A Private Discussion On Wealth In The New Testament

Francis and Maria are a missionary couple living in an impoverished area in Mexico. James and Rosette are a upper-middle class couple living in the United States. They are discussing what to do with with an inheritance they have mutually received. After some other discussion, the conversation now focuses on Mark 10, just quoted in the previous chapter..

Francis: I already read it, so we don’t need to repeat that now. First of all, the passage is not about rewards—just as the other passages weren’t about rewards. The rich man made it clear from the first statement that he was speaking about gaining eternal life. When Jesus replied, he used as an equivalent statement “entering the kingdom of God.” And the disciples replied as an equivalent statement, “being saved.” And at the end of the passage, Jesus repeats the first phrase, “eternal life.” Thus, in this passage, gaining eternal life, entering the kingdom and being saved are three ways of saying the same thing.

James: So what?

Francis: So the passage is all through it talking about eternal salvation, not about temporary or lesser rewards. It is about heaven and hell.

James: Okay. Fine.

Francis: Jesus gives his answer by repeating some of the Ten Commandments. When the young man replied that he had done all that, Jesus’ command became more severe, it seems—he is telling the rich man to sell all of his possessions and then give the proceeds to the poor. This is the part of the command that is difficult, not the following Jesus. The man was sad “because he had many possessions.” If Jesus had intended to give a gospel of grace as it is often interpreted, he could have run after the man and said, “Look, I didn’t really mean that. I just wanted you to know that it is most important to believe in me. Forget about all the commands, okay?” But that’s not what Jesus did. He let the rich man go and sadly explained about a rich man’s fate. That it is very difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom.

James: And why would it be hard?

Francis: In the context, it is hard because they find it difficult to give up their possessions in order to follow Jesus. Like I said, Jesus is making it clear that wealth itself is an obstacle to loving God and following Jesus. This isn’t the only passage that speaks about the difficulty for those with wealth. In Luke 6, Jesus pronounces woes on those who are rich, “for you have already received your comfort.” He also said, “You cannot serve both God and mammon.”

Rosette: But that doesn’t mean not to have money, does it?

Francis: Not exactly. He and his disciples used money to pay for things.

Rosette: I didn’t think so. He meant that we aren’t to worship money, right? Not to hold it as an idol in our hearts.

Francis: That depends on what you mean.

Rosette: I mean, you can use money, but you have to use it rightly, according to God’s will. And money can’t be more important than God. But aside from that, money is okay.

Francis: Well, I would agree with that. The real question is: what is God’s will? What does God want us to do with our money? The thing that Jesus said is that if you do not have money or the things it can buy as an idol in your heart, then you will show it in your practice…

Rosette: Why do you keep saying, “the things money can buy”? We just shouldn’t have money as an idol right? Money is what Jesus is talking about, right?

Francis: Of course, we don’t want to have anything as an idol. It wouldn’t be good for us to be worshiping our beds, would it? Or our television?

Rosette: (Unsure of what he is saying) No, it wouldn’t.

Francis: The word “Mammon” in Aramaic means somewhat what the word “wealth” means in English. Both the money and the things it could buy. If a person is rich, it isn’t just because they have a large income. The issue of income doesn’t come up in the Bible.

James: Well, how does the Bible measure whether someone is rich or not.

Francis: By what they have. If you are a peasant, the significant thing isn’t that the lord on the hill has a large income. What burns you is that he has this huge, comfortable castle to live in and servants to care for him, with every luxury.

Maria: Or a house in the suburbs with every electronic servant you want.

James: (Clearing his throat.) So why do translations use the word “mammon” or “money” instead of “wealth” like you say?

Francis: Many translations still use the word “mammon” to give it an idol-sounding name, which is Jesus’ point. And “money” is a literal translation, even if it doesn’t give the whole sense of the word. But when Jesus spoke to the rich man about getting rid of his idol, he didn’t speak of money, but of his possessions. Even so, Jesus isn’t just speaking of paper money or gold, but of all of our material possessions as well.

Rosette: Well, didn’t Paul say that the love of money was the root of all kinds of evil? So why would possessions be such a problem?

Francis: I think that the solution to that is found in James 5. Jim, I just want to let you know, this is one of the most strongly worded passages in the New Testament. I am not trying to be pointed. I just want to understand what Scripture says about these matters.

James: Thanks for the warning. I guess.

Francis: (Looking in Bible.) Just trying to help. Okay, James 5 beginning at verse 1—“Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.”

James: (Eyes wide) Well, you were right. That is strongly worded. That isn’t speaking to all the rich, is it?

Francis: Well, although James often speaks of the rich in general terms, he is dealing with a stereotype of the rich. There are assumptions that he makes about all rich people, that may or may not be true. The nice thing is that he puts those assumption right here in this passage. And these are the same things that are a problem with possessions in the whole of the New Testament.

James: I see that the passage speaks about oppression of workers.

Francis: That’s right. That’s one of the areas of weakness. From Leviticus on, the Bible speaks about not withholding wages from hired workers. So to be rich, James assumes, is to oppress one’s workers.
Rosette: What does that have to do with possessions?

Francis: Well, it is just the flip side of the coin. Let me explain. At the end, James condemns the rich for living lives of pleasure while it is actually the last days. There is a connection between storing up possessions and the pleasure that one has in the Bible.

Rosette: Well, I suppose if someone reveled in pleasures—if they were a glutton of pleasure— that would be a problem. But what’s wrong with a little enjoyment?

Francis: Enjoyment isn’t a problem in and of itself. Jesus had the reputation of a man who gave himself to pleasure—although that wasn’t true. The point is this: the one with many possessions makes sure that they are comfortable and have pleasure for themselves. They don’t share it with those who are needy. In Ezekiel 16, Sodom is condemned because she lived a life of pleasure and didn’t help the poor and needy. In Deuteronomy 16, the feast of weeks is to be celebrated by all Israel, and those who have resources are supposed to make sure that the poor in their midst participate. In Luke 14, Jesus was talking to those who put on parties. He didn’t tell them not to have parties, but he told them to invite the poor, rather than their well-off family members and friends.

Rosette: So we are supposed to enjoy ourselves, but with the poor?

Francis: Right! But James says something else as well. The one who uses their wealth for pleasure has an extra condemnation against them. They are hoarding up wealth in the last days.

James: What do you mean by “hoarding”?

Francis: The literal term is “treasuring up”. It basically means storing wealth against a future time of need. But to store up wealth in the last days—when all wealth is about to be destroyed and resources are going to be re-distributed—that is firmly condemned.

James: So storing up money is wrong?

Francis: Right. The money should be used for those in need. But remember, we aren’t just talking about money, but about possessions.

Rosette: So… what is wrong with possessions? In all this, I’m not sure I got an answer.

Francis: Storing up possessions for yourself is an indication of hoarding wealth for yourself that should be shared with those who are in need. John the Baptist said that the one who has an extra tunic should share with the one who has none. Jesus told us not to store up treasures on earth.

James: Well, he said to store up treasures in heaven. Do good things so you can gain rewards in heaven.

Francis: What Jesus said goes far beyond that. He said not just to store up treasures in heaven, but to not store them up on earth. This means to hold them against a future day. In fact, he said that to store up treasures in heaven is to sell your possessions and give to the poor.

James: I’ve never read that—where is that?

Francis: Luke 12:33. Let me read it. “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Make money belts that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven where no moth comes in and no thief destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

James: Well, is he speaking to the rich ruler there?

Francis: Nope. He is speaking to all of his disciples. That passage brings up one other point about possessions. The desire of your heart will be indicated where you place your treasure. If you place your wealth and resources into helping those who preach the gospel and the poor, then you are investing your wealth into heaven. But if you place your wealth into building your own pleasure, fulfilling your own desires, then you will have nothing for the future. In the same chapter—Luke 12— Jesus tells a parable about a man who has some excess wealth and decides to invest it into a business proposal that will give him comfort and possibly an early retirement. In the parable, God condemns that man, saying that he has made all these plans, but that night he was to die and he has nothing in heaven to show for his life. Why? Because he hoarded for himself, but didn’t plan to give to those who are in need.

Chuck: (Irritated) And what is wrong with using what you have earned? If you worked hard in your life, why shouldn’t you enjoy the proceeds?

Maria: (Jumping in.) Don’t you see the injustice? If your neighbor is hungry or without shelter, and you have excess, shouldn’t you help him? Jesus spoke about a rich man who went to hell because he lived in pleasure, while there was a beggar outside of his gate, suffering. Isn’t that unjust? Shouldn’t that be punished?

Chuck: I don’t have any beggars at my door.

Maria: Do you not live here in Portland? How many times have you driven by beggars looking for money because you didn’t think they deserved it? Have you ever given money to a shelter in town? Have you ever helped the multitudes of impoverished immigrants who are moving in daily? And Mexico is not far. We live among the poor every day. We see them, we know them. It would be a simple thing to share even a small portion of your wealth with those in need there. Children who die because of inadequate medical care. Women who die in childbirth. You could help them.

Chuck: They have made their choices. I have made better ones.

Maria: (Speaking very sharply, with much heat.) They have had no choices! What options have they had? To move to Mexico City and die there because of no income? To escape to America and get shot by the border patrols? No, you are the ones with choices, with many options. Someone had enough money to give you a top education. You had the clothes, language, education and experience to begin a job that you could make a disgusting amount of money at. You are where you are because of luck and God’s grace— not choices. What you have has been given to you. Even so, Jesus said, “Freely you have received, freely give.” Yet you live in luxury and pleasure. What kind of entertainment center do you have? How many videos do you have? Or is it DVDs now? How many cars do you have? One BMW could feed my entire village for a year. Do you have an extra one?

Francis: (In Spanish) He isn’t a believer, my love. He won’t appreciate what you’re saying.

Maria: (In Spanish, still angry.) Didn’t God condemn Sodom for the same sin? Didn’t Jonah preach to Nineveh and they repented? Shouldn’t we let him know that he will be condemned for his greed?

Francis: (Spanish) We don’t actually know that he is greedy. But even if he is, he can do nothing about it without Jesus to help him.

James: Um… guys. Could you please speak in English? We’re a bit in the dark here.

Francis: Sorry.

Maria: (Eyes looking down, but still burning. Speaking coldly.) I am sorry if I have offended.

Rosette: I understand Maria. It must be hard to see all the wealth here, considering where you came from.

Maria: Yes. It is.

Francis: Chuck, maybe I can answer your original question. You wondered what was wrong with using what you earn. I suppose in this life, there isn’t anything wrong with it. But if you want to be pleasing to God, to do what Jesus said, to have a place in the kingdom of heaven, then you need to surrender your wealth, to surrender your pleasures and give to those in need.

James: Whoa, there. I’m not too sure about that. You can’t be connecting what we do with our money with our salvation. Again, our salvation is by grace, not by what we do with our money.

Chuck: (Getting up) I’m going to check on our lunch. (Leaves.)

Francis: Jim, this is why I talked about faith and works before. Those who will gain a right standing before God are those who obey Jesus. Not just those who give intellectual assent to Jesus, but those who obey them.

James: I know that you believe that. But obeying Jesus is one thing—avoiding major sin like sexual immorality, homosexuality and murder. That’s fine. But you’re talking about money. Why are you saying that our use of money is that important?

Francis: Because Jesus says it is! We spoke already that to build up treasure in heaven is to get rid of your excess wealth and give it to the poor. Jesus says that to have treasure in heaven is to have eternal life!

James: No, I don’t think so.

Francis: Look, it’s in the passages I already read to you. Mark 10—The rich young ruler was asking about eternal life and Jesus responded “if you want treasure in heaven” then sell your possessions and give to the poor. Luke 12:32 and 33—Jesus speaks about the disciples gaining the kingdom and then he says that to sell your possessions and give to the poor is to gain treasure in heaven—the same as gaining the kingdom of God. To be rid of your possessions IS to have treasure in heaven IS to enter the kingdom of God IS eternal life. You can’t separate one part from another.