You asked

how does this command relate to jesus's teachings about caring for the poor and marginalized?

Adds the setting and its conversation across both testaments.

Deuteronomy 15:7-8

“If there is with you a poor man, any 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, in that which he wants.”

This passage is part of Moses' address to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. Deuteronomy provides a review and expansion of the law given at Sinai, emphasizing the importance of communal care and justice within the new society they are about to establish.

What might it mean to 'open your hand wide' in a world where needs are both local and global?

Then — the setting

Deuteronomy was likely codified and promulgated in ancient Israel around the 7th century BCE, though it draws on older traditions. It served as a covenant document, outlining the responsibilities of the community and its leaders under God's law. The command to care for the poor was not merely charity, but a foundational principle for a just society, distinguishing Israel from other nations. Poverty was often linked to misfortune, debt, or social injustice, and the law aimed to prevent chronic poverty and ensure that everyone within the community had access to basic necessities and dignity.

Across the Testaments

The Old Testament, particularly the Law and Prophets, consistently calls for justice and compassion for the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the stranger. This Deuteronomic command is a clear example of this foundational concern. In the New Testament, Jesus radicalizes and internalizes this ethic. While the Old Testament often focuses on legislative and communal mechanisms (like gleaning laws or debt forgiveness), Jesus emphasizes the inner disposition of the heart and expands the scope of 'neighbor' to include even enemies. His teachings, like the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10) and his pronouncements in Matthew 25, underscore that caring for the marginalized is not optional but central to discipleship and is a direct act of service to him. The New Testament maintains the Old Testament's commitment to the poor but often shifts the focus from national law to individual and ecclesial responsibility, motivated by love for God and neighbor.

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

Leviticus 19:9-10
Commands leaving gleanings in fields for the poor and the foreigner, showing practical care for the vulnerable.
Proverbs 14:31
States that those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, while those who are kind to the needy honor God.
Matthew 25:31-46
Jesus' teaching on identifying with 'the least of these brothers' and the criteria for ultimate judgment based on care for the hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, and imprisoned.

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