Does Matthew 26:11 suggest that poverty is inevitable and unchangeable? Text of Matthew 26:11 “For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have Me.” Immediate Narrative Setting Matthew places these words during the anointing at Bethany (Matthew 26:6-13). A woman pours costly perfume on Jesus; some disciples object that it could have been sold “for much and given to the poor.” Jesus defends the woman, declaring the act a preparation for His burial. The statement about the poor contrasts the disciples’ perpetual social duty with the once-for-all moment of honoring the incarnate Son before His crucifixion and resurrection. Old Testament Background: Deuteronomy 15:11 “There will never cease to be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be open-handed…” . Jesus directly quotes this Mosaic text. In its original context Yahweh concedes ongoing poverty in a fallen world, yet pairs that realism with a command to generosity. Christ’s allusion invokes the same logic: poverty persists, therefore God’s people must persist in compassion. Poverty in Biblical Theology Creation: Humanity began in abundance (Genesis 1-2). Fall: Sin fractured creation, introducing scarcity (Genesis 3:17-19). Covenant: Israel’s Law instituted gleaning (Leviticus 19:9-10), triannual tithes for the destitute (Deuteronomy 14:28-29), debt cancellation and emancipation in Sabbath and Jubilee years (Leviticus 25). Kingdom Prophets: Condemned neglect of the poor (Isaiah 58; Amos 5). Incarnation: Jesus announced good news to the poor (Luke 4:18), identified with them (Matthew 25:40), and blessed the “poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). Church Age: Believers shared possessions (Acts 2:44-45; 4:34-35), appointed deacons for food distribution (Acts 6:1-6), and were exhorted to “remember the poor” (Galatians 2:10). Consummation: Eschatological promise of no hunger or want (Revelation 7:16-17; 21:3-4). Apostolic and Post-Apostolic Practice • Acts 11:27-30—famine relief fund sent to Judea. • Justin Martyr, Apol. I.67—second-century Christians collected weekly to aid orphans, widows, and the sick. • Archaeology: fourth-century inscriptions from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre record diaconal distributions. These data show Matthew 26:11 never hindered charitable action. Comparative Gospel Parallels Mark 14:7 adds “and you can do good to them whenever you wish.” John 12:8 omits that clause yet retains the overall comparative purpose. Together the Synoptic and Johannine witnesses underline opportunity, not futility. Ethics of Priority, Not Permanence Jesus contrasts an unrepeatable Christological moment with an ongoing social obligation. By affirming the woman’s act He teaches: 1. Worship and recognition of His atoning mission outrank even noble philanthropy when temporally conflicted. 2. Once He is crucified, raised, and enthroned, devotion to Him will naturally overflow in renewed mercy ministry (cf. 2 Corinthians 8-9). Historical-Cultural Context of First-Century Poverty • Roman taxation (≈30–40 % aggregate) and Herodian building projects burdened Galilee and Judea. • Excavations at Capernaum reveal simple basalt housing lacking mosaic floors found in wealthier Sepphoris, illustrating the socioeconomic gulf Jesus addressed. • Ossuary inscriptions from the period list professions such as tekton (builder), matching the humble class of Jesus’ family. Theological Synthesis: Providence and Human Agency Scripture holds both divine sovereignty and human responsibility. Poverty results from systemic fallenness (Romans 8:20-22) and personal sin (Proverbs 6:9-11) but is mitigated through Spirit-empowered compassion (James 2:15-17). While “always” signals ongoing need until Christ’s return, it never nullifies the imperative to act (1 John 3:17-18). Church History: Tangible Impact • Fourth-century basilicas funded xenodochia (guesthouses) and hospitals. • Modern missions: George Müller’s nineteenth-century Bristol orphanages fed 10,000+ children, demonstrating Matthew 26:11 drives—not discourages—social reform grounded in prayer and providence. Common Misinterpretations Addressed Myth: Jesus dismisses social justice. Correction: He founded it upon worship. Mark 14:7 explicitly grants freedom to help the poor. Myth: Poverty’s inevitability implies futility. Correction: Deuteronomy 15 combines inevitability with obligation; the Church historically lessens poverty’s severity wherever the gospel spreads (e.g., abolition of infanticide, establishment of leprosaria). Eschatological Hope Revelation 21:4 envisions final eradication of “mourning or crying or pain.” Until that consummation, Matthew 26:11 realistically predicts poverty’s presence yet commissions believers as ambassadors of the coming kingdom where poverty will be no more. Summary Answer Matthew 26:11 does not teach that poverty is an unchangeable fate to be ignored. It acknowledges the continued existence of the poor in a fallen age while directing disciples to perpetual, Spirit-filled generosity, all within the larger redemptive arc that will ultimately abolish want when Christ returns. |
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