Was Jesus Poor or Homeless?

This post was first published on ROOTSS on Sunday, 27th January 2008

I am currently pursuing part-time studies at Rhema, and the module we are currently covering is Principles of Biblical Prosperity.

Yesterday, the lecturer asked the question whether Jesus was poor or homeless.

When growing up, I remember people saying that Jesus was poor. To support this view, they quote the passage as recorded in Luke 2:21-22 where his earthly parents brought Jesus to the temple to be circumcised when he was eight days old. Joseph and Mary offered as a sacrifice a pair of doves or two young pigeons.

Yes, Jesus was born into a poor family, but He did not remain that way. We read in Matt 2:1-12 that wise men from the east came to visit Him and "on coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh."

At the age of eight days, his earthly parents could only afford to sacrifice birds. But in less than 2 years, Magi came and presented them with gifts of gold! His parents were made rich because of Jesus!

I think what may have caused some confusion is the nativity scene we see nowadays, whereby everybody (shepherds, angels, wise men, animals, etc) appear with Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus.

The accurate biblical account is that shepherds came to see Him as a new-born baby.  But it was several months (and probably even up to two years) later, when He was a toddler that the Magi came with gifts of frankincence, gold and myrrh.

That is why we read in Matt 2:16 that Herod sought to kill all the boys in Bethlehem under the age of two.

So even though Jesus was born into a poor family, he did not remain poor.

When Jesus began His ministry, He was well-provided for. In fact, the funds was so substantial that He required a treasurer to look after them. This treasurer even helped himself to the funds without anyone noticing it!

Jesus could even afford to wear a robe that the Roman soldiers gambled for. Just think, it must have been the equivalent of today's Armani suit, if people are have to gamble for it.

So when was Jesus made poor, and why? So that we can be rich! It was part of the divine exchange! Paul tells us in 2 Cor 8:9 that “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”

As for Jesus being "homeless", people quote Matt 8:20 when "Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

But do you know the context of why Jesus said that? HE was replying to a scribe who had in verse 19 said that he would follow Jesus wherever He went. Jesus' mission was unique in that He was born to die, so the scribe would not be able to follow suit. Jesus finally laid His head on the cross when He cried "It is finished!"

That will be the subject of another blog entry, so stay tuned :-)