What is Jesus' teachings on charity?

Answer 1

According to the gospels, Jesus taught to do what you can for the poor, but remember the poor will always be with you. In supporting the use of expensive oils as a demonstration of faith, he seems to have been saying that religious extravagance should take priority over charity.

AnswerJesus did not heal everyone. And he maintained that we will always have the poor wih us - simply as poverty is a relative idea; the poor in the UK are rich with respect to the poor of Africa. The poor financially in Africa are rich - far richer than many in the west - in spirituality.

That said, he did make it very clear how we should treat all people and not just the poor, where he is explaining the final judgement of all people: Matthew 25:

41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'