Foundations for Christian Mission, Mentor's Guide, MG04

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F O U N D A T I O N S F O R C H R I S T I A N M I S S I O N

OT Commands Designed to Combat Poverty

D. Summary

“In the Old Testament, ‘poor’ can be translated by six major and three other terms—totaling about 300 references, and revealing a broad understanding of the causes, reality, and consequences of poverty. The poor person is the downtrodden, humiliated, oppressed; the man pleading and crying out for justice; the weak or helpless; the destitute; the needy, dependent person; and the one forcibly subjected to the powerful oppressor. The wide range of terms shows that ‘the poor’ must be seen frommany perspectives. Clustering around ‘the poor’ are linked words like ‘the widow,’ ‘the fatherless’ and ‘the stranger.’”

Many command- ments in the law are explicitly intended to help the poor. In Deuteronomy the Sabbath command- ment is socially motivated: the right to rest on the Sabbath is also for servants and strangers (Deut. 5.12–15). During the harvest the corner of the field and the gleanings should be left for the poor (Lev. 19.9–10; Deut. 24.17–22). The law prohibits a creditor from taking interest or a garment from the indebted poor (Exod. 22.25–27; Deut. 24.12–13). In Deuteronomy 14.28–29 and 26.12 there are prescriptions for a special tithe for the poor, for the benefit of the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless and the widows. In the sabbatical year the land was left fallow so that the poor could eat from it (Lev. 25.1–7; “Poverty.” The New Dictionary of Biblical Theology . T. D. Alexander, ed. (electronic ed.). Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2001. Deut. 15.1–11). ~ Hans Kvalbein.

~ “Christian Witness to the Urban Poor.” Report of the Consultation of World Evangelization Mini-Consultation on Reaching the Urban Poor. Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, 1980.

IV. The Standards of God’s Covenant Community: Giving Witness as the People of God

As God’s own covenant community, the people of Israel were under obligation to display the freedom, wholeness, and justice of the Lord God, whose righteous laws were for the protection, wellness, and blessedness (shalom) of God’s people.

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A. Provision made for the poor : the fields were not to be fully harvested to allow the poor to glean the fields.

1. Do not reap to the edge of your fields for the poor’s sake, Lev. 19.9-10.

2. Do not return to (re-reap) your fields, Deut. 24.19-22.

B. Justice in the courts : God’s covenant community was to exact justice in all business and legal dealings.