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I. LET US STATE THE SENTIMENT OF THE TEXT. We understand it to intend the poor in condition, and not the poor in spirit.

1. The gospel is not preached to the poor in order to mix itself with the questions of civil distinctions.

2. It is not that the gospel regards social distinctions as chiefly important.

3. It is not that the gospel takes the same view of these respective classifications which we are accustomed to entertain.

4. It is not that the gospel is merely adapted to the humble spheres and employments of life.

5. It is not that the gospel is unworthy the attention of the most educated minds.

6. This announcement is not only declarative but predictive.

II. WHY IS THE GOSPEL ESPECIALLY PREACHED TO THE POOR?

1. To demonstrate the Divine independence,

2. To explain the apparent inequalities of Providence. If the poor are denied worldly wealth; they can have durable riches.

3. To establish the necessity of a Divine revelation. The poor show the perplexity of other systems; Christianity commenced where they failed.

4. To exhibit the true importance of man.

6. To relieve the heaviest severity of present trouble. The gospel is " the tender mercy of our God."

6. To unfold the true genius of the Christian faith.

7. To intimate the spirituality of Christian blessings and rewards.

8. To place before us the value of predispositions in the reception of Christianity.

9. To bind the institutions of the gospel with the perpetuity of an inevitable human condition — "The poor ye have always with you."

III. THE DEMONSTRATION OF THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY, ARISING OUT OF THIS FACT, REMAINS TO BE ESTABLISHED.

1. It was the accomplishment of prophecy.

2. It distinguished it from all other systems of philosophy and religion.

3. It took a survey of human nature profound as it was new.

4. It reflects most amiably on the character of the Christian Founder.

5. Its Divine efficacy is proved to be complete.

6. The truth of Christianity borrows new evidence from its operations on the poor, when we remember the nature of the principles which it has inculcated.

7. In this progress of the gospel we must seek an adequate cause.

(R. W. Hamilton, D. D.)

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KJV: The blind receive their 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.

WEB: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.