1. Matthew 11:4–5 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

Why does Jesus say that good news has been preached to the poor?

Matthew 11:4–5 (ESV)

4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see:

In short

Two possible reasons for Jesus to say that good news has been preached to the poor:

  1. The passive Greek verb-form euangelizontai, rendered in Matthew 11:5 as have good news preached to them, occurs only here and in Hebrews 4:2,Hebrews 4:6 and literally means to receive the good news. The Greek noun ptōchoi (the poor) are those mentioned in Matthew 5:3, and is a translation of the Hebrew cináwim (see Isaiah 61:1). Those who in their need and weakness look to God for help call themselves poor and needy (see Psalm 25:16; Psalm 40:17;Psalm 69:29; Psalm 70:5; Psalm 72:12; Psalm 74:19; Psalm 86:1; Psalm 109:22). Old Testament prophets often spoke to kings and rulers, but Jesus instead preaches the gospel to the poor.

  2. Jesus stresses "the gospel proclaimed”: a purely spiritual work, which is what is needed most—the glad tidings of the proclamation of the kingdom (Matthew 4:23). The poor referred to in Matthew 11:5 are the poor in spirit mentioned in Matthew 5:3. The fact that the verbs hear and see are in the present tense shows that at that very moment Jesus was fulfilling the prophecy in his miracles and preaching.

Interpretation 1:

The passive Greek verb-form euangelizontai, here in Matthew 11:5 translated as have good news preached to them, occurs only here and in Hebrews 4:2, Hebrews 4:6 and literally means to receive the good news. The Greek noun ptōchoi (the poor) are the same people mentioned in Matthew 5:3, and constitutes a translation of the Hebrew cináwim (see Isaiah 61:1). Those who in their need and in the midst of their weaknesses look to God for help, call themselves poor and needy (see Psalm 25:16; Psalm 40:17; Psalm 69:29; Psalm 70:5; Psalm 72:12; Psalm 74:19; Psalm 86:1; Psalm 109:22). The prophets of the Old Testament often speak to kings and rulers, but Jesus opts for a different course, preaching the gospel to the poor.1

Interpretation 2:

The emphasis here falls on "the gospel proclaimed.” Here it concerns a purely spiritual work, which is, after all, what is needed most and what Jesus brings first and foremost. The focus here falls upon those who seriously lack something and whose needs are now being met. Since the glad tidings are, first of all, the proclamation of the kingdom (Matthew 4:23), the poor referenced here in Matthew 11:5 are most certainly the poor in spirit mentioned in Matthew 5:3. The fact that the verbs hear and see are in the present tense, indicates that at that very moment Jesus was fulfilling the prophecy through his miracles and his preaching.2