The verb under discussion depicts the decisive act of entering poverty, not merely possessing little but coming to embrace a condition of material deprivation. Scripture employs it to describe self-emptying that is chosen for the benefit of others rather than forced by circumstance. The nuance therefore extends beyond economics to voluntary renunciation, humility, and sacrificial love.

Single New Testament Occurrence

2 Corinthians 8:9 provides the sole canonical usage:

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich”.

Here the term anchors Paul’s appeal for generous giving in the Corinthian congregation. The apostle holds up the incarnation and earthly life of Jesus Christ as the supreme model of gracious self-impoverishment for the enrichment of others.

Christological Significance

1. Incarnation as Kenosis
• The verb captures the historical moment in which the eternal Son exchanged heavenly glory for human lowliness (Philippians 2:6-8 parallels the thought). It emphasizes tangible socioeconomic implications: Jesus entered a humble family, lived without fixed property, and depended on the provision of disciples and benefactors (Luke 8:1-3).

2. Redemption through Poverty
• By taking the lowest place, Christ identified with the destitute (Isaiah 53:2-3; Matthew 8:20). His poverty culminated at the cross, where even His garments were divided (John 19:23-24). In turn, believers gain the riches of justification, adoption, and eternal inheritance (Ephesians 1:7-14).

Theological Themes

• Grace Motivating Generosity

Paul does not shame the Corinthians into giving; rather, he presents the voluntary poverty of Christ as the pattern for voluntary generosity. True stewardship flows from contemplating the gospel, not from compulsion (2 Corinthians 9:7).

• Wealth Re-defined

Scripture contrasts worldly affluence with spiritual riches. By becoming poor, Christ reorients values, showing that genuine wealth is found in reconciliation with God (Revelation 3:17-18).

Old Testament Background

The verb resonates with the Hebrew portrait of the righteous poor (anawim) who trust God amid deprivation (Psalm 34:6; Isaiah 66:2). Jesus’ choice to become poor fulfills and elevates this motif, embodying the ideal Servant who delivers the needy (Psalm 72:12-13).

Implications for Christian Discipleship

• Voluntary Simplicity

Followers of Christ are summoned to lifestyles that prioritize kingdom advance over personal accumulation (Matthew 6:19-33). The verb challenges believers to ask not, “How much can I keep?” but, “How can my resources serve others?”

• Ministry to the Marginalized

Churches reflecting Christ’s poverty will move toward, not away from, the economically oppressed, recognizing in them the presence of their Lord (Matthew 25:35-40).

• Generous Giving

Paul’s Macedonian example (2 Corinthians 8:1-5) shows that even impoverished believers can abound in generosity when the gospel grips the heart.

Pastoral and Missional Application

1. Stewardship Teaching

Ground appeals for offerings in the narrative of Christ’s self-emptying rather than in mere financial need.

2. Mission Strategy

Embrace incarnational approaches that involve living among the poor, echoing the pattern of the Savior.

3. Counseling Contentment

Encourage contentment by focusing on the riches already secured in Christ (1 Timothy 6:6-10).

Summary

Strong’s Greek 4433 portrays the voluntary descent of Jesus Christ into poverty, a historical act that secures believers’ eternal wealth and sets the paradigm for Christian generosity, humility, and ministry to the least.