The Poor and Needy

The Rule of Law: Government of the Community (6)

God’s Law protects the dignity and place of the poor.

“‘For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, “You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the need and to the poor, in your land.”’” Deuteronomy 15.11

We have seen that even the poor were expected to work and, community by community, landowners were to make provision for this to be so. But more was required than this in caring for the poor.

Generosity and forbearance were the watchwords in dealing with the poor. This could involve a variety of obligations on members of the community, often depending on their relationship (if any) to those who were poor. One whose relative had become poor might be expected to loan him sufficient for his need or even to open his home for a time (Deut. 15.7, 8; Lev. 25.35-38) or take him into his employ (Lev. 25.39-42). Any loans made to the poor were to be interest-free (Ex. 22.25), and any pledges involved were to be reasonable and to be received in a way that respected the dignity of the poor (Deut. 24.10-13; 24.6). No one could permanently acquire the lands of a neighbor who had become poor, for all lands were to be returned to their lawful owners in the Jubilee.

The poor were not to be disrespected in civil matters, but deserved justice like every other member of the community, without regard for their economic or social condition (Ex. 23.6-8; Deut. 24.17, 18). God pledged Himself to come to the defense of any poor people wronged by the members of their community (Ex. 22.21-14). Any strangers or sojourners from outside the community who happened to end up in it and become poor were to be treated like all other members of the community (Ex.23.9; Lev. 19.33, 34).

Members of the community who had special needs were to be specially regarded; communities were not to put stumbling blocks before the deaf or the blind, but to do everything possible to help them in their way (Lev.19.14). Every three years the tithe of the community was devoted to a community chest for meeting the needs of the poor (Deut. 14.28, 29).

Thus communities “went the extra mile” on behalf of all their members, even those who had fallen on hard times or become permanently disabled.

For a practical guide to the role of God’s Law in the life of faith, get The Ground for Christian Ethics by going to www.ailbe.org and click on our Book Store.