Today, the expression “the poor” invariably refers to the specific socio-economic group of those who are impoverished, who often do not have homes, resources, or even proper food and clothing. But when we read the expression “the poor” in the Bible, we should realize that while the term can certainly represent those who were financially under-privileged, it can also mean other groups and individuals. We can only fully understand many scriptures when we keep this in mind.
In the Old Testament, the poor are frequently the disenfranchised: day workers, slaves, beggars, widows, the sick, and resident aliens who were protected and assisted by various laws (see for example, Exodus 22:21; 23:9; Leviticus 19:33–34; Deuteronomy 10:17–19; 24:17–22; etc.). But “the poor” are not always members of this socio-economic group. Often, those in a position of need – such as individuals needing protection – are described as the poor. We find an example in the Psalms where David exclaims “Who is like you, Lord? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them”(Psalm 35:10).
In fact, “the poor” may not be fiscally poor at all – as when King David places himself in the same category as the poor and needy: “But as for me, afflicted and in pain—may your salvation, God, protect me … The poor will see and be glad … The Lord hears the needy and does not despise his captive people” (Psalm 69:29,32–33). In this example we see also the concept of the needy being expanded to include all Israel on the national level, and this is explicit in other psalms such as Psalm 9: “The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug … all the nations that forget God. But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish” (Psalm 9:15–18).
It is particularly important to understand this national application of “the poor” in order to understand Old Testament verses such as Isaiah 61:1, “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor” – a scripture which in context clearly applies to all Israel, and which was quoted, of course, by Jesus, not meaning that he would preach to only the economically poor, but to all of Israel.
The New Testament writings also have their own usage of the term “the poor.” The Greek language had two terms for poor people: penes and ptochos. Penes refers to a person with limited resources who did manual labor – many of the disciples were from this group – as opposed to the wealthy who did not have to work (as we see in many of the parables which speak of landowners being absent or only appearing after some time – as in Matthew 21:33–41; 24:45–47; 25:14–30; etc.). On the other hand, ptochos refers to an individual without any resources at all – beggars, the blind, lame, and others who had no family support and who often lived in the city streets or outside the cities (as we read in Luke 14:21–23). Both types of poor are mentioned frequently in the New Testament.
The New Testament also alludes to many cases of people dropping from the category of “working poor” (penes) to “destitute poor” (ptochos) as a result of their following Jesus and being disowned by their families. It is in that light that we should understand Jesus’ words about the birds of the air and the lilies of the field (Matthew 6:25–34) and many of his other sayings in the context of giving up or losing one’s family and becoming extremely poor for the sake of accepting the gospel.
More generally, severe taxation under the Roman Empire led to an ever-increasing number of the working poor becoming even poorer, while the rich who profited from doing business with the Romans became ever richer (which is why, by the time the apostle James wrote his epistle he so strongly criticizes many of the rich and speaks of the great poverty of the poor).
But although “the poor” in the New Testament often means the physically impoverished, it can also mean the spiritually needy as we saw in the Old Testament. This can lead to confusion for the modern reader where there was none originally. It explains why Jesus is recorded in Luke as saying “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20), but in recording Jesus’ same Sermon, Matthew has “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). While “the poor” means only monetarily poor to us, the New Testament writers could say either “the poor” or “the poor in spirit” and have the same meaning.
Finally, as we also saw in the Old Testament, the expression “the poor” can mean the people of Israel – and in the New Testament, God’s people as a whole. It was to this wider “poor” that Jesus announced he had been sent, and – because it includes the “poor in spirit” – it can include all of us.
In the Old Testament, the poor are frequently the disenfranchised: day workers, slaves, beggars, widows, the sick, and resident aliens who were protected and assisted by various laws (see for example, Exodus 22:21; 23:9; Leviticus 19:33–34; Deuteronomy 10:17–19; 24:17–22; etc.). But “the poor” are not always members of this socio-economic group. Often, those in a position of need – such as individuals needing protection – are described as the poor. We find an example in the Psalms where David exclaims “Who is like you, Lord? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them”(Psalm 35:10).
In fact, “the poor” may not be fiscally poor at all – as when King David places himself in the same category as the poor and needy: “But as for me, afflicted and in pain—may your salvation, God, protect me … The poor will see and be glad … The Lord hears the needy and does not despise his captive people” (Psalm 69:29,32–33). In this example we see also the concept of the needy being expanded to include all Israel on the national level, and this is explicit in other psalms such as Psalm 9: “The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug … all the nations that forget God. But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish” (Psalm 9:15–18).
It is particularly important to understand this national application of “the poor” in order to understand Old Testament verses such as Isaiah 61:1, “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor” – a scripture which in context clearly applies to all Israel, and which was quoted, of course, by Jesus, not meaning that he would preach to only the economically poor, but to all of Israel.
The New Testament writings also have their own usage of the term “the poor.” The Greek language had two terms for poor people: penes and ptochos. Penes refers to a person with limited resources who did manual labor – many of the disciples were from this group – as opposed to the wealthy who did not have to work (as we see in many of the parables which speak of landowners being absent or only appearing after some time – as in Matthew 21:33–41; 24:45–47; 25:14–30; etc.). On the other hand, ptochos refers to an individual without any resources at all – beggars, the blind, lame, and others who had no family support and who often lived in the city streets or outside the cities (as we read in Luke 14:21–23). Both types of poor are mentioned frequently in the New Testament.
The New Testament also alludes to many cases of people dropping from the category of “working poor” (penes) to “destitute poor” (ptochos) as a result of their following Jesus and being disowned by their families. It is in that light that we should understand Jesus’ words about the birds of the air and the lilies of the field (Matthew 6:25–34) and many of his other sayings in the context of giving up or losing one’s family and becoming extremely poor for the sake of accepting the gospel.
More generally, severe taxation under the Roman Empire led to an ever-increasing number of the working poor becoming even poorer, while the rich who profited from doing business with the Romans became ever richer (which is why, by the time the apostle James wrote his epistle he so strongly criticizes many of the rich and speaks of the great poverty of the poor).
But although “the poor” in the New Testament often means the physically impoverished, it can also mean the spiritually needy as we saw in the Old Testament. This can lead to confusion for the modern reader where there was none originally. It explains why Jesus is recorded in Luke as saying “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20), but in recording Jesus’ same Sermon, Matthew has “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). While “the poor” means only monetarily poor to us, the New Testament writers could say either “the poor” or “the poor in spirit” and have the same meaning.
Finally, as we also saw in the Old Testament, the expression “the poor” can mean the people of Israel – and in the New Testament, God’s people as a whole. It was to this wider “poor” that Jesus announced he had been sent, and – because it includes the “poor in spirit” – it can include all of us.
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