The comments, delivered to his congregation and captured in a video that went viral on Sunday, According to Punch, have drawn significant backlash from theologians, Christian groups, and social media users, many of whom view the statements as a distortion of Christian doctrine.
“Jesus never visited any poor person in his house, check your Bible. That means He hates poverty,” Ibiyeomie told his congregation. “He visited Lazarus, they were not poor, they were giving Him food. He visited a sinner, Zacchaeus, who was rich. Tell me one poor man Jesus entered his house. He hates poverty, that’s the meaning.”
The pastor further claimed that Christ’s mission was not only to bring salvation but also to eliminate poverty among believers. “You can come poor, but you’re not permitted to remain poor,” he said. “It is wrong for you to remain poor after coming to Christ.”
His remarks is said to have stirred criticism for promoting a prosperity-focused interpretation of the Gospel. Critics argue that the message contradicts biblical accounts, such as Christ’s teachings in the Beatitudes—“Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3)—and His frequent ministry among the marginalized, including the poor, sick, and socially outcast.
Clergy and Christian commentators have pointed out that Jesus’ teachings emphasized humility, compassion, and support for the disadvantaged. “To suggest that Christ hated the poor is theologically unsound and pastorally harmful,” one theologian noted.
