"You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me" John 12:8
This verse has puzzled me for a long time. Jesus makes this statement after Mary anoints his head and feet with oil. Judas responds incredulously "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." 12:5.
I have heard this conversation discussed a few times, sometimes the conclusion some come to is this: "the poor will always be with us, poverty is part of society. We should focus primarily on the spiritual, not the social. God obviously cares for the poor, but our job is to share the good news of spiritual rebirth, let's not get distracted by focusing on the social needs of the poor, because that will always be with us."
I discovered something today. Jesus was summarizing scripture. The passage he reference came from Deuteronomy 15. That section describes the year of canceled debts: Every seven years, all debts were to be abolished, and land given back to the original owners, all slaves released...God made provision in his law for an equitable society. There was only one problem. Israel never followed it. They never once made it seven years, or to the year of Jubilee which happened every 50 years (definitely something to study if you are interested). That is one of the reasons that God was so upset with them, read Isaiah 58 for an example.
Here is a link to the passage Jesus quoted, Deuteronomy 15:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=5&chapter=15&version=31
The last verse from that passage: "There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land." Deuteronomy 15:11
Is it possible that this is what Jesus meant: "The poor you will always have with you, you will always, always be working for there welfare, for that is my heart. Mary has done the right thing because of the special circumstance, I am going to die, but remember that your job is not just the spiritual needs of the lost but also their physical needs as well."
What do you think? Have you ever thought of this passage this way? Do you have examples where you have seen a passage completely different in light of what God is teaching you?
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
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11 comments:
I think I view that passage more alone the lines of your second mentioned interpretation.
I think Jesus was also being especially pointed in his comment at Judas, who was being quite selfish.
"Now this is the sin of your sister Sodom, she and her daughters were arogant, overfed, and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy" Ezekiel 16:49
Remember the Sodom and Gamorah (sp?) story? I always grew up being told that it was because they committed homosexual sin. And certainly, that is one part of the story, but this verse was never brought up! Love your post honey:) I really love seeing you expound and think upon the Word; it inspires me.
you are right on the money about the intent of Jesus words. But, in the US we are able to skirt by this and make it "untrue" that the poor will be with us.
By this I mean that we are able to construct lives in which we don't have the poor among us. We create physical, social and ecclesial isolation from the poor. Our networks, friendships, social habits, and attentiveness all work against this (for many, not for all). The more "suburbanized" we are the more we have to work against habits and sensibilities that leave us "without" the poor.
Mr. Noel,
Good to see you blogging and pontificating, my old freind. I'll add my 2 cents to the interpetation stew; Jesus word's seem to echo the design of our society, especially democratic capitalism. We will 'always' have poor because people are generally self-serving and selfish. Additionally, our system has been enginered in such a way that the 'rich get richer' and the 'poor...', well, you know the rest. Until Christ returns to set all wrongs right, we will always have un-justness (which I think is the REAL issue, as opposed to 'in-justice', Indeed, if we all got justice, we'd all be dead.) That's not to say that Christian compassion and basic human decency ought not propel us to serve those who are down trodden. By all means, it should.
Fatec~
"Jesus word's seem to echo the design of our society, especially democratic capitalism"
Can you give me an example of a type of society that has demonstrated a lower amount of poverty?
democratic capitalism leaves many poor but I am not aware of such a society that has a lower proportion of poverty. . . are you?
Hammerdad~
Thanks for corresponding. If you're asking , "Which society has less poor people than the USA", well, that's an interesting question. While I'd venture that such a society does (or at least has) existed, I'm neither a demographamologist nor an ecomonolgist. Either way, that was not my intention in making my comment.
I was makng the statement that Jesus' words serve as a commentary on the state and nature of fallen man, a state that is visibly demonstrated in our western culture. I acknowledge that I am making an application of Jesus' words, not offering an interpretation. We must be careful to note that while we can glean many insights from the words of Scripture, those words have a singular interpretation---that exact meaning that the Holy Spirit intended when He inspired the writers to write.
In Matthew 5, Jesus quotes from the Torah regarding adultery, murder, and the like. He relates to the people that application that they had derived from the Law. He then proceeds to re-issue those commands (you have heard it was said...but I tell you...), giving the words from Deuteronomy their true interpretation. We cannot go back to Deuteronomy to understand what Jesus means when He quotes Deuteronomy in Matthew 5. We must seek to understand what Jesus meant when He quoted Deuteronomy in Matthew 5.
In the same way, we must be careful to understand Jesus' intention when He quotes "You will always have the poor among you" in John 12. There is no question that these words are taken from Deuteronomy 15. Yet just as in the Matthew 5, Jesus may not have intended to carry the exact meaning over.
Again, my comments we're not offered as an interpretaion, merely application /commentary. As for an interpretation, again, here are my two-cents: I think the context will bear out that Jesus is corecting a misconception on Judas' part, but it is not regarding the poor at all. The issue is timing.
We see a similar situation in Acts 1, where the anticipative Disiples ask the risen Jesus is this the time that the kingdom will be restored to Israel. Jesus answers that those things will come when they are appointed to come---asking such a question at that time was missing the point. The point was for the Disiples to tarry at Jerusalem until they were clothed with power from on high, and then they were to be His witnesses.
In the same way, Judas missed the point when he made his comment about the poor (also, methinks, he was a greedy thief, as Scripture indicates, and cared not for the poor, but for lining his own pockets). There would be time and opportunity to care for the poor. Mary's time and opporunity to anoint Jesus for His burial was running out--now was the time for such matters.
Wow guys, great stuff. I have been neglecting my blog for the past week, and was surprised to find such a rich discussion going on. Thanks Joel for reading, and I definitely agree that we do have the resources to severly cut back poverty or obliterate in in the U.S. It will be fight that the church will have to become passionate about.
fatec, great thoughts as well. I agree that it is vital for us to use Jesus words as a clarification of the old testament. I bring out that passage to rind us all that God's heart for the poor permiates His book, Old and New Testament alike show his heart.
Thanks for your thoughts. by the way, I couldn't figure out from your screen name who you are. Hope to hear more from you,
Noel
peacebuilder,
i wrote a post on this a little while back. i must say, i disagree w/your conclusions, especially the summarizing of scripture notion. however, you bring up some good things. here's the link to my post if you want to check it out: Pisteuomen: Rethinking "You Will Always Have The Poor Among You"
We often discuss poverty and "the poor" but frequently do not discuss the causality of poverty. Who are the "deserving poor?" who are the "foolish poor"? What is the effect of poor behavior and poor choices and what is the effect of true societal injustice?
We should fight injustice in every aspect, but we should not fight "inequality". The two are not the same. Effort, Ability and Ambition should be rewarded and the lack there of should be dealt with punitively as a natural effect.
Poverty can both be a cause and an effect, but just as we are individuals and demand to be treated as such... the "poor" should have the same justice that we demand and be treated accordingly.
American poverty and Indian poverty are entirely different animals, as is African poverty and Irish poverty... generalizing, as such, only guarantees the complete assurance that no progress will every be achieved.
Tony V--
Fascinating and provacative comments.
"special circumstance"
Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.
= Mel Brooks
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