In biblical times, beggars were a common sight, often found at city gates, along roadsides, or near places of worship. The social and economic structures of ancient Israel and the surrounding regions left many individuals vulnerable to poverty, leading them to rely on the charity of others for survival. The Bible provides several references to beggars, offering insights into their lives and the attitudes toward them.

Old Testament Context

The Old Testament law provided specific instructions for the care of the poor and needy, including beggars. Leviticus 19:9-10 commands, "When you reap the harvest of your land, you are not to reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You must not strip your vineyard bare or gather its fallen grapes. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the LORD your God." This provision allowed the poor, including beggars, to gather food and sustain themselves.

The Psalms and Proverbs also reflect on the plight of the poor and the responsibility of the righteous to care for them. Proverbs 19:17 states, "Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender." This verse underscores the spiritual significance of aiding those in need, including beggars.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, beggars are often depicted in the context of Jesus' ministry. One of the most notable accounts is the healing of Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, in Mark 10:46-52 . As Jesus was leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus cried out for mercy, and despite being rebuked by the crowd, he persisted. Jesus responded to his faith and restored his sight, demonstrating compassion and the transformative power of faith.

The parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 further illustrates the condition of beggars. Lazarus, a poor beggar covered with sores, lay at the gate of a rich man, longing for scraps from the rich man's table. After death, Lazarus is comforted in Abraham's bosom, while the rich man suffers in Hades, highlighting the reversal of fortunes and the eternal consequences of neglecting the needy.

Attitudes Toward Beggars

The biblical narrative encourages a compassionate and generous attitude toward beggars. Jesus' teachings emphasize love and mercy, urging His followers to care for the least among them. In Matthew 25:35-40 , Jesus identifies Himself with the needy, saying, "For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you looked after Me; I was in prison and you visited Me." This passage reinforces the call to serve those in need, including beggars, as an expression of faith and obedience to God.

Cultural and Historical Considerations

Beggars in biblical times often faced social stigma and marginalization. They were typically individuals with disabilities, illnesses, or other conditions that prevented them from working. The lack of social safety nets meant that many relied on almsgiving, a practice encouraged by Jewish law and tradition.

The early Christian community continued this tradition of caring for the poor, as seen in Acts 4:34-35 , where believers shared their possessions to ensure that "there was no needy one among them." This communal approach to poverty alleviation reflects the biblical mandate to support and uplift those in need.

In summary, the Bible presents beggars as individuals deserving of compassion and assistance. Through both Old and New Testament teachings, believers are called to reflect God's love by caring for the poor and marginalized, recognizing the inherent dignity and worth of every person.

A Town of Beggars
... Wesley Arrested; A Terrible Ride; A Methodist Isaac Newton; Wesley and the American
War A Town of Beggars. Here Mr. Gordon showed me a great curiosity. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/wesley/the journal of john wesley/a town of beggars.htm

Light and Shade.
... THE CHINESE BEGGAR SYSTEM. "I have to-day been making some inquiries of my teacher
concerning the system by which the beggars of Amoy are governed. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/fagg/forty years in south china/iv light and shade.htm

These are the False Accusations; the Accusation of Classicism...
... Just as the obvious thing about soap is that it is a convenience, so the obvious
thing about beggars is that they are an inconvenience. ...
/.../chesterton/whats wrong with the world/chapter 38 these are the.htm

"Confido"
... home and kind treatment in their old age that the Ladies of Charity determined to
found an institution on the same lines for all the beggars of Paris. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/forbes/life of st vincent de paul/chapter 11 confido.htm

Bartimaeus
... A long file of beggars is sitting, as beggars do still in Eastern cities, outside
the gate, well accustomed to lift their monotonous wail at the sound of ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/bartimaeus.htm

Anxieties and Troubles, Friends and Foes
... But Philip managed the servants, arranged all domestic matters, saw importunate
beggars, deftly dealt with various genera of lunatics who came to the Patriarch ...
/.../chapter xxi anxieties and troubles.htm

Arrival at Benares.
... city. Immediately behind the house was the chapel, in which daily worship
was conducted. [Sidenote: PREACHING TO BEGGARS.]. The first ...
/.../chapter iii arrival at benares.htm

A Poor Man's Cry, and what came of It
... will follow. When one of our professional beggars knocks at a door, and
gets well received, he is very apt to send another. I have ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/a poor mans cry and.htm

St. Epiphanius, Bishop of Cyprus, and a Particular Account of his ...
... Two beggars having ascertained when Epiphanius would pass that way, agreed to extract
a larger donation than usual from him by having recourse to stratagem. ...
/.../chapter xxvii st epiphanius bishop of.htm

Constantine's Liberality to the Poor.
... in need, and besides these showing himself philanthropist and benefactor even to
the heathen, who had no claim on him; [3140] and even for the beggars in the ...
/.../the life of constantine/chapter xliii constantines liberality to the.htm

Beggars (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Beggars (1 Occurrence). Psalms 109:10 Let his children
be wandering beggars. Let them be sought from their ruins. (WEB NIV). ...
/b/beggars.htm - 6k

Begging (18 Occurrences)
... 1. No Law Concerning Beggars or Begging in Israel: It is significant that the Mosaic
law contains no enactment concerning beggars, or begging, though it makes ...
/b/begging.htm - 18k

Beggar (5 Occurrences)
... 1. No Law Concerning Beggars or Begging in Israel: It is significant that the Mosaic
law contains no enactment concerning beggars, or begging, though it makes ...
/b/beggar.htm - 15k

Beg (77 Occurrences)
... That the poor existed among the Hebrews we have abundant evidence (Exodus 23:11;
Deuteronomy 15:11), but there is no mention of beggars properly so called in ...
/b/beg.htm - 37k

Beggarly (2 Occurrences)
... Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BEGGARLY. beg'-er-li (ptochos): The word has the thought
of "to crouch" or "cringe," such as is common with professional beggars. ...
/b/beggarly.htm - 8k

Inhabit (29 Occurrences)
... Psalms 107:10 Such as inhabit darkness and the shadow of death, bound in affliction
and iron, (DBY YLT). Psalms 109:10 Let his children be wandering beggars. ...
/i/inhabit.htm - 16k

Ruined (65 Occurrences)
... heaps. (See NIV). Psalms 109:10 Let his children be wandering beggars. Let
them be sought from their ruins. (See NAS NIV). Proverbs ...
/r/ruined.htm - 25k

Blind (91 Occurrences)
... Blind beggars are frequently mentioned (Matthew 9:27; 12:22; 20:30; John 5:3). The
blind are to be treated with compassion (Leviticus 19:14; Deuteronomy 27:18 ...
/b/blind.htm - 38k

Bartimaeus (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Son of Timaeus, one of the two blind beggars
of Jericho (Mark 10:46; Matthew 20:30). His blindness was ...
/b/bartimaeus.htm - 8k

Sustenance (11 Occurrences)
... sustenance; (YLT). Psalms 109:10 Let his children be wandering beggars.
Let them be sought from their ruins. (See NAS). Proverbs 6 ...
/s/sustenance.htm - 9k

How should a Christian respond to beggars? | GotQuestions.org

Matthew 20:29-34 says Jesus healed two blind men as He left Jericho. Mark 10:46-52 and Luke 18:35-43 say He healed one man as He entered Jericho. Is this a contradiction? | GotQuestions.org

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