Se7en Statements of Jesus about Wealth
The name Se7en might be cheesy, more so maybe because it was a complete rip-off of 5ives. I thought it would be fun though to start making brief collections of verses on various topics (ones I like to talk about). This might be a weekly thing, or maybe not. Let me know what you think
- Luke 12:15 — “Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’ ”
- Mark 12:43-44 — “Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.’ ”
- Luke 6:24 — “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.”
- Matthew 25:34-40 — “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ ”
- Mark 10:21 — “Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘One thing you lack,’ he said. ‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ ”
- Matthew 6:19-21 — “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” [cf. Luke 12:34]
- Luke 14:33 — “In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.”
Thanks to the Generous Giving website for the format of the text.
Ariah, in principle I agree with you, but remember there is a context to those passages also. If I may suggest something else, Jesus was also teaching that his coming in judgment against Jerusalem in AD 70 would render any accumulation of wealth on the part of Jewish Christians useless. They were in essence commanded to forsake earthly wealth and focus on the spread of the Gospel and the salvation of the Jewish people from a system of animal sacrifices.
In AD 70, Jerusalem was burned to the ground and all the wealth and gold, and treasures from the Temple were taken by the Romans and paraded in Rome by Titus, while all the Christians who sold their possessions and obeyed the words of Jesus were able to get away safely “when they saw the city surrounded by armies.” (see Matthew 24 and Josephus)
I think the appropriate way to write that is Se7en.
Apparently, Jesus didn’t have much to say on the subject of the rich, at least enough to fill a list. I personally agree very, very strongly with number 3 on that list, but I take offense at number 4. How could anyone believe number 4? But number 3, I’m down with.
I think it is interesting…you weren’t making any kind of statements with these verses and already someone has commented about agreeing/not agreeing with you.
: )
I am happy to see someone just post scripture and I think it should be up to the individual reader what they do with that information. It is good to have context, but it is also good to look at the words of scripture without use of the “tainted” views of our culture or of commentaries that may be full of biased viewpoints.
Hmm…now my previous comment is obsolete…so you’ll correct this one, but not the Divine Conspiracy?? ;op
Sorry Zach.
Virgil,
Extremely interesting thoughts. Is your opinion that everything Jesus said regarding wealth simply to prepare them for the AD 70 temple destruction?
I’ve never heard that view before.
Ariah, I do not believe that everything Jesus said about wealth should be applied to that specific context, however it should be primarily applied to that immediate historical and literal context in which Christ was speaking. I believe other passages clearly teach us to care for the poor, provide to those in need and help especially widows and children.
After all, if we do not accumulate wealth to some level (whatever that may be), how in the world can we help those less fortunate than us?