an overall lack of generosity in taking care of the needy. Even if Christians would return to selling all of their superfluous possessions and donating the receipts to their denomination only a portion of these moneys would be given to the poor. A large, or even the majority of congregation receipts would be used to sustain bigger and better “church” buildings and maintain salaried clergy. We have to look at this situation and see if such misappropriation could be considered outright theft from the moneybox for the poor, exactly in the same manner that Judas stole from the poor. (John 12:6)

As Christians we too need to examine our giving and see if our attitudes reflect that of our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus as well as the early Church. Are we conscious of the needs of the poor? Are we generous with our unrighteous riches? And whether we are giving half of our possessions or only two small coins of little value we need to consider if our donations are being used to really help the poor. Upon close scrutiny we may find that our money is being used to maintain “church” buildings and salaried clergy, practices that have no basis in Christian Scripture or the early Church example.

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This is an article that I wrote during July. It appears in the August 2006 Common Truth newsletter.