God Didn't Say That: Don't Help the Poor (John 12:1-8)



The dark clouds of Jesus' crucifixion and death were gathering.  On their way to Jerusalem, Jesus and his disciples stopped in Bethany at the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.  These were Jesus' close friends, and he may have longed for their love and encouragement on his way to suffering.

While they were reclining a table, eating, Mary walked in and went to Jesus' feet.  She took a pint of expensive perfume, poured it over Jesus feet, and began to wipe his feet with her hair.

This was one of the most profound acts of love performed for Jesus in his life.

Judas was offended at this action.  He asked, "Why wasn't this perfume sold, and the money given to the poor?"  The gospel of John says that Judas didn't care about the poor.  His main concern was the disciples' moneybag, which he kept and sometimes took from.

Jesus replied, "Leave her alone.  It was intended that she save this for the day of my burial.  You will always have the poor among you.  You will not always have me."

Sadly, many Christ followers have used Jesus' words to teach that the church shouldn't focus on helping the poor.  Instead, it should put all its energies toward proclaiming the good news of Christ.  This is what folks taught me at church, and what I believed many years.

But then I learned that Jesus was alluding to an Old Testament passage: Deuteronomy 15:11.  That passage is about helping the poor.  It says that the Israelites should care for them. It says, "There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I command you to be open-handed toward your brothers, and toward the poor and needy in your land."

Deuteronomy says that there will always be poor in the land.  Therefore, you should always help them.

So Jesus wasn't saying, "There will always be poor people in the land; therefore, don't worry about them."  Instead, he was saying, "There will always be poor people in the land; therefore, you should always help them.  However, Mary has done right in this moment."

Jesus doesn't leave us with the option of proclaiming the gospel or helping the poor.  He gives us the command to proclaim the gospel and the poor.  Both are equally important, because both are parts of the mission Christ has given us of baptizing and teaching people to obey Jesus' commands!

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