SHARING WITH THE POOR

Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Understanding important truths from the Bible…. 

SHARING WITH THE POOR                       

Deuteronomy 23:24-25; 24:19-22 Mark 2:23 NKJV

²⁴ “When you come into your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes at your pleasure, but you shall not put any in your container.

²⁵ When you come into your neighbor’s standing grain, you may pluck the heads with your hand, but you shall not use a sickle on your neighbor’s standing grain.

Deuteronomy 24

¹⁹ “When you reap your harvest in your field, and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

²⁰ When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over the boughs again; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.

²¹ When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not glean it afterward; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.

²² And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this thing.

Mark 2:23

²³ Now it happened that He went through the grain fields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain 

Moses gave Israel many simple laws for daily living.  They had directives for the whole of their lives, for their possessions, and for incidentals which overall made them different from the nations around them.  Above all other concerns was their responsibility to show care for and provide for their fellow countrymen.

Calvin wrote about Deuteronomy 23:24-25.  “This, then, is the sum, that is not accounted a theft, if a traveler, in order to relieve his hunger, should gather ears of corn or grapes for his necessary wants, until he should arrive at this resting place where he may buy bread and wine.”  Commentary Vol. III, page 151, Harmony of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Baker book House. 

Calvin has missed the intention of Moses.  For Moses is not talking about a traveler, but it is the same concern as Deuteronomy 24:19-22.  The poor, the weak, and the helpless were to be remembered and provided for in every instance of available supply.  The only limit placed on the person who takes is that it be for their immediate need. 

The one who picked from his neighbors vineyard or field was not allowed to bring with him any means of harvest.  He was to have neither “bag” nor “sickle”.  When his interest went further than his immediate appetite it became theft. 

When the disciples of Christ in Mark 2:23 pulled the grain there was no accusation of theft.  The accusation against them was Sabbath breaking.  The responsibility of provision for the hungry person remained a part of the Jews recognized religious responsibility. 

Both the Old Testament and the New Testament are replete with admonitions of responsibility of God’s people for the poor.  It is a travesty to the Scriptures to spiritualize these statements to mean anything other than those who have great economical need of food, clothing, and shelter through no fault of their own. 

Do not mistake what I am saying.  It is not the organized church’s responsibility to heal social ills or to affect the culture in other ways than to bring the Law and Gospel to bear upon it.  But it is the responsibility of every believer to consider the indigent to provide for them to the full extent their worldly goods will allow. 

Application:

1.  Worldly goals are never to be considered separate from others.
2. Giving is to be done knowing that all is received as a gift from God.