What Did Jesus Say About Immigrants
Quick Summary
Jesus never uses the modern word “immigrant,” but the Gospels speak repeatedly about strangers, outsiders, and those living without social protection. Through his teaching and actions, Jesus expands the meaning of neighbor, identifies himself with the vulnerable, and redefines belonging around mercy and faithfulness rather than ethnicity, citizenship, or status.
Introduction
Questions about immigration are often framed in modern legal or political terms, but the Gospels approach the issue differently. Jesus lived in a world shaped by migration, displacement, and sharp ethnic boundaries. Galilee and Judea sat at the crossroads of empires. People moved because of conquest, labor, poverty, and survival. The presence of strangers was not an abstraction but a daily reality.
Jesus does not offer a policy framework for managing borders. Instead, he offers a vision of God’s reign that reshapes how people see one another. His teaching repeatedly presses listeners to ask not who belongs, but how God’s mercy is embodied among those who do not.
Jesus and the Language of the Stranger
While Jesus does not speak of “immigrants” as a legal category, he frequently addresses the reality of the stranger. The Gospels use images of outsiders, foreigners, and those who live at the edges of community life. These figures are not peripheral to Jesus’ ministry. They are central to how he reveals the character of God.
Jesus consistently moves toward those whom others avoid. He heals the servant of a Roman centurion, praising the faith of a Gentile soldier over that of many in Israel (Matthew 8:5–13). He engages a Samaritan woman in public conversation, crossing ethnic, religious, and gender boundaries (John 4:1–26). In these encounters, Jesus treats outsiders not as problems to manage but as persons worthy of dignity and attention.
Redefining the Neighbor
One of Jesus’ most direct teachings on the scope of moral responsibility appears in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37). The story is told in response to a question about the limits of neighbor-love. Rather than defining who qualifies as a neighbor, Jesus reframes the issue entirely.
The Samaritan, an ethnic and religious outsider, becomes the one who embodies faithfulness. Mercy, not proximity or identity, defines neighborliness. The parable challenges attempts to restrict compassion to those who look familiar or belong to the same group. In Jesus’ teaching, love of neighbor crosses boundaries that law and custom often reinforce.
Outsiders as Models of Faith
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus repeatedly points to outsiders as examples of faith. A Samaritan leper returns to give thanks while others do not (Luke 17:11–19). A Canaanite woman persists in seeking healing for her daughter, and Jesus commends her faith despite initial resistance (Matthew 15:21–28).
These stories do not romanticize outsiders, but they do destabilize assumptions about who stands closest to God. Belonging is not guaranteed by ancestry or religious heritage. It is revealed through trust, humility, and persistence. Jesus’ ministry consistently unsettles communities that rely on status rather than faithfulness.
Jesus Identifies with the Stranger
Perhaps the most theologically significant teaching related to immigrants and strangers appears in Jesus’ description of final judgment. In Matthew 25, Jesus identifies himself directly with those who lack security or welcome:
“I was a stranger and you welcomed me… Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” Matthew 25:35, 40 (NRSV)
Here, hospitality is not a matter of politeness or optional generosity. It becomes a site of encounter with Christ himself. To welcome the stranger is to welcome Jesus. To ignore or reject the vulnerable is to turn away from him. This teaching anchors ethics in discipleship rather than sentiment.
What Jesus Ultimately Teaches
Jesus does not deny social complexity or communal responsibility, but he refuses to let fear or exclusion define faithfulness. His teaching insists that love of God is inseparable from love of neighbor, especially when the neighbor is unfamiliar or vulnerable.
Rather than offering rules for managing difference, Jesus forms communities capable of mercy. His vision challenges both indifference and hostility by locating God’s presence among those who live at the margins. In the Gospels, the stranger is never merely an issue. The stranger is a place where faith is tested and revealed.
FAQ
Did Jesus talk about immigration directly?
Jesus did not address immigration as a modern legal category. He spoke consistently about strangers, outsiders, and neighbors, offering moral and spiritual guidance rather than policy prescriptions.
Did Jesus welcome foreigners?
Yes. The Gospels record multiple encounters in which Jesus heals, teaches, and praises the faith of Gentiles and Samaritans.
Does Jesus require Christians to welcome immigrants?
Jesus’ teaching identifies care for the stranger as an expression of discipleship and love of neighbor.
Is Jesus’ teaching political?
Jesus’ teaching is theological and ethical. While it has public implications, it is not aligned with a modern political platform.
Works Consulted
Allison, Dale C. The New Moses: A Matthean Typology. Fortress Press.
Green, Joel B. The Gospel of Luke. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Eerdmans.
Johnson, Luke Timothy. The Acts of the Apostles. Sacra Pagina Series. Liturgical Press.
Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Eerdmans.
Wright, N. T. Jesus and the Victory of God. Fortress Press.
Wright, Christopher J. H. Old Testament Ethics for the People of God. InterVarsity Press.
