Beg; Beggar; Begging
The Mosaic Law and the Prevention of Begging
Remarkably, the law of Moses contains no legislation about beggars or begging. This is not an oversight but a reflection of the law's comprehensive provisions for the poor. The Mosaic system included gleaning rights for the poor and the foreigner (Leviticus 19:9-10; 23:22), the sabbatical year release of debts (Deuteronomy 15:1-2), the Year of Jubilee when land returned to its original owners (Leviticus 25:10-13), and the prohibition against treating a debt-slave harshly (Leviticus 25:39-43). If faithfully observed, these laws would have largely eliminated the conditions that drive people to beg. The psalmist's claim that he had never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging for bread (Psalm 37:25) reflects this ideal.
Begging in the Psalms and Wisdom Literature
Despite the law's provisions, poverty and begging did emerge over time. The Psalms acknowledge this reality. The psalmist prays that the children of the wicked would wander and beg (Psalm 109:10), while affirming that God's provision protects the righteous from such a fate (Psalm 37:25). Proverbs warns that laziness leads to poverty (Proverbs 20:4) but also recognizes that oppression and injustice can impoverish the innocent (Proverbs 13:23). The growth of cities, the concentration of wealth, and Israel's frequent failure to observe the sabbatical and Jubilee laws all contributed to increasing inequality and the emergence of a beggar class.
Beggars in the Time of Jesus
By the first century, begging was a well-established reality in Palestinian society. Beggars stationed themselves at city gates, along roads, and especially at the entrances to the temple, where worshippers motivated by religious duty would be more inclined to give alms. The Gospels present several memorable encounters with beggars. Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, sat by the road near Jericho and cried out to Jesus as he passed by. Despite the crowd's attempts to silence him, his persistence was rewarded with healing (Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43). The man born blind in John 9 was apparently also a beggar, as the neighbors debated whether he was the man who used to sit and beg (John 9:8).
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
Jesus' parable of the rich man and Lazarus presents the most extended portrait of a beggar in the Bible (Luke 16:19-31). Lazarus lay at the gate of a wealthy man's house, covered with sores, longing to eat the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs came and licked his sores. After both men died, their fortunes were reversed: Lazarus was carried by angels to Abraham's side, while the rich man suffered in torment. The parable does not teach that poverty automatically leads to salvation or that wealth leads to damnation, but it powerfully illustrates the danger of ignoring the suffering of the poor and the reality of divine justice.
Almsgiving in the Early Church
The practice of giving alms, charitable gifts to the poor, was deeply woven into Jewish and early Christian life. Jesus addressed almsgiving in the Sermon on the Mount, warning against doing it for public recognition (Matthew 6:1-4). The early church in Acts took care of the needy through communal sharing and organized distribution (Acts 2:44-45; 4:34-35; 6:1). Peter and John's encounter with a lame beggar at the temple gate called Beautiful is one of the defining moments of the early church. The beggar asked for money, but Peter replied, "Silver and gold I have none, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk" (Acts 3:6). The healing demonstrated that the gospel offered something far greater than material relief.
Biblical Context
Begging appears in the Psalms as both a feared fate and a mark of God's judgment (Psalm 37:25; 109:10). In the Gospels, beggars figure in key narratives: Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52), the man born blind (John 9:1-8), and the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). Acts records encounters with beggars at the temple (Acts 3:1-10). The Sermon on the Mount addresses almsgiving (Matthew 6:1-4), and the epistles encourage generosity toward the poor (Galatians 2:10; James 2:15-16).
Theological Significance
The Bible's treatment of begging reveals God's deep concern for the poor and his expectation that his people will care for them. The Mosaic law's provisions aimed to prevent destitution entirely. When begging nonetheless appeared, it was a sign of the community's failure to live out God's commands. Jesus' encounters with beggars demonstrate that God sees and values those whom society overlooks. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus warns that indifference to the poor carries eternal consequences, while Peter's healing of the lame beggar shows that the gospel addresses the whole person, not just material needs.
Historical Background
In the ancient Near East, begging was common in urban centers. Egyptian, Greek, and Roman sources all attest to the presence of beggars in cities and at temples. Jewish tradition, while discouraging professional begging, required that beggars not be turned away without some gift. The Mishnah established a communal charity fund and a daily food distribution for the poor. Archaeological evidence from first-century Jerusalem, including the discovery of the Pool of Siloam and the temple's gates, provides context for the Gospel accounts of beggars at these locations.