The Gospel and the Poor

The gospel is defined by numerous texts in the NT. One of the earliest key texts is found in Matthew 11:

2 Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples
3 and said to Him, "Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?"
4 Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and report to John what you hear and see:
5 the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM.
6 "And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me."

One would expect that the text would say, "the poor are made rich," to correspond with the blind seeing, deaf hearing, lame walking. Jesus says that the poor have the gospel preached to them. This is the way that God enriches the poor, through the preaching of the gospel.

As James said, "God has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which God has prepared for those who love him (James 2:5).