The poor you shall have with you always

There shall be no poor among you

by Bill Campbell

February 17, 2007

“The poor you will have with you always…” Jesus.

In the modern western era in which we live, these words of Jesus have become some of the most misquoted. These words have been used to develop giving strategies in many churches. What was it that Jesus was actually saying? Let’s look at this passage and see if we can understand it a little better.

Matthew 26
⁶While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, ⁷a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
⁸When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. ⁹“This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
¹⁰Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ¹¹The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. ¹²When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. ¹³I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Of course there are several things that are happening at this time. One is Jesus’ death is drawing near. This story is a beautiful picture of giving the best to Jesus. This act of unselfish love has been, as Jesus said, a memorial to this woman for the entire world to see. Notice that Jesus said it was going to be a “memorial or memory of her”. This reminds me of another passage in Acts 10 where there was another type of memorial mentioned.

Acts 10
¹At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. ²He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. ³One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
⁴Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.
The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.

Do you notice what Cornelius was doing that attracted the attention of God and heaven? He was praying, spending time before the Lord, and lived a life of generosity by giving to the poor. What impresses God? Do our big ministries, books, media presentations, buildings, or singing talents capture God’s attention? Usually not! These are only tools, but worship and giving to the poor makes a memory in God’s heart that He will remember forever! It was Cornelius, a Roman Gentile who was the first to receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit among the non-Jewish people. These seem like such simple things, yet they have such a reward and profound effect on the future of the world.

Back to “The poor you will have with you always”. This sentence is usually used by religious people who are looking for an excuse not to give to the poor. In this passage, was Jesus giving them such an excuse? Is he saying you can postpone giving to the poor until it is more convenient? Jesus’ goal, of course, was always about making disciples. He was the teacher. Jesus was redefining the wrongs that hearts distant from God had done to the word of God. Let’s now look at the passage that Jesus was quoting from.

Deuteronomy 15
¹¹There will always be poor people in the land.

When we understand how Jesus taught, it helps us get the big picture. Jesus used a common teaching method of his day. He would quote a small part of a scripture, and the listener who had previously memorized the entire book or portion of the Scripture would understand that he was to apply the whole passage in the teaching. So we need to do the same thing. Let’s read from the beginning of the 15^th chapter.

Deuteronomy 15
¹At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. ²This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel the loan he has made to his fellow Israelite. He shall not require payment from his fellow Israelite or brother, because the LORD’S time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. ³You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your brother owes you. ⁴However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, ⁵if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. ⁶For the LORD your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.

⁷If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. ⁸Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. ⁹Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. ¹⁰Give generously to him 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. ¹¹There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.

Now do you see what Jesus was teaching? He was rebuking his disciples and giving them the proper view of giving to the poor.

Look at verse 4: However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you,

Is this a promise or a command? Maybe it is both.

Verse 10: Give generously to him 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.

Do you see the key? Give to the poor and “then because of this Lord will bless you.” This rubbed the disciples wrong, and it rubs many in our churches wrong. We often give to appease our conscience not to make a memorial before God.

Jesus also was rebuking the disciples because they wanted to give that which cost them nothing. They wanted to give the woman’s offering to the poor. Does that sound like generosity without a grudge? It is amazing how we all plan on being generous after we win the lottery, get a big raise, or get our taxes back. We constantly push our giving into the future while frustrating the work of the grace of God that wants to give us all we need to prosper His kingdom and bring glory to the King of Kings.

I will say that in this country we have the wrong definition of poor as mentioned in the Bible. Poor is not lazy, greedy, or foolish. We do have brothers and sisters in other lands and in our cities that are poor through no fault of their own. Try making this your motto… “There shall be no poor among you.”

Friends, I love you and I am not trying to do an exhausted teaching on giving. I just want the way you live your life to make a memorial before God. You will then be in position as Cornelius was to receive the nearness of God the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Bill Campbell




The poor you shall have with you always There shall be no poor among you by Bill Campbell February 17, 2007 “The poor you will have with you always…” Jesus. In the modern western era in which we live, these words of Jesus have become some of the most misquoted. These words have been used to develop giving strategies in many churches. What was it that Jesus was actually saying? Let’s look at this passage and see if we can understand it a little better. Matthew 26 ⁶While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, ⁷a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. ⁸When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. ⁹“This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” ¹⁰Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ¹¹The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. ¹²When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. ¹³I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Of course there are several things that are happening at this time. One is Jesus’ death is drawing near. This story is a beautiful picture of giving the best to Jesus. This act of unselfish love has been, as Jesus said, a memorial to this woman for the entire world to see. Notice that Jesus said it was going to be a “memorial or memory of her”. This reminds me of another passage in Acts 10 where there was another type of memorial mentioned. Acts 10 ¹At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. ²He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. ³One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” ⁴Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Do you notice what Cornelius was doing that attracted the attention of God and heaven? He was praying, spending time before the Lord, and lived a life of generosity by giving to the poor. What impresses God? Do our big ministries, books, media presentations, buildings, or singing talents capture God’s attention? Usually not! These are only tools, but worship and giving to the poor makes a memory in God’s heart that He will remember forever! It was Cornelius, a Roman Gentile who was the first to receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit among the non-Jewish people. These seem like such simple things, yet they have such a reward and profound effect on the future of the world. Back to “The poor you will have with you always”. This sentence is usually used by religious people who are looking for an excuse not to give to the poor. In this passage, was Jesus giving them such an excuse? Is he saying you can postpone giving to the poor until it is more convenient? Jesus’ goal, of course, was always about making disciples. He was the teacher. Jesus was redefining the wrongs that hearts distant from God had done to the word of God. Let’s now look at the passage that Jesus was quoting from. Deuteronomy 15 ¹¹There will always be poor people in the land. When we understand how Jesus taught, it helps us get the big picture. Jesus used a common teaching method of his day. He would quote a small part of a scripture, and the listener who had previously memorized the entire book or portion of the Scripture would understand that he was to apply the whole passage in the teaching. So we need to do the same thing. Let’s read from the beginning of the 15^th chapter. Deuteronomy 15 ¹At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. ²This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel the loan he has made to his fellow Israelite. He shall not require payment from his fellow Israelite or brother, because the LORD’S time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. ³You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your brother owes you. ⁴However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, ⁵if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. ⁶For the LORD your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you. ⁷If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. ⁸Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. ⁹Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. ¹⁰Give generously to him 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. ¹¹There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land. Now do you see what Jesus was teaching? He was rebuking his disciples and giving them the proper view of giving to the poor. Look at verse 4: However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, Is this a promise or a command? Maybe it is both. Verse 10: Give generously to him 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. Do you see the key? Give to the poor and “then because of this Lord will bless you.” This rubbed the disciples wrong, and it rubs many in our churches wrong. We often give to appease our conscience not to make a memorial before God. Jesus also was rebuking the disciples because they wanted to give that which cost them nothing. They wanted to give the woman’s offering to the poor. Does that sound like generosity without a grudge? It is amazing how we all plan on being generous after we win the lottery, get a big raise, or get our taxes back. We constantly push our giving into the future while frustrating the work of the grace of God that wants to give us all we need to prosper His kingdom and bring glory to the King of Kings. I will say that in this country we have the wrong definition of poor as mentioned in the Bible. Poor is not lazy, greedy, or foolish. We do have brothers and sisters in other lands and in our cities that are poor through no fault of their own. Try making this your motto… “There shall be no poor among you.” Friends, I love you and I am not trying to do an exhausted teaching on giving. I just want the way you live your life to make a memorial before God. You will then be in position as Cornelius was to receive the nearness of God the Holy Spirit. Pastor Bill Campbell
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