How can Matthew 26:11 be reconciled with Proverbs 19:17 on helping the poor? The Passages at First Glance • Matthew 26:11 — “The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me.” • Proverbs 19:17 — “Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.” At first glance, one line seems to downplay helping the poor, while the other elevates it as service to God. The Bible never contradicts itself, so reading both verses together simply fills out the whole picture. Why Jesus Said What He Said • Immediate context: Jesus is in Bethany, just days from the cross. A woman breaks a costly alabaster jar to anoint Him (Matthew 26:6-13; cf. John 12:1-8). • The disciples protest the “waste,” arguing it could have been sold for the poor. Jesus replies with Matthew 26:11, affirming that this unique act of honor toward Him is timely and right. • Jesus is not canceling generosity; He is highlighting a once-in-history moment: “you will not always have Me.” • He quotes Deuteronomy 15:11 in the background: “There will never cease to be poor in the land”. That chapter commands Israel to open their hand to the needy. Jesus’ words assume ongoing care for the poor even as He stresses His approaching sacrifice. The Ongoing Call to Serve the Poor Scripture consistently commands compassion: • James 1:27 — “Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress.” • Galatians 2:10 — Paul recalls that the apostles asked him “to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.” • 1 John 3:17 — “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need, yet has no compassion on him, how can the love of God abide in him?” • Matthew 25:35-40 — Jesus identifies Himself with “the least of these” who are hungry, thirsty, and naked. Proverbs 19:17 therefore remains fully in force: ministering to the poor is ministry to the Lord Himself. Harmony, Not Contradiction Think of the two verses as different camera angles: • Matthew 26:11 focuses on the unique, irreplaceable presence of Jesus in that moment. Worship of the Savior comes first whenever His honor is at stake. • Proverbs 19:17 focuses on the ongoing lifestyle of mercy that flows from loving God. • Together they teach priority, not neglect. Devotion to Christ fuels, shapes, and directs continual generosity. • Once the resurrection and ascension take place, serving the poor becomes one way we tangibly honor the risen Lord until He returns. Practical Takeaways for Today • Keep first things first: adore Christ above all. Acts of worship and gospel proclamation are never to be put on the back burner. • Let that worship overflow: consistent, sacrificial care for the poor is a direct investment in eternity, “a loan to the LORD.” • Stay balanced: neither social action without Christ nor worship that ignores need reflects the full counsel of God. • Trust God’s promise: He “will repay the lender.” Every quiet gift, every unseen meal, every compassionate visit is noticed and rewarded by the Lord Himself (Hebrews 6:10). |
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