Christ Lived in Poverty
The Lord Jesus Christ was poor when He lived on this earth. He was born into poverty, served in lowliness as a servant of God and died destitute. His grace, which allowed Him to walk this path, should touch our hearts again and again.
Poor Parental Home
Because Joseph and his heavily pregnant wife Mary had no room in the inn, Jesus was placed in a feeding trough after His birth (Luke 2:7). Even by the standards of the time, this primitive solution seems to have been unusual, as the child in the manger was a sign from God for the shepherds (Luke 2:12, 16). Would it not have been possible for Joseph and Mary to avert this humiliating experience if they had had enough money (cf. Eccl. 10:19)?
When the 40 days of Mary’s purification after the birth were over, they went to the temple. There they did not sacrifice a lamb for a burnt offering and a dove for a sin offering, as was customary, but only two doves (Lev 12:6; Lk 2:24). This option had been granted to the poor in the Law of Moses, and Mary and Joseph had to make use of it (Lev 12:8). They did not even have a single lamb that they could have consecrated to God on this holy occasion (cf. 2 Sam 12:3)!
Without a Home
At the age of about 30, the Lord Jesus began to go about the land preaching the gospel. During the years of this incomparable ministry, He also spent the night outdoors. When a scribe wanted to follow Him everywhere, Jesus answered him: “Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head” (Mt 8:19, 20). At the end of the day, when “everyone went to his house”, the Lord went to the Mount of Olives to spend the night there (John 7:53-8:1).
Without Money
When the Lord Jesus wanted to pay the temple tax for Himself and Peter so as not to offend the people, He did not take out any money, but sent Peter fishing so that he could take the right coin from the mouth of a fish (Mt 17:24-27). Some time later, the Master wanted to use a tax coin to explain that you should give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s. However, as He had no coin of His own, He had one of the bystanders show Him the coin for this purpose (Mt 22:15-22).
Without Goods
We read nothing in the Gospels about the Lord Jesus possessing anything other than the clothes He wore on His body. On the other hand, we find several times how He was provided for by others. For example, in deep humility He asked a Samaritan woman for some water (John 4:7). On His journey, some women served Him with their possessions (Lk 8:3). Hungry, He sought fruit from a fig tree that stood somewhere along the way (Mk 11:12-14). He used a boat belonging to Simon to speak to the people better and rode to Jerusalem on a donkey that was only on loan (Lk 5:3; 19:29-35). Even in the miracles of the transformation of water and the multiplication of bread, He built on what others had provided (Jn 2:6-11; Mt 15:34; Jn 6:9). And what happened to His garments? They were taken from Him in cold blood by Roman soldiers on the cross (Jn 19:23). Finally, He was laid in someone else’s tomb – the poor man went to the grave of a rich man (Is 53:9)!
Rich through His Poverty
Because Jesus lived in poverty, people understood more easily that He had not appeared to change the world through greatness, money and goods and to lead His followers to material wealth. Rather, He had come to quench the thirst and hunger of the soul forever (John 4:14; 6:35). To do this, He had to go to His death and give His life as a ransom for sinners. Full of gratitude, the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians who had become believers: “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that when He was rich, He became poor for your sakes, so that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9). Yes, we know this glorious grace. But does it still impress us?
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