The poor we will always have with us?
Jesus isn’t pitting himself against poor people. He’s one of them.
Timothy P. Schmalz, When I Was Hungry & Thirsty, sculpture, 2006. Some rights reserved by Owen Byrne.
A full understanding of what Jesus meant by “the poor you will always have with you” (Matt. 26:11) requires familiarity with Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy is the Old Testament book most cited in the New Testament. It is the bridge that connects covenantal law, shalom justice, alternative power systems, and economic rights from the Torah through the New Testament.
Theologian and social theorist Ulrich Duchrow writes:
