The Bible and Wealth: An Overview
Written by: Dr. John T. Carroll
Money talks—and the Bible has a lot to say about money! What does faithful, morally responsible use of economic resources look like, according to Scripture? Several important themes claim the attention of readers of whatever economic level. To mention just a few, we discover in the Bible (parenthetical references below are to New Testament passages):
- A call to those who have material goods (land, crops, money, etc.) to share generously with others who have less, as in the practice of almsgiving (e.g., Matthew 6:2–4; Mark 14:7; Luke 12:32–34)
- A challenge to a life not controlled by wealth—to renounce or divest from wealth when it stands in the way of faithful discipleship (e.g., Luke 14:33; 18:18–25)
- A summons to deep trust in God for provision for our needs, thus freeing us from preoccupation with acquisitive striving for more and more material goods (e.g., Matthew 6:25–34; Luke 12:12–21, 22–34)
- An insistence that economic injustice and oppression be opposed, that the people of God sustain practices of restitution and restoration of justice (e.g., Luke 19:1–10; 20:45–21:4)
- Affirmation of God’s special concern for those who experience poverty—a concern that should direct the commitments and practices of the people of God (e.g., Luke 4:18–19; 6:20–26; 16:19–31; James 2:1–7)
- A call to generosity in giving as our grateful response to the abundant grace we have received (e.g., Luke 7:36–50; 2 Corinthians 8:9 ; 9:6–15)
- Acknowledgment that what we “own” does not really belong to us but is entrusted to us to use to serve God: we are stewards of resources that may bring blessing to others (e.g., Luke 16:1–13).
As we consider ways in which these biblical themes might shape faithful discipleship today, it is important to acknowledge that economic systems presupposed in the Bible differ greatly from twenty-first-century life, with its market economies, complex global economic systems, and powerful transnational corporations. In the world of the New Testament, for example, the (Roman) empire-wide economy was agrarian (though not the large-scale, industrial agriculture we know today), and wealth was based on land ownership, with the greatest concentration of wealth and power in cities. Often, rural lands were owned by absentee landlords, and the tenant farmers who actually produced the crops lived a subsistence existence. In this “limited goods economy” (i.e., there is only so much to go around!) it was assumed that some became wealthy only by depriving others of wealth.
Despite the differences in context between ancient cultures and the twenty-first century, the values, commitments, and practices of God’s covenant people, as expressed in the pages of the Old Testament, and of Jesus and the first Christians, as expressed in the pages of the New Testament, have the power to shape faithful life and constructive use of economic resources today. In two companion pieces, we will explore at greater depth two themes as developed in the Gospel of Luke, one of the most important biblical resources on the subject of poverty and wealth.
Questions for Reflection
- Which of these biblical themes addressing faithful use of economic resources seems most important to your faith and experience? Why?
- Which of these biblical themes do you find most challenging or difficult? Why?
- How may families and churches today nurture faithful discipleship when it comes to money and other economic resources?
