Always with us? What Jesus Really Said About the Poor

Published: June 29, 2017, 8:08 p.m.

Politicians like to misquote Jesus to slash programs for the poor. Republican congressman, Roger Marshall of Kansas misused a quote from Jesus to support his program to reduce healthcare benefits for the poor. This is from the article on Stat from March 3rd, 2017:\n\n\u201cJust like Jesus said, \u2018The poor will always be with us,\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cThere is a group of people that just don\u2019t want health care and aren\u2019t going to take care of themselves.\u201d\n\nDid Jesus really say, \u201cThe poor will always be with us?\u201d What is the exact quote? What is the context? What did Jesus really mean? How do we respond to politicians who use the Bible and Jesus to cut aid to those most in need? \n\nLiz Theoharis is fighting back. She is the founder and co-director of the Kairos Center for religions, Rights, and Social Justice and coordinator of the Poverty Initiative at Union Theological Seminary, New York City. An ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), Theoharis has spent the last two decades organizing among the poor in the United States and worldwide. \n\nShe is the author of \u201cAlways with us? What Jesus Really Said About the Poor.\u201d