Why was Jesus portrayed as poor given his background?

[HeWept]

Jesus is mentioned often as being poor, and often this is contrasted with "spiritual wealth" which he has a lot of.

This strikes me as odd for a few reasons.

First and foremost, he did have a job. He was a carpenter. I can't imagine someone having a job for a decade and a half if it wasn't going to change situations like where he had to ask a Pharisee for a coin just so he could say "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's".

Second, he is the son of God. Why does he technically need wealth (or job-searching) in the same way as us? Material and spiritual wealth are good to distinguish, but at some point, one is going to be obsolete anyways.

Other things that come to mind is he did talk highly of doing good and he did travel a lot. But I think, wait, as a poor person?

It feels like something is going on here.

 

[ozso]

Jesus left everything behind when he went on his three year mission. And he told his disciples to do likewise. He sent them out into the mission field telling them not to take any money or possessions with them. When Jesus ate, he ate food that was given to him by others. On the occasions slept indoors, it was under the roof of someone who provided shelter for him. I'd say Jesus probably considered being tied down to a personal bank account and maintaining a home and possessions as a hindrance. Plus he knew what the outcome of his mission was going to be, a lamb being sent to slaughter.

 

[Laodicean60]

Jesus is mentioned often as being poor, and often this is contrasted with "spiritual wealth" which he has a lot of.

God decided to place His Son, the creator of the universe with us dummies I would say he became poor. But I sometimes see the word poor as humble.

I don't think it meant in a monetary sense because, after all, He could manipulate matter and put coins in fish's mouths and even kill trees.

 

[NBB]

He is not poor, he owns the whole universe, but like he said himself, 'he didn't have where to rest his head'
Which makes him poor monetarily i guess.

 

[dogs4thewin]

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[Diamond72]

he had to ask a Pharisee for a coin

Judas had all the money. If He could multiply the bread and fish, why not money also? Only Judas complained about not having enough money to give to the poor. I am sure he was thinking he could use the money to help poor and Jesus would get up and walk out like He had always done in the past.

 

[The Liturgist]

Judas had all the money. If He could multiply the bread and fish, why not money also? Only Judas complained about not having enough money to give to the poor. I am sure he was thinking he could use the money to help poor and Jesus would get up and walk out like He had always done in the past.

Scripture specifically states that Judas was embezzling, and did not actually care about helping the poor.

 

[Diamond72]

Scripture specifically states that Judas was embezzling, and did not actually care about helping the poor.

Yes John 12 4 tells us: "He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief". David said:
Psalm 41:9 (NIV), where he laments being betrayed by a close friend: "Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me." Jesus must have know about Judas when He said: John 13:27 "So Jesus told him, 'What you are about to do, do quickly."

None of this changes what Judas could have been thinking. Do you really think that Judas would have betrayed Jesus if he was aware of what he was doing? Clearly Jesus knew what he was going to do. Even the Old Testament prophecy about being betrayed for pieces of silver is found in Zechariah 11:12-13 (NIV):

> "I told them, 'If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.' So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, 'Throw it to the potter'—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the Lord."

 

[OldAbramBrown]

The point about the coin the Pharisee showed Him is that it had to be one the Pharisee could be held responsible for believing in. A way of stopping him say "well you would say that wouldn't you".

The one in the fish was illustrating about God's help to us to fulfil obligations. Which wouldn't have come over if he had produced one secreted about His robes (prosperity gospel)!

 

[Diamond72]

The point about the coin the Pharisee showed Him is that it had to be one the Pharisee could be held responsible for believing in.

Coins were often made of precious metals like gold and silver, and their value was closely tied to the weight and purity of the metal. This practice is known as the "specie" system, where the intrinsic value of the metal determined the coin's worth.