****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
This is an interesting little book about Jesus’ teaching regarding wealth and poverty. The author begins by observing that most people tend to approach this subject based on secular economic presuppositions, whether socialistic or free market, and try to read that philosophy into the teachings of Jesus. He proposes that instead we examine those teachings in the light of the economic conditions of the first-century environment in which Jesus and His audiences lived.He concludes that while Jesus definitely wants His followers to be compassionate and generous, He had no problem with those who accumulate wealth honestly, by hard work or even shrewd investments, enjoying the fruits of their efforts. Rather His issue is with those in positions of power who prosper by exploiting the less fortunate. As the author puts it, “What you will see is Jesus confronting the takers of wealth, not the makers of it” (page 11).One observation the author makes, which I haven’t confirmed in my own study but which makes sense, is that Jesus never said anything negative about wealth or rich people when preaching in Galilee, which was characterized by numerous moderately prosperous tradespeople and small family farms, what today we would call “small businesses.” It was only in Judea, and especially Jerusalem, where a powerful ruling class exploited the people for their own profit, that He had harsh things to say to the rich.So for those who would use the teachings of Jesus as justification for a powerful central governing authority that controls the distribution of funds to the poor and sets the policies that determine winners and losers, the author would say that not only is this not what Jesus taught, but it is exactly what He taught against.I can’t say that this book is the final definitive word on the subject, but it’s definitely thought-provoking, and at only a little over 100 pages, well worth taking the time to read.
