D. Biblical Basis for His Hands Ministry (English Standard Version)


1.    The Bible makes reference to those who are traditionally ignored by society or who don’t have means to support themselves.  Included in the list are usually “fatherless or orphans, widows and aliens”.   Examples: Deuteronomy 14:29, Psalm 68:5, Jeremiah 7:6, and Ezekiel 22:7.

At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns.  And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do. Deuteronomy 14:28-29

Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
                          is God in his holy habitation. Psalm 68:5

if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever. Jeremiah 7:6-7

Father and mother are treated with contempt in you; the sojourner suffers extortion in your midst; the fatherless and the widow are wronged in you. Ezekiel 22:7

2.    In Exodus God commands the nation of Israel to welcome and take care of those that are defined as aliens, fatherless and widows. (Exodus 22:21-22 and Exodus 23:9).  But in Deuteronomy the Lord God challenges them to go beyond this and to love the alien or sojourner. (Deuteronomy 10:18-19)  He reminds them over and over that they were aliens in Egypt and that he showed them mercy by delivering them.

You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. Exodus 22:21-22

You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. Exodus 23:9

He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. Deuteronomy 10:18-19

3.    The book of Proverbs has many exhortations about how to treat the poor.  Proverbs 29:7 is an example.

A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge.  Proverbs 29:7

4.    The prophets continually exhorted the nation of Israel to meet the needs of the poor.  God tied this treatment to what he defined as true worship that is authentic only when we live justly and mercifully toward the oppressed and needy.

     Is such the fast that I choose,
          a day for a person to humble himself?
     Is it to bow down his head like a reed,
          and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?
     Will you call this a fast,
          and a day acceptable to the LORD?
     Is not this the fast that I choose:
          to loose the bonds of wickedness,
          to undo the straps of the yoke,
     to let the oppressed go free,
          and to break every yoke?
     Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
          and bring the homeless poor into your house;
     when you see the naked, to cover him,
          and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
      Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
          and your healing shall spring up speedily;
     your righteousness shall go before you;
          the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
      Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
          you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
     If you take away the yoke from your midst,
          the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
      if you pour yourself out for the hungry
          and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
     then shall your light rise in the darkness
          and your gloom be as the noonday.
Isaiah 58:5-10

5.    In the Gospels we have numerous references to dealing with those who are in need and Jesus explained in one of the parables; the Good Samaritan, what was expected of us.  Jesus defines “neighbor” as anyone in need of mercy, or one who shows mercy to the needy put in our path.

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”  He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”  And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”  And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”  Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.  Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.  So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.  He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.  And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’  Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”  He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” Luke 10:25-37

6.    Jesus makes mention of our being judged as to how we show love and mercy to our brothers, even those we don’t know.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’   Matthew 25:34-36.

7.    Our hospitality should be toward those who can not or will not reciprocate.  Jesus responds to a host who had guests picking places of honor at the table.

He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” Luke 14:12-14.

8.    Paul commands believers not to put hope in material wealth.  He commands instead that we be generous and willing to share.

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19

9.    John wrote to the church in I John 3:16-18 to express the Love of God that is in them by ministering to the poor in their Christian community.

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:16-18