Jesus talked about this verse what does it mean?

Question

Jesus in one of the gospels says the poor you will always have with you. What does this mean and if this is true how come there seems to be no poor among the churches I have been to. Does Jesus mean finaincally poor or ecomoninclly poor or does he mean poor in spririt and spriritually bankrupt or poor?

Back in the east coast where I am from there was always some who were poor but in the west coast where I moved to many are middle class and no poor in the church that I attend.

What is your opinion or take on this?

Answer 1

There will always be folks who are poor on the earth. Poor financially, materially, and spiritually. They are in our towns, our neighborhoods, and in our schools and churches. Every church has its poor. You cannot know just from going to different churches, and seeing what's on the surface.

Answer 2

It has several different meanings, first, yes, there will always be poor, but we should not let our attempting to help the poor be the focus of our spirituality, It is better to teach a poor person to become spiritually strong, and self-sufficient, than to keep the person at the poor level. 1 Timothy 6:6 To be sure, it is a means of great gain, [this] godly devotion, along with self-sufficiency. 7 For we have brought nothing into the world and neither can we carry anything out. 8 So, having sustenance and covering , we shall be content with these things. But then of course there are the spiritually poor, that is why we are admonished at Matthew 6: 33 Keep on then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these [other] things will be added to you.

Answer 3

7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. Mark 14:7 (KJV)

In this particular verse he was speaking about economically poor. This is in contrast to the many times he spoke of the poor meaning the spiritually poor. If you are looking for economically disadvantaged in church drop by your local Salvation Army, you will probably find a few disadvantaged souls there. It would also be a great place to drop off a check.

Answer 4

Don't be fooled by people in your church. We lived in CA for many years and I don't think anyone thought we were poor. We just managed to hide our debt well.
And yes, He literally meant that they would always have the poor with them, but not Him. The disciples questioned the reasons why the woman would pour expensive oil on Jesus when they could have taken the money and given it to the poor. This does not mean that Jesus didn't care about the poor, He cared very much.

Answer 5

Im here in California, there are poor and wealthy people in the churches, I have moved many times. Christians are in the poorest towns to the richest towns. Many churches help the poor and remind the wealthy that God is before money and all belongs to God and to use what God gave them wisely.

Answer 6

Jesus was not forbidding the use of costly things for worship. In that case you refer to the costly ointment could have been sold and the money given to the poor,as Judas notes,but Jesus says "The poor you always have with you but you will not always have me."
Jesus died,rose and ascended,but He is present to be served in those who are poor and needy in body,mind and spirit. If we refuse to help the needy and helpless then we are ignoring Jesus. "What you did to the least of My brethren ,you did to Me."
There are more poor than rich in my Catholic Church that I have gone to.

Answer 7

Maybe He meant poor in your area and not just the church..perhaps that is why we are to go into the streets and talk to people. There are many who are financially poor and spiritually poor. There must be homeless shelters etc in your town..they could probably use the extra help.

Answer 8

This is a very good question. When Jesus said you will have thee poor always he meant it. Do you know that the money used by the USA is completely fake as in nothing backing it, as in worthless Fiat money. All the people that has tons money actually has tons of fake money. Another words they are poor and don't know it. In fact most people in the USA are completely consumed by debt. They may have big nice homes, new cars etc... but the fact remains they don't own any of it. This is more proof we are closer to the end.

Re 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and NAKED:

Answer 9

Probably all the above, poor in spirit, poor financially. You might not find the poor amongst people at church, but you will find them in every town across the globe.

Peace, Love, and Blessings
Greenwood

Answer 10

He is speaking of the literally poor.
Check the context, John 12:1 Accordingly Jesus, six days before the passover, arrived at Beth´a·ny, where Laz´a·rus was whom Jesus had raised up from the dead. 2 Therefore they spread an evening meal for him there, and Martha was ministering, but Laz´a·rus was one of those reclining at the table with him. 3 Mary, therefore, took a pound of perfumed oil, genuine nard, very costly, and she greased the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet dry with her hair. The house became filled with the scent of the perfumed oil. 4 But Judas Is·car´i·ot, one of his disciples, who was about to betray him, said: 5 “Why was it this perfumed oil was not sold for three hundred de·nar´i·i and given to the poor people?” 6 He said this, though, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief and had the money box and used to carry off the monies put in it. 7 Therefore Jesus said: “Let her alone, that she may keep this observance in view of the day of my burial. 8 For YOU have the poor always with YOU, but me YOU will not have always.”
The context reveals, that Jesus' words were spoken in response to the misplaced loyalties of the disciples (particularly Judas, because Judas was the keeper of the money box and was regularly stealing from it), so the claim why was this perfume not sold and the money given to the poor was because Judas wanted a chance to pilfer some of the proceeds. Not because he was genuinely concerned for the welfare of the poor.