In the age of digital virality, where sermons are shared faster than scripture is studied, Pastor David Ibiyeomie’s recent comments on Jesus Christ’s supposed disdain for poverty have sparked mixed reactions. According to a viral video, the founder of Salvation Ministries asserted that Jesus “never visited any poor person in his house,” concluding that the Son of God “hates poverty” and, by extension, “hates people who are poor.”
I am a Christian who loves prosperity and believes that God blesses His people materially. It is, however, necessary to set the record straight, respectfully, but biblically. Jesus did not just tolerate the poor; He actively identified with them, ministered among them, and uplifted them in word and deed. The idea that Jesus “hates people who are poor” is not only theologically inaccurate, but it also stands in contradiction to the very essence of the gospel.
Let’s begin where it all started: the birth of Jesus. Luke 2:7 tells us that Jesus was born in a manger “because there was no room for them in the inn.” His earthly parents, Mary and Joseph, were not wealthy. In fact, when they went to the temple to dedicate Jesus, they offered “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons” (Luke 2:24), which was the offering allowed for those who could not afford a lamb (Leviticus 12:8). From the outset, Jesus’ life was intertwined with poverty.
In Luke 4:18, Jesus publicly declared His mission using the words of the prophet Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor…”
This wasn’t a metaphor. The poor were literal and central to His ministry. Jesus didn’t just preach a prosperity message; He brought hope, dignity, and divine attention to those ignored by society.
While Pastor Ibiyeomie argues that Jesus never entered the house of a poor person, scripture paints a broader, more inclusive picture. The home of Simon the leper (Mark 14:3), a man likely ostracized and impoverished due to his condition, was one such place. Jesus also frequented villages and homes in rural Galilee and beyond, where the majority were peasant farmers and fishermen. His closest disciples, like Peter, James, and John, were working-class men. Matthew, a tax collector, was well-off, but Jesus never limited His companionship to the wealthy.
In fact, in Luke 14:13, Jesus advised: “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind…” This was not hypothetical. Jesus lived what He preached.
Jesus certainly interacted with wealthy individuals, such as Zacchaeus and the rich young ruler. But in both cases, He challenged their relationship with wealth. Zacchaeus gave away half of his wealth after encountering Christ (Luke 19:8), and the rich young ruler walked away sorrowfully when told to sell all he had and give to the poor (Mark 10:21-22).
Jesus’ famous warning in Matthew 19:24 further underscores His view: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
This was not hatred of the rich, but a clear message that material wealth can be a spiritual obstacle.
Perhaps most striking of all is Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:3, He says:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
And in Luke’s account (Luke 6:20), Jesus says plainly: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.”
No caveat. No footnote. Just a divine blessing on the poor.
To suggest that Christ “hates poverty” or “hates people who are poor” creates a false equivalence between material wealth and spiritual approval. This theology not only distorts the gospel but risks alienating those whom Jesus came to uplift.
Certainly, God does not glory in human suffering or lack. He is a provider (Philippians 4:19). But scripture also warns against placing one’s trust in riches (1 Timothy 6:9-10) and exalts a heart dependent on God over a bank account.
While Pastor Ibiyeomie is right to encourage believers to grow, thrive, and walk in the fullness of God’s blessings (including financial), his remarks on Jesus’ alleged dislike of the poor are theologically and biblically unfounded.
Jesus Christ did not come to build a kingdom of elite Christians. He came for the broken, the weary, the overlooked, and yes, the poor. Any gospel that suggests otherwise risks straying from the truth that Christ himself lived and died for.
As followers of Christ, may we resist the temptation to measure divine favour by material wealth. Let us instead echo the heart of our Saviour, who said: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40)
That’s the Jesus of the Bible. And He still walks among the poor.
So, let the poor breathe!
