Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

POOR

One lacking material goods, honor, and power. Recent anthropological and sociological studies have shown that the “poor” is not just an economic concept, but is more especially a question of honor, social status, a lack of power that led to oppression.

In the OT different blocks of traditions emphasize different aspects. The legal texts regulate the treatment of the poor, seeking to protect the poor, widows, orphans, or strangers (Lev. 19:9-10; 25:25, 35). The prophets show a concern for those economically exploited. They protest the oppression of the poor at the hands of the greedy. Isaiah attacks those landowners who amass vast properties (Isa. 5:8), and condemns the denial of rights to the poor (10:2). Amos draws attention to the oppression of the poor (Amos 2:7; 4:1; 5:11). The wisdom traditions view poverty from different perspectives. Proverbs sees poverty as one’s own fault (Prov. 6:10-11; 10:4, 15; 13:18; 21:17), while for Job poverty results from political and economic exploitation. Job argues his innocence through his defense of the poor (Job 29:12, 16; 30:25; 31:16). The Psalms present God as the defender of the poor (Ps. 22:26[MT 27]; 35:10). The narrative literature of the Pentateuch and Deuteronomistic history show little interest in the poor, concerned more with critiquing the kingship.

Three groups within Israelite society — widows, orphans, and strangers — experienced poverty as particularly harsh. In a society structured upon the male as the worker, the widow and orphan struggled to survive: powerless, they depended upon the good will of others (Deut. 24:17). The strangers, as ones who did not belong, had no bonds to their new society. These groups shared a common poverty: a lack of status whereby the powerful and unscrupulous took advantage. Concern is expressed for their precarious social status (Prov. 31:9; Ps. 82:3) — what others had done to them to cause their poverty (Ps. 10:2; Isa. 32:7).

In addition to economic considerations the NT also focuses on the lack of honor, social status, and powerlessness which led to the oppression of the poor. The Epistle of James stands out as a writing concerned for the poor, who lack power — they are at the mercy of the rich. The rich “have dishonored the poor” who have no rights — the poor are brought to court by the rich (Jas. 2:6). The rich are boastful and arrogant, relying solely upon their own power (Jas. 4:13-17). Wealth has brought honor to the rich and shame to the poor (Jas. 2:1-7). True religion is defined as “caring for orphans and widows in their distress” (Jas. 1:27) — two groups identified with the poor in the OT because they have no rights or power to defend themselves.

In the Synoptic Gospels the life-styles of John the Baptist (Mark 1:6), Jesus (vv. 38-39; 11:12), and the disciples (1:18, 20; 2:23-25) embrace poverty. Matthew opens Jesus’ teaching with a blessing on “the poor in spirit” (Matt. 5:3), while Luke 6:20 has simply “the poor” whose status is lowly, whose spirit is crushed by their powerlessness. This saying implies that the poor also enter the kingdom. It challenges the arrogance of those who deny status to the poor by refusing them their rights. They will be part of God’s kingdom that reinstates their honor and power. The Gospel of Luke shows an empathy for the poor and hostility toward the rich that is more pronounced than in the other Gospels. Again the status of the poor is championed, e.g., in the parables of admission to the messianic banquet (Luke 14:15-24) and the rich man and Lazarus (16:19-31).

The other NT writings pay scant attention to the poor. Paul is chiefly concerned with the collection for the poor in Jerusalem (Gal. 2:10; Rom. 15:26). In 2 Cor. 8–9 Paul calls upon the wealthy to give as much as possible so that economic inequality could be bridged. 1 Peter is written to the “homeless” in the Diaspora. In a sense it reflects the “strangers” of the OT. The good news proclaimed to them (1 Pet. 1:12, 25) imparts a sense of dignity and status (1:5, 9; 2:9-10).

Bibliography. T. R. Hobbs, “Reflections on ‘The Poor’ and the Old Testament,” ExpT 100 (1989): 291-94; P. U. Maynard-Reid, Poverty and Wealth in James (Maryknoll, 1987).

Patrick J. Hartin

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

POOR

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)