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how do jesus' teachings on wealth and poverty, like the rich young ruler, connect with this deuteronomic command?

Adds the setting and its conversation across both testaments.

Deuteronomy 15:7-8

“If there is a poor man with you, one of your brothers, within any of your gates in your land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother; but you shall open your hand wide to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it is.”

Deuteronomy is a collection of speeches given by Moses to the Israelites as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. This section lays out laws and instructions for their community life, emphasizing justice, generosity, and care for the vulnerable among them.

What does 'opening your hand wide' mean for your resources, given the needs around you?

Then — the setting

This passage is part of the Deuteronomic law, likely compiled and shaped over centuries, reaching its final form around the 7th-5th centuries BCE. It reflects a society transitioning from nomadic life to settled agriculture, where economic disparities could quickly emerge. The commands are addressed to the entire Israelite community, emphasizing mutual responsibility within the covenant. The 'poor brother' likely refers to fellow Israelites who had fallen on hard times, perhaps due to crop failure, debt, or illness, rather than necessarily a permanent underclass. The expectation was that the community would prevent extreme poverty through these practices.

Across the Testaments

This Deuteronomic command (Old Testament) establishes a fundamental expectation for generosity and care for the poor within the covenant community. The New Testament does not nullify this principle but intensifies and universalizes it. While Deuteronomy focuses on lending 'sufficient for his need,' Jesus' teachings, particularly in the story of the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-22), challenge individuals with significant wealth to a more radical divestment, suggesting that attachment to wealth can be an obstacle to entering God's kingdom. The early Christian community, as described in Acts, also practiced a form of radical sharing (Acts 2:44-45), echoing and amplifying the spirit of generosity found in Deuteronomy.

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

Matthew 19:16-22
This is the story of the rich young ruler, where Jesus challenges a wealthy man to sell his possessions and give to the poor.
Proverbs 28:27
This proverb highlights the blessing that comes from giving to the poor and the consequences of ignoring them.
2 Corinthians 8:9
Paul speaks of Jesus' self-emptying to enrich others, setting a pattern for generosity.

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