"Blessed Are The Poor": The Danger of Riches According to the Bible
This is not a fic, rather, this is a research paper I did for a class at my college, I just thought I'd share it with the community.
The field I want to enter offers lucrative money, so the thoughts of eternal damnation due to my wealth was a thought I was struggling with, until I decided to read the Bible figuratively and do some research. This is the fruits of my research. Enjoy and let me know whether or not you agree.
Scattered throughout the four Gospels of the Bible exist various passages that seem to renounce rich individuals, while extolling the virtues of those who live in poverty. If these passages are taken literally, it seems as though Jesus is stating to people that they should renounce all possessions and live almost as a homeless individual, owning no possessions whatsoever; however, this may not be Jesus' true message. Here, these passages must be taken figuratively, metaphorically, and one can see the true message of Jesus. It is not the possession of wealth that Jesus is denouncing; rather, it is the ambition for wealth and those who cling to possessions that will have difficulty entering the kingdom of God.
One of the seemingly most blatant attacks on the wealthy exists in Mark 10:17-31, where Jesus states "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God". This verse, taken as it reads, seems to be a damnation decree of those individuals who possess wealth. It is only when this verse is looked at from a historic viewpoint that the true meaning appears.
When looked at from a historical perspective, Jesus is not stating that it is impossible for a rich man to enter Heaven; rather, Jesus is providing an illustration to his message. Theophylact of Bulgaria, a Bulgarian theologian, first suggested the theory that Jesus' message was not aimed at denouncing the wealthy; instead, he was denouncing those whose ambition is aimed to acquire wealth, and those that cling to it. Theophylact of Bulgaria referred this passage to a short, narrow gate, either named or referred to as "The Needle's Eye," that existed in Jerusalem. In ancient Jerusalem, those carrying goods on a camel would have to strip the camel of all the possessions it was carrying before even attempting to bring the camel through the gate. Seen in this context, it is quite evident that Jesus is commenting on people who love wealth and put it above God, rather than commenting on the wealthy themselves. If the wealthy can easily remove themselves from their wealth or earthly possessions, or do not really need it, they can enter heaven's gates much easier than those who cling to what they have acquired on Earth.
Furthermore, in the surrounding passages, from Mark 10:17-31, further evidence supports the belief that Jesus was ultimately not announcing the damnation of wealthy individuals. For example, on page 276 of his book, Ancient Christian Gospels: Their History and Development, Helmut Koester argues that since verses 23 and 24 in Mark, the verses that state how difficult it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom, are not mirrored in Luke or Matthew, that these are most likely later editions to the text. Further interpretation from these passages can be found in Mark 10:31 – "But many that are first will be last, and the last first" – may actually be referring to the list of the apostles Mark gives in chapter three. The apostles listed first, starting with Peter, called Simon at that time, are the last to deny or fall away during the tribulation and trial of Jesus, whereas the last apostles named, especially Judas (the last apostle named) will be the first to betray him. In interpreting Mark 10:31 in this fashion seems to be valid, and shows that Jesus is not necessarily making a social commentary that the first, or the richest, will be the last to enter the kingdom, and the last, or poorest, will be the first to enter the kingdom.
When taken literally, the notion that Jesus condemns rich individuals is in direct violation of the view of the wealthy in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, wealth and riches are directly related to the possession of land, especially tracts of land in the Promised Land, that God promised the people of Israel. "As Yahweh graciously gave Israel her inheritance in the Promised Land, so also he blesses individual with wealth, foremost examples being Abraham and Solomon." Other examples of wealthy individuals favored in God's eyes include Esther, and King David. In the book of Proverbs, riches and wealth is seen as the "reward of a man's diligence, and a source of security.". When Jesus is taken literally, it seems that Jesus is directly in violation of the views laid out in the Old Testament on wealth. When taken figuratively, Jesus merely redefines the notion of wealth as earthly possessions that one will not need when they enter heaven. It is still respectable to obtain wealth; however, the adoration of wealth is a dangerous trait, Jesus argues.
One can, however, view the difference between the Old and New Testaments as a necessary delineation. The New Testament does not just fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament; rather, it redefines the covenant as well. In the Old Testament, the covenant is the actual, physical Holy Land, the same areas that are now in contention today. In the New Testament, however, the covenant is redefined as the promise of the salvation of Heaven. Seen from this viewpoint, this may explain the changes i
Wealth itself is not a problem; rather, the misuse of wealth is the danger of which Jesus warns us of in his teachings. One of the chief dangers of the misuse of wealth is found in the false sense of self-reliance wealth can provide. When a person acquires abundant wealth, it leads to the belief that whatever problems arise, that person only need rely on themselves and their riches. This thinking is not only dangerous; it is in direct conflict with the tenants of the Christian faith. When God becomes unnecessary and a person believes that they are entirely self-secured and self-reliant, they can be cut off from grace. In this case, riches become their own God, an action which violates the commandment against false idols.
The poor, unlike the rich, cannot form such a self-dependence nearly as easily, leading to Jesus' assertion that the poor can inherit the kingdom of God more easily than the rich. While the rich can hold onto their possessions and money as a security blanket, and they can provide for everything they need in life, the poor do not have that luxury, and they are much more tempted to turn to God for help. This explains the beatitude, "Blessed are you poor; the reign of God is yours," as "Jesus emphatically asserts that the 'poor' manifest a deep hope and trust in God. Acutely aware of their dependence and need, they are most gratefully receptive to the Kingdom. The very need and lack of resources become a blessing when they leave people free and disposed to accept the enriching good news of salvation."
In each of the four Gospels, Jesus tells his apostles that they must leave all their earthly possessions to follow him. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus even goes as far as to state "None of you can be my disciple if he does not renounce all his possessions." When looked at from a historic viewpoint, Jesus is not stating a renunciation for all possessions in this passage. Jesus is rather letting his apostles know the necessities it took to be a follower of a rabbi. As a rabbi, Jesus was required to travel from town to town, never really calling one place home. Due to this fact, the apostles could not realistically carry around their possessions with them. Jesus' command here was directed to the Twelve, and not to the general public.
The best use of wealth, in accordance with this view of Jesus' teachings would be a balance of wealth and poverty. A person should be a philanthropist to his neighbors less fortunate than himself. This also fits in with the last commandment given by Jesus insofar as loving one's neighbors as oneself. A person can possess wealth and help himself get around with that money, but replacing Jesus with that wealth is an act that should never be done. Instead, God should be the only being or image to which one owes loyalty.
Jesus states in the book of Luke that one cannot be loyal to both God and wealth. By explaining that "No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth," Jesus is showing that the real problem with wealth is that it attempts to stop a person from serving God. As you cannot serve both God and wealth, God is the only entity that can rationally be served. This is where the danger lies. If a person does not make the correct choice, a person could end up serving the wrong entity, which is a choice that can, according to Jesus, lead to trouble gaining entrance to Heaven.
Jesus also redefines wealth, urging his followers to aspire to build up their wealth in Heaven rather than build up their earthly wealth. "Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also," is the message that Jesus brings. Do good deeds, follow the commandments and love neighbors as thyself, these are the steps that people need to follow to build up the "eternal purse" Jesus refers to. Jesus tells his followers not to focus their energies on acquiring wealth; whether or not they happen to have wealth, their consciousness should be focused on building their place in Heaven.
Jesus lived the perfect life according to his guidelines. Jesus truly showed how the "poor" life should be lived. Jesus, while descended from a wealthy lineage dating back to the blood of King David, relied solely on God. Nothing ever came between Jesus and his devotion to God. Jesus did not rely on any material wealth, but rather, built up his rapport in heaven. In fact, Jesus actually starved himself from the wealth of the world for forty straight days during Jesus' exodus in the Jordan desert. This is evident in Satan's tempting of Jesus in the wilderness. Ultimately, Satan offers Jesus rule and reign over everything earthly and Jesus turns down the temptation. In this one act, Jesus lays down the foundation of the set of rules his followers should follow.
There are arguments that can be made against this interpretation however. There are other factions and opinions on many passages in the Bible. One of the other theories behind the "eye of the needle" passage is that the Greek for the word camel was actually mistranslated, and that it should be substituted for the words cable or rope. This interpretation leads us back to the impracticality of threading a needle with a piece of rope. Others view the Bible literally rather than figuratively, and claim that these passages should not be taken interpretively. When taken literally, these verses truly do condemn those who acquire wealth. However, a convincing argument can be made either way, and the truth is that neither side is truly infallible. Unless Jesus was able to confirm his true meaning, there is no way that scholars or interpreters will ever be able to approach a truly definitive explanation.
Despite the arguments against the theory, evidence points towards the interpretation that Jesus was not against wealth itself, but against the potential detrimental effects of wealth. When an individual values their wealth over their savior, they fall into the trap that Jesus warned about. The Bible states in various places that Jesus dined and was hosted and entertained by many rich and wealthy patrons, which would have been extremely hypocritical of Jesus if he was truly in favor of the renunciation of wealth. From the gate interpretation of the "eye of the needle" passage to the potential that wealthy men can put God above wealth if they decide not to attempt to serve two different masters, it is evident that Jesus was not denouncing wealth, but rather warning his followers of the dangers of it.
Works Cited
Butrick, George Arthur.1962. Wealth. The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible. New York: Abington Press.
Carder, Kenneth L. The Perils of Riches. (25 October 2006).
Galligan, John Sheila. The Tension between Poverty and Possessions in the Gospel of Luke (25 October 2006).
Koester, Helmut. 1990. Ancient Christian Gospels: Their History and Development. Canterbury: SCM Press
Wikipedia, Eye of a Needle, 20 October 2006, http://en. (25 October 2006).