When a natural disaster strikes—whether it's a devastating hurricane, a widespread wildfire, or an earthquake—the modern impulse is almost immediate: we feel a profound obligation to help. People across the Western world write checks to relief funds or spend their retirement years volunteering at local soup kitchens to assist strangers they will likely never meet. But where did this deep-seated cultural instinct originate?
According to prominent New Testament scholar Bart Ehrman, this universal drive to help the vulnerable is not a default human setting, but rather a direct legacy of the teachings of Jesus.
Ehrman clarifies that it is a misconception to believe the ancient Greek and Roman worlds lacked morality. They possessed complex ethical frameworks. However, the specific concept of assisting someone purely because they are in need—especially an outsider or a stranger—was virtually nonexistent in classical Greco-Roman philosophy.
"That sense that we should help people in need, even if we don’t know them, ultimately derives from the teachings of Jesus," Ehrman notes.
Building heavily upon his Jewish background, Jesus championed a radical transformation in human conscience. This shift in moral philosophy eventually laid the groundwork for massive institutional changes across the Western world. Historically, it is this specific cultural pivot that birthed the creation of public hospitals, orphanages, elderly care facilities, private humanitarian charities, and even systemic government assistance programs for the impoverished.
Yet, the historical origins of this moral evolution highlight a stark contrast with modern political and social realities. While Ehrman stops short of endorsing a specific political agenda, he points out a profound disconnect in contemporary society, particularly amid polarized debates over immigration and social welfare.
The core tenet of Jesus's message was an uncompromising demand to care for "the other"—those who are fundamentally different or marginalized. It was an instruction to provide care and sanctuary, rather than subjecting outsiders to suffering, exclusion, or violence simply because they are disliked or considered a burden.
For Ehrman, the ultimate takeaway is a challenging one for today's culture: many who loudly claim the mantle of Christianity fundamentally ignore its most foundational, world-altering teaching—the radical imperative to love and care for the stranger.