Topical Bible: Helping

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Topical Encyclopedia

Helping, as a biblical concept, is deeply rooted in the character of God and the teachings of Jesus Christ. It encompasses acts of service, charity, and support, reflecting the love and compassion that God shows to humanity. The Bible provides numerous examples and teachings on the importance of helping others, emphasizing it as a fundamental aspect of Christian living.

Old Testament Foundations

The Old Testament lays the groundwork for the principle of helping others, often highlighting God's concern for the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the stranger. In Deuteronomy 15:11, the Israelites are commanded, "For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you to open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor in your land." This directive underscores the expectation that God's people should be generous and willing to assist those in need.

The book of Proverbs also offers wisdom on helping others, stating, "Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will reward them for what they have done" (Proverbs 19:17). This verse highlights the reciprocal nature of helping, where acts of kindness are seen as service to God Himself.

New Testament Teachings

The New Testament further develops the theme of helping, with Jesus Christ serving as the ultimate example. His ministry was marked by acts of healing, feeding the hungry, and offering comfort to the afflicted. In Matthew 25:35-40, Jesus teaches about the final judgment, where helping others is equated with serving Him: "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... Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me."

The Apostle Paul also emphasizes the importance of helping others within the Christian community. In Galatians 6:2, he writes, "Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." This instruction reflects the communal nature of the early church, where believers were encouraged to support each other in practical ways.

The Role of the Church

The early church exemplified the principle of helping through communal living and sharing of resources. Acts 2:44-45 describes the early believers: "All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need." This model of mutual aid and generosity became a hallmark of the Christian community.

The Epistle of James further reinforces the necessity of helping others as an expression of genuine faith. James 2:15-17 challenges believers: "If a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing to meet their physical needs, what good is it? So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead."

Practical Applications

Helping others is not limited to financial assistance but includes acts of kindness, encouragement, and support. The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) illustrates that helping transcends social and ethnic boundaries, calling believers to show mercy and compassion to all.

In practical terms, Christians are encouraged to use their gifts and resources to serve others, as stated in 1 Peter 4:10: "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace." This stewardship involves recognizing that all resources and abilities are entrusted by God for the purpose of building up the body of Christ and reaching out to the world.

Helping, therefore, is a tangible expression of the love and grace that believers have received from God, and it serves as a powerful testimony to the transformative power of the Gospel.

Topical Bible Verses

Matthew 25:34-40
Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Topicalbible.org

James 1:27
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Topicalbible.org

Luke 12:33
Sell that you have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that fails not, where no thief approaches, neither moth corrupts.
Topicalbible.org

Ephesians 5:1
Be you therefore followers of God, as dear children;
Topicalbible.org

1 Timothy 2:11-12
Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
Topicalbible.org

Matthew 7:21-23
Not every one that said to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Topicalbible.org

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(p. pr. & vb. n.) of Help.

Greek

998. boethos -- helping, a helper
... helping, a helper. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: boethos Phonetic
Spelling: (bo-ay-thos') Short Definition: a helper Definition: a helper. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/998.htm - 6k

3100. matheteuo -- to be a disciple, to make a disciple
... Cognate: 3100 (from 3101 , "disciple") -- to disciple, ie helping someone to the
Word of God to become a matured, growing (literally, "a learner," a true Christ ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3100.htm - 7k

4943. sunupourgeo -- to help together
... Word Origin from sun and hupourgeo (to render service, assist) Definition to help
together NASB Word Usage joining in helping (1). help together. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4943.htm - 7k

3618. oikodomeo -- to build a house
... 3618 (from 3624 , "a house" and , "to build") -- properly, to build a house (, edifice);
(figuratively) to -- literally, " someone up," helping them to stand ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3618.htm - 9k

1936. epithesis -- a laying on, an assault
... It is the principal means of "ordaining" someone to ministry, but should also be
a regular practice in the church when helping someone confirm (discover) God's ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1936.htm - 7k

Strong's Hebrew

5583. sead -- to support, sustain
... supporting (1). helping. (Aramaic) corresponding to ca'ad; to aid -- helping. see
HEBREW ca'ad. 5582, 5583. sead. 5584 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/5583.htm - 6k

3444. yeshuah -- salvation
... victories (1), victory (1). deliverance, health, helping, salvation, save,
saving health, welfare. Feminine passive participle of ...
/hebrew/3444.htm - 6k

5826. azar -- to help, succor
... root Definition to help, succor NASB Word Usage ally (1), furthered (1), granted
(1), help (38), helped (19), helper (6), helpers (2), helping (1), helps (8 ...
/hebrew/5826.htm - 6k

Library

On Helping the Poor.
... Book IV. Sec. I."On Helping the Poor. Those Who Have No Children Should
Adopt Orphans, and Treat Them as Their Own Children. I ...
/.../various/constitutions of the holy apostles/sec i on helping the poor.htm

"The Prophets of God Helping Them"
... After the Exile Chapter 46 "The Prophets of God Helping Them". Close by the
Israelites who had set themselves to the task of rebuilding ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 46 the prophets of.htm

There's More of God Since Jesus Went Back.
... like this: up at dawn likely"He was ever an early riser"chores about the place,
the cow, maybe, and the kindling and fuel for the day, helping to care for ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks about jesus/theres more of god since.htm

Letter clxxx. To the Master Sophronius, on Behalf of Eunathius.
... On thinking in what way I could be useful to him, I did find one means of helping
him out of his difficulties, and that is by making him known to your ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/letter clxxx to the master.htm

Paul and his Requests for Prayer (Continued)
... "Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver; in whom we trust that
he will yet deliver us; Ye also helping together in prayer for us. What then? ...
/.../bounds/prayer and praying men/xvi paul and his requests.htm

Association
... And what is it that makes us call the ant and the bee the wisest of animals, except
that they do, in some degree, behave like men, in helping one another, and ...
/.../kingsley/twenty-five village sermons/sermon xx association.htm

Preface
... Jesus was never concerned about speculation nor mere discussion; He was too
intent on helping people. ... It is concerned only with helping us. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks on the crowned christ of revelation/preface.htm

Fellow-Followers
... For the ends of the earth are come upon us, for the helping touch of our hands,
or for the drag-back to be overcome by some one's else helping touch. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks on following the christ/fellow-followers.htm

The Object of the Following Treatise. ...
... these instructions, but let thy heart keep my words:" [426] remembering these
admonitions, I say, I, Peregrinus, am persuaded, that, the Lord helping me, it ...
/.../vincent/the commonitory of vincent of lerins/chapter i the object of.htm

The Hands of the Father.
... of loving words, of high thoughts, of speechless feelings; and, between, he turned
to do the same thing in deed, namely, in loving word, in helping thought, in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/macdonald/unspoken sermons/the hands of the father.htm

Thesaurus

Helping (35 Occurrences)
...Helping (35 Occurrences). ... Acts 13:5 And at Salamis they were preaching the word of
God in the Synagogues of the Jews: and John was with them, helping them. ...
/h/helping.htm - 17k

Zerub'babel (23 Occurrences)
... son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of
God which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, helping them ...
/z/zerub'babel.htm - 13k

Kelaiah (1 Occurrence)
... In parallel list of 1 Esdras 9:23, he again has a double name-"Colius" and "Calitas."
A "Kelita" is named as helping Ezra at the expounding of the law ...
/k/kelaiah.htm - 7k

Kinds (110 Occurrences)
... witness is given of her good works; if she has had the care of children, if she
has been kind to travellers, washing the feet of the saints, helping those who ...
/k/kinds.htm - 36k

Jozadak (5 Occurrences)
... son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of
God which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, helping them ...
/j/jozadak.htm - 8k

Joining (43 Occurrences)
... 2 Corinthians 1:11 you also helping together on our behalf by your supplication;
that, for the gift bestowed on us by means of many, thanks may be given by ...
/j/joining.htm - 19k

Justus (3 Occurrences)
... These three alone, at that particular time-from among the Jewish
Christians-were helping him in the work of the gospel in Rome. ...
/j/justus.htm - 12k

Jo'zadak (5 Occurrences)
... son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of
God which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, helping them ...
/j/jo'zadak.htm - 8k

Jethro (10 Occurrences)
... he received a hearty welcome into the household of Jethro on account of the courtesy
and kindness he had shown to the priest's 7 daughters in helping them to ...
/j/jethro.htm - 17k

Lacedaemonians
... been deprived of independence in 146 BC, and Sparta was only obliged to lend assistance
to Rome and may be supposed to have been doing so in helping the Jews ...
/l/lacedaemonians.htm - 8k

Resources

Where/how do you draw the line between helping someone and allowing someone to take advantage of you? | GotQuestions.org

What is the spiritual gift of helps? | GotQuestions.org

How should a Christian view ADD and ADHD? | GotQuestions.org

Helping: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Helping (35 Occurrences)

Matthew 12:11
And he said to them, Which of you, having a sheep, if it gets into a hole on the Sabbath day, will not put out a helping hand and get it back?
(BBE)

Mark 9:24
and immediately the father of the child, having cried out, with tears said, 'I believe, sir; be helping mine unbelief.'
(YLT)

Luke 8:3
and Joanna, the wife of Chuzas, Herod's steward; Susanna; and many others; who served them from their possessions.
(See NIV)

Acts 9:36
Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which when translated, means Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy which she did.
(See NIV)

Acts 13:5
And at Salamis they were preaching the word of God in the Synagogues of the Jews: and John was with them, helping them.
(BBE)

1 Corinthians 16:16
That you put yourselves under such, and under everyone who is helping the Lord's work.
(BBE)

2 Corinthians 1:11
you also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift bestowed on us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on your behalf.
(WEB KJV ASV BBE WBS NAS)

1 Timothy 5:10
And if witness is given of her good works; if she has had the care of children, if she has been kind to travellers, washing the feet of the saints, helping those who are in trouble, giving herself to good works.
(BBE NIV)

Philemon 1:13
whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.
(See NIV)

Hebrews 1:14
Are they not all helping spirits, who are sent out as servants to those whose heritage will be salvation?
(BBE)

Hebrews 2:16
For assuredly it is not to angels that He is continually reaching a helping hand, but it is to the descendants of Abraham.
(WEY)

James 2:22
You see that his faith was helping his works and was made complete by them;
(BBE)

Genesis 35:17
And when her pain was very great, the woman who was helping her said, Have no fear; for now you will have another son.
(BBE)

Exodus 1:16
and he said, "When you perform the duty of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birth stool; if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live."
(See NAS)

Leviticus 25:35
And if your brother becomes poor and is not able to make a living, then you are to keep him with you, helping him as you would a man from another country who is living among you.
(BBE)

Deuteronomy 22:1
If you see your brother's ox or his sheep wandering, do not go by without helping, but take them back to your brother.
(BBE)

Joshua 14:12
Now therefore give me this hill country, of which Yahweh spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and great and fortified cities. It may be that Yahweh will be with me, and I shall drive them out, as Yahweh spoke."
(See NIV)

Judges 21:22
It shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, that we will say to them,'Grant them graciously to us, because we didn't take for each man his wife in battle, neither did you give them to them, otherwise you would now be guilty.'"
(See NIV)

1 Samuel 22:13
And Saul said to him, Why have you made designs against me with the son of Jesse, giving him food and a sword and getting directions from the Lord for him, and helping him to take up arms against me, and to be on the watch to make a secret attack on me as he is doing now?
(BBE)

1 Kings 20:16
And in the middle of the day they went out. But Ben-hadad was drinking in the tents with the thirty-two kings who were helping him.
(BBE YLT)

2 Kings 6:11
And at this, the mind of the king of Aram was greatly troubled, and he sent for his servants and said to them, Will you not make clear to me which of us is helping the king of Israel?
(BBE)

1 Chronicles 12:1
And these 'are' those coming in unto David to Ziklag, while shut up because of Saul son of Kish, and they 'are' among the mighty ones, helping the battle,
(YLT)

1 Chronicles 15:26
and it cometh to pass, in God's helping the Levites bearing the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, that they sacrifice seven bullocks and seven rams.
(YLT NAS)

2 Chronicles 26:13
And under their orders was a trained army of three hundred and seven thousand, five hundred, of great strength in war, helping the king against any who came against him.
(BBE)

2 Chronicles 28:23
and he sacrificeth to the gods of Damascus -- those smiting him, and saith, 'Because the gods of the kings of Aram are helping them, to them I sacrifice, and they help me,' and they have been to him to cause him to stumble, and to all Israel.
(YLT)

2 Chronicles 32:8
With him is an arm of flesh; but we have the Lord our God, helping us and fighting for us. And the people put their faith in what Hezekiah, king of Judah, said.
(BBE)

Ezra 5:2
Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, helping them.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS RSV NIV)

Ezra 8:20
And of the Nethinim, to whom David and the captains had given the work of helping the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinim, all of them specially named.
(BBE)

Nehemiah 2:18
Then I gave them an account of how the hand of my God was on me, helping me; and of the king's words which he had said to me. And they said, Let us get to work on the building. So they made their hands strong for the good work.
(BBE)

Nehemiah 5:16
And I kept on with the work of this wall, and we got no land for ourselves: and all my servants were helping with the work.
(BBE)

Job 30:13
They break up my path, they further my calamity, even men that have no helper.
(See NIV)

Psalms 22:1
For the Chief Musician; set to "The Doe of the Morning." A Psalm by David. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?
(WEB KJV ASV BBE WBS RSV)

Proverbs 11:14
When there is no helping suggestion the people will have a fall, but with a number of wise guides they will be safe.
(BBE)

Isaiah 63:5
And I look attentively, and there is none helping, And I am astonished that there is none supporting, And give salvation to me doth mine own arm. And my wrath -- it hath supported me.
(YLT)

Jeremiah 47:4
Because of the day that hath come to spoil all the Philistines, To cut off to Tyre and to Zidon every helping remnant. For Jehovah is spoiling the Philistines, The remnant of the isle of Caphtor.
(YLT)

Subtopics

Helping

Helping People With Mental Illness

Related Terms

Zerub'babel (23 Occurrences)

Kelaiah (1 Occurrence)