Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 14:7
For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
Mar 14:7
The poor with you always.
The condition of the poor may be bettered
Covetous men have put our Lords words, Ye have the poor with you always, beside the Old Testament sentence, The poor shall never cease out of the land, in order to quiet the trouble of their own consciences when forced to think of the little they are daily doing for the poor; and then tell themselves, and too often tell others, that aspiration, self-denial, and liberality are, after all, mere spasmodic, ineffectual palliatives of a disease which is inveterate and hopeless, and that, the existence of poverty being an unalterable decree, there can be no true neglect in doing nothing in their power, if there can be no full success in doing all. To some other people this combination of texts supplies a convenient discouragement to throw on all suggestions for elevating the condition of the poor, and alleviating the pressure of their poverty; for it enables them practically to conclude thus: To do this thing would be, more or less, to fly in the face of the Almighty: To alter the conditions He has so clearly laid down would be, in fact, to contradict His will. Of course this error also admits of an easy reply, too logical by far, however, for men who would offer the argument. It is this. God may have willed, and has willed, that absolute equality of goods Shall be, in this world, an impossibility; that the terms rich and poor, being relative terms, shall always have persons to whom they may be applied, though a man who is rich as compared with a peasant may be poor as compared with a prince. But God has never revealed as His will that those conditions shall never be interchangeable; on the contrary, His word tells us that such interchange must be sought (Jam 1:9), and the history of the world, from day to day, shows us, as part of its natural course, a continual rising of some, and sinking of others, in the social scale. Then there is another class of objections to deal with. It is urged by those who really sympathize in good will for the physical and moral raising of the poor, and feel that the bettering of poor mens condition would be an admirable thing if only it were possible, but that its antecedent impossibility frustrates all efforts towards so desirable an end. There are very many such-people who feel Christian love to fellow men fill them with longing to promote their temporal, and through it their eternal good; people who, themselves blessed with ease and affluence in worldly things, feel themselves in some sort trusted by God to benefit their poorer fellows; who know the pity and the wrong of merely flinging money, in whatever sums, into the grasping hand of the loudest clamourer; who strive with all their might in seeking, and fail so often bitterly in finding, the true deserving poor; who go themselves amidst the haunts of squalor, the homes of misery, the very centres of disease, trying to make true Christian mercy the dispenser of their money, and to consecrate even filthy lucre to the holy ministry of Christian love. How many these are, of Christian men and Christian women, God only knows who only can reward; but yet how disappointing is their work! They see from day to day so little fruit; they meet from day to day so much resistance; what wonder if, while conscience urges them to persist in their work, despondency should often overwhelm them, and make the toil, which only hope can lighten, a crushing burden when hope is fled? Is it not too sadly true that when the self-indulgent love to cry, the raising of the poor is resistance to God, the self-sacrificing often have to answer, the raising of the poor is hopeless for man! The one class lets them lie, and cries, their poverty is destiny; the other class labours even while it cries, our labour is in vain! And both have only quoted half the texts-the one side to excuse neglect, the other to explain despondency; while the whole text can force duty on the slothful and give courage to the zealous. For our Lord, indeed, spoke the truth of His day, of our day, and of all days, when He said, Ye have the poor with you always; but He said something more which we should lay to heart, When ye will, ye can do them good. These glorious words settle all questions at once as to the title of man to interfere with the condition of the poor, and as to the alleged hopelessness of such interference. The thing may be done, and the thing may be done with success. To alter the condition of the poor is allowable; to alter it for the better is possible. Ye can do them good! (W. L. Blackley, M. A.)
Christians caring for the poor
When the deacon, St. Lawrence, was asked, in the Decian persecution, to show the prefect the most precious treasures of the Church at Rome, he showed him the sick, the lame, the blind. It is incredible, said Lucian, the pagan jeerer and sceptic, to see the ardour with which those Christians help each other in their wants. They spare nothing. Their first legislator has put it into their heads that they are all brothers. These Galileans, said Julian the apostate, nourish not only their own poor, but ours as well. In the year 252 a plague raged in Carthage. The heathen threw out their dead and sick upon the streets, and ran away from them for fear of contagion, and cursed the Christians. St. Cyprian, on the contrary, assembled his congregation, told them to love those who cursed them; and the rich working with their money, the poor with their hands, never rested till the dead were buried, the sick cared for, and the city saved from destruction. (Archdeacon F. W. Farrar.)
Care of the poor
Thomas Willet, one of the old Puritan divines, was a man of remarkable benevolence. He spent the income of his two benefices in comforting and entertaining the parish poor, often inviting them to the hospitalities of his house. When asked why he did so, his reply was, Lest Joseph and Mary should want room in the inn, or Jesus Himself should say at last, I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
7. For ye have the poor with youalwaysreferring to De 15:11.
and whensoever ye will ye maydo them good: but me ye have not alwaysa gentle hint of Hisapproaching departure, by One who knew the worth of His own presence.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For ye have the poor with you always,….
[See comments on Mt 26:11];
and whensoever ye will ye may do them good; by feeding them when hungry, clothing them when naked, and supplying them with the necessaries of life:
but me ye have not always; meaning, with respect to his bodily presence, which, in a short time, would be removed from them, and they would have no opportunity of showing him any such outward respect personally; [See comments on Mt 26:11].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And whensoever ye will, etc. Note Mark’s amplification.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “For ye have the poor with you always,” (pantote gar tous ptochous echete meth’ heauton) “For you all have the poor within your midst always, or continually,” to do good to them, Mat 26:11; Joh 12:8.
2) “And whensoever ye will ye may do them good:-(kai hotan thelete dunasthe autois eu poiesai) “Anytime you really wish to do so, you can do them a kind deed, or do well to them,” Jas 4:17. To do good in one area does not preclude doing good in another one of charity, 2Co 8:12; Deu 15:11; Gal 6:10.
3) “But me ye have not always.” (eme de ou pantote echete) “Yet, you do not have me always,” Mat 26:11; Luk 5:34-35; Joh 12:8; Joh 16:28. The willing minded person will always have or find enough for all honorable purposes.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(7) Whensoever ye will ye may do them good.Peculiar to St. Mark; the other words being given by him in common with St. Matthew and St. John.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
“For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you will you may do them good. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could. She has anointed my body beforehand for burying.’
He indicated further that what the woman had done was a sign, a portent of His coming death. It was like an anointing for burial. This was another hint from Him of His approaching death.
‘She has done what she could.’ It may be that we are to see here the suggestion that this woman had an inkling of His coming death. Possibly she had overheard the disciples talking between themselves of His teaching by the way, and being inspired by God, had acted accordingly, wanting to show her love and gratitude to Him before it was too late. Perhaps too there is a hint that in contrast the disciples were a little lacking in their awareness of His situation. At least she was not thinking only of what position she would hold in the future. Often it is the woman who sees what the man fails to see because her approach is different.
‘For you have the poor always with you — but you will not always have Me.’ Compare here Deu 15:11. Jesus was not decrying the needs of the poor. He was rather pointing out His uniqueness and that this woman has responded to His uniqueness while she could. She had recognised in Him One worthy of special honour at a time when such recognition was especially important. It was a special occasion justifying her action. Incidentally these words – ‘the poor always with you’ – indicated that Jesus was certainly anticipating a gap between His ascension and His return during which the poor would always be there to be helped.
‘And whenever you will you may do them good.’ This too stresses the unique nature of this moment. Whereas the poor could be helped at any time, this was a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity that she had seized. We should note that Jesus’ concern for the poor comes out again and again elsewhere. He would have been the first to speak out against waste. But there are some actions which rise above that criteria, and this was one of them, simply because of the identity of the One for Whom she was showing her love. On the one hand it does not justify extravagance that merely benefits ourselves or wins us praise, depicting us as ‘generous people’. On the other it does warn against rash judgments and unjustified criticism. Each has to answer for his or her own actions.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
Ver. 7. See Trapp on “ Mat 26:11 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
7. ] The agreement verbatim here of Matt. and John, whereas our narrative inserts the additional clause , is decisive against the idea that Mark compiled his account from the other two. In these words there appears to be a reproach conveyed to Judas, and perhaps an allusion to the office of giving to the poor being his .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mar 14:7 . , etc., and when ye wish ye can do them a kindness; a thought implied in the previous clause (the poor ye have always), and probably an expansion by Mk. ( cf. Mt.), yet not superfluous: suggesting the thought that expenditure in one direction does not disqualify for beneficent acts in another. The willing-minded will always have enough for all purposes.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
with = in company with. Greek. meta. App-104. Not the same word as in Mar 14:49.
whensoever ye will. A Divine supplement, here.
ye will = ye wish. Greek. thelo. App-102.,
may = can.
good. Not the same word as in Mar 14:6.
Me ye have not always. Transubstantiation is incompatible with this.
not. Greek. ou. App-105. Not the same word as in Mar 14:2.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
7.] The agreement verbatim here of Matt. and John, whereas our narrative inserts the additional clause , is decisive against the idea that Mark compiled his account from the other two. In these words there appears to be a reproach conveyed to Judas, and perhaps an allusion to the office of giving to the poor being his.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mar 14:7. , the poor) Whom ye speak of.-, if [whensoever]) ye will, as ye here show [by your very remark as to the poor].-, ye can) Never is there any one so needy, as to be able to give nothing.- ye have) thus present with you as now. It is not always that such an honour can be conferred on me.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
ye have: Deu 15:11, Mat 25:35-45, Mat 26:11, Joh 12:7, Joh 12:8, 2Co 9:13, 2Co 9:14, Phm 1:7, Jam 2:14-16, 1Jo 3:16-19
but: Joh 13:33, Joh 16:5, Joh 16:28, Joh 17:11, Act 3:21
Reciprocal: Lev 25:35 – thy brother Lev 27:8 – poorer Psa 41:1 – Blessed Psa 112:9 – dispersed Pro 3:9 – General Pro 31:20 – she reacheth Pro 31:31 – and let Mat 10:42 – a cup 2Co 8:4 – the ministering 2Co 8:12 – if Jam 2:15 – General 1Pe 3:11 – do
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7
Poor with you always denotes we will always have poor people with us.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
[For ye have the poor with you always.] “Samuel saith, ‘There is no difference between this world and the days of the Messias,’ unless in regard of the affliction of the heathen kingdoms; as it is said, ‘A poor man shall not be wanting out of the midst of the earth,’ ” Deu 15:11. Observe a Jew confessing, that there shall be poor men even in the days of the Messias: which how it agrees with their received opinion of the pompous kingdom of the Messias, let him look to it. “R. Solomon and Aben Ezra write, ‘If thou shalt obey the words of the Lord, there shall not be a poor man in thee: but thou wilt not obey; therefore a poor man shall never be wanting.’ ” Upon this received reason of the thing, confess also, O Samuel, that there shall be disobedient persons in the days of the Messias; which, indeed, when the true Messias came, proved too, too true, in thy nation.
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Mar 14:7. Whensoever ye will ye can do them good. Peculiar to Mark, but implied in the other accounts.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
14:7 {3} For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
(3) Christ allowed himself to be anointed once or twice for certain considerations: but his will is to be daily anointed in the poor.