Daily Bible Quote On Jesus

John 12:8
For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me.

John 12:1-8 recounts the story of Mary, the sister of Lazarus, anointing Jesus' feet with expensive perfume. This event occurred six days before the Passover, and Jesus was at the home of Simon the leper in Bethany. While Mary anointed Jesus' feet with the perfume, Judas Iscariot objected, saying that the perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor.

In verse 7, Jesus responds to Judas' objection by saying, "Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial." In verse 8, Jesus then says, "For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me."

Jesus is not saying that we should not care for the poor or that the poor are not important. Rather, he is indicating that his time on earth is limited and that the opportunity to show love and devotion to him is rare and precious. The phrase "you always have the poor with you" is a reference to Deuteronomy 15:11, which states, "There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land."

In this context, Jesus is emphasizing the importance of recognizing and seizing opportunities to show love and devotion to him, as he will not always be physically present on earth. This does not diminish the importance of caring for the poor, but rather highlights the importance of prioritizing one's relationship with Jesus while he was present on earth.