In Luke 14:33, Jesus says in order to be his disciples, we must sell our possessions and give it to the poor. Many may wonder, why should I give up all and give it to the poor when they’ll just misuse the funds?
Matthew 26:6-11 – While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
8When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9“This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
10Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.
Mark 14:3 – While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages[a] and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.
6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.
When we decide to give up our possessions and give it to the poor, we are not doing it for the poor. Therefore, it doesn’t matter what they do with the money you give them. You are doing this for Jesus because that is what he says is required in order to become his disciple.
John 14:15 – If you love me, keep my commands.
John 14:21 – Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
John 15:10 – If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
1 John 2:3 – We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.
1 John 5:3 – In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,
2 John 1:6 – Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.
The poor may receive a tangible benefit but the motive behind your giving is that of obedience to Jesus’ teachings. That is why Jesus says that we’ll always have the poor with us, but what this woman was doing was for Jesus. It’s not even about the poor, since some of the poor that you give to may not even be believers. Jesus did not say to give to only believers who are poor.
Jesus is stating that in order to truly put God first, we must give up our possessions to the poor and trust in God for His provision. This is true faith.
John 11:2 – (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.)
John 12:1-8 – Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint[ of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”
The purpose of giving your possessions is not for the poor themselves, but rather to follow Jesus’ commandment to give up all which can be found in scriptures such as (but not limited to):
Luke 14:33 – In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
Luke 12:33 – Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.
The act of giving up all proves that our dependence on and worship to God, is not just lip service.
Mark 7:6-9 & 13 – He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” 9 And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! 13 Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”
Jesus is stating that through the traditions of man, which are denominational teachings, we nullify the word of God. Denominational doctrines do not teach that we must give up all for Jesus. Thus, nullifying the word of God.
Matthew 15:6-9 – He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” 6he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. 7You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
8“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 9in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
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