"For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners (Luke 7:33-34)." '
This is one of the verses used by some people to suggest that Jesus lived a wealthy lifestyle. The verse supports prosperity preachers in living with a crud load of money, jets, expensive suits, expensive cars and neat houses. " Jesus was rich," they say, "so I should be as well." In fact, wealth becomes simply one more marker of how spiritual and giving one is.
Personally, I think a better set of verses to explain prosperity teaching is found in Luke 20:46 - 21:4. Here we find 2 stories connected to each other. The first is a rebuke to the scribes who robbed from the widows who were the poorest of the poor, and the second story is the story of one of those widows who gave everything she had to the temple so people like the scribes could live a good life.
Back to the question: Was Jesus wealthy?
As I read the Gospels, I believe that Jesus had short term money gained from donations, possibly on a regular basis. Luke 8:3 tells us that Jesus had certain donors: Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples. This type of support did not enable Jesus to buy a home, build a business or buy a car. There was nothing that provided Jesus with financial security for the future.
I don't find any poor widows supporting Jesus in the Bible, but they probably donated to his ministry. The Bible does mention that there were wealthy ladies helping him from their abundance, and the Bible does mention that Jesus was very hard on those whose support relied on the donations of the very poor.
The Gospels also tell us that Jesus ate and drank and celebrated (perhaps partied) with sinners and tax-collectors. Jesus was prophetically celebrating the arrival of the kingdom of God.
Was John the Baptist Poor?
John grew up in a priestly household that may have been in the upper class, but he chose instead a life of poverty. Furthermore, he may have lived in poverty for only the months or few years of his ministry.
There is no mention in the Bible of how John got his money, maybe he got it the same way Jesus did.
CONCLUSIONS
Although Jesus had supporters for his ministry, his support was temporary. When he died, he had nothing left - no house, no car (when he entered Jerusalem he borrowed a donkey which was by no means a high end model of traveling), no 401K, life insurance, bank account, or any other means of hoarding or protecting what he had. When he died, the only clothes he had were taken from him.
In his ministry, he never dressed in upper class clothing.
Jesus may have received a decent salary as he traveled around, but he did not have enough to save anything or give himself a comfortable life.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Take Nothing with You
Take nothing for your journey," he instructed them. "Don't take a walking stick, a traveler's bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes (Luke 9:3).
When Jesus sent his disciples into villages, he gave them several instructions:
1. Preach the kingdom of God.
2. Heal the sick.
3. Take nothing but the basics.
4. Stay in one house only.
5. If you are not received, shake off your feet as a testimony against them.
When Luke said not to take any of the basics he broke it down to these:
1. A walking stick
2. A traveler's bag
3. Food
4. Money
5. A change of clothes
Jesus was giving commands to his disciples. This does not mean that he tells modern day missionaries and pastors to go out without anything.
GOING WITHOUT SUPPORT
There are missionaries who go into other countries without any support. Following this verse, they go out by faith, expecting to be cared for by God, as they win mulitiudes to Christ. Unfortunately, it usually doesn't work out like as these people hope. They become burdens on other missionaries who are supported by their home churches and organizations.
As one who served overseas for over 4 years, I can say that when people go out without financial and prayer support, they are almost always making a mistake. The apostle Paul always had a church or churches supporting him in fasting, prayer, finances, and by sending fellow missionaries. It seems that Paul believed that this verse was intended soley for the disciples that followed Jesus.
VISITING PEOPLE'S HOMES
Some early missionaries took different paths than Paul did. Paul had sending churches such as Antioch and Rome. Paul also had financial support from other churches and from working on his own. He never received money from the churches he was starting. On the other hand, there were missionaries who came after him who used different methods.
The new style missionaries had no sending churches that we know of...they also had no financial support. They went from Christian home to another, ministering in the communities.
It wasn't long before they began creating problems. Some missionaries discovered that there were homes that were very welcoming, and so the traveling missionary never left. These missionaries divided churches in the first and second centuries.
2 and 3 John addresses some of these people. John gave several rules:
1. If they don't preach Jesus Christ come in the flesh, don't receive them at all.
2. If they preach the incarnation, welcome them.
Diotrephes, a member of 3 John church, wanted nothing to do with any of these traveling missionaries, and threw out anyone who received them into their homes. John disagreed, and felt that Diotrephes was arrogant, putting himself in a leadership role he didn't receive or deserve.
The Didache was written around the same time that 2 & 3 John was written. In it the author clearly sets down strict rules about these visiting missionaries:
Whenever an apostle comes to you, receive him as the Lord; but he shall not stay more than a single day, or if there be need, a second likewise; but if he stays three days, he is a false prophet. And when he leaves let the apostle receive nothing except bread, until he finds shelter; but if he asks for money, he is a false prophet (Didache 11:4-6).
There you have it; any more than 2 days, they are false prophets...and if they ask for money, they are false prophets.
When Jesus sent his disciples into villages, he gave them several instructions:
1. Preach the kingdom of God.
2. Heal the sick.
3. Take nothing but the basics.
4. Stay in one house only.
5. If you are not received, shake off your feet as a testimony against them.
When Luke said not to take any of the basics he broke it down to these:
1. A walking stick
2. A traveler's bag
3. Food
4. Money
5. A change of clothes
Jesus was giving commands to his disciples. This does not mean that he tells modern day missionaries and pastors to go out without anything.
GOING WITHOUT SUPPORT
There are missionaries who go into other countries without any support. Following this verse, they go out by faith, expecting to be cared for by God, as they win mulitiudes to Christ. Unfortunately, it usually doesn't work out like as these people hope. They become burdens on other missionaries who are supported by their home churches and organizations.
As one who served overseas for over 4 years, I can say that when people go out without financial and prayer support, they are almost always making a mistake. The apostle Paul always had a church or churches supporting him in fasting, prayer, finances, and by sending fellow missionaries. It seems that Paul believed that this verse was intended soley for the disciples that followed Jesus.
VISITING PEOPLE'S HOMES
Some early missionaries took different paths than Paul did. Paul had sending churches such as Antioch and Rome. Paul also had financial support from other churches and from working on his own. He never received money from the churches he was starting. On the other hand, there were missionaries who came after him who used different methods.
The new style missionaries had no sending churches that we know of...they also had no financial support. They went from Christian home to another, ministering in the communities.
It wasn't long before they began creating problems. Some missionaries discovered that there were homes that were very welcoming, and so the traveling missionary never left. These missionaries divided churches in the first and second centuries.
2 and 3 John addresses some of these people. John gave several rules:
1. If they don't preach Jesus Christ come in the flesh, don't receive them at all.
2. If they preach the incarnation, welcome them.
Diotrephes, a member of 3 John church, wanted nothing to do with any of these traveling missionaries, and threw out anyone who received them into their homes. John disagreed, and felt that Diotrephes was arrogant, putting himself in a leadership role he didn't receive or deserve.
The Didache was written around the same time that 2 & 3 John was written. In it the author clearly sets down strict rules about these visiting missionaries:
Whenever an apostle comes to you, receive him as the Lord; but he shall not stay more than a single day, or if there be need, a second likewise; but if he stays three days, he is a false prophet. And when he leaves let the apostle receive nothing except bread, until he finds shelter; but if he asks for money, he is a false prophet (Didache 11:4-6).
There you have it; any more than 2 days, they are false prophets...and if they ask for money, they are false prophets.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Life Concerns
The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity (Luke 8:14).
There were different reasons people joined themselves to Jesus and there were different reasons they left following Jesus. One of the reasons that Jesus stated for the later was concern for this life. This concern was further subdivided into 3 distinct areas: general concerns for this life, pleasure, and money. These 3 are not evil in and of themselves, but are feelings that distract us from walking with God and seeking His kingdom.
Jesus told his disciples to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then, these things would be added as well. But when people focus on life's concerns, pleasure and money; the spiritual things of God are choked out and left behind.
Jesus did not see the possibility of serving money and serving God at the same time. For him, it was one or the other.
There were different reasons people joined themselves to Jesus and there were different reasons they left following Jesus. One of the reasons that Jesus stated for the later was concern for this life. This concern was further subdivided into 3 distinct areas: general concerns for this life, pleasure, and money. These 3 are not evil in and of themselves, but are feelings that distract us from walking with God and seeking His kingdom.
Jesus told his disciples to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then, these things would be added as well. But when people focus on life's concerns, pleasure and money; the spiritual things of God are choked out and left behind.
Jesus did not see the possibility of serving money and serving God at the same time. For him, it was one or the other.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)