3A Attitudes toward wealth

Question 1

Give a quote from Luke 12:15.

Answer 1

• “Life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”

Question 2

What four Bible passages does the spec require you to know regarding the dangers of wealth?

Answer 2

• Mark 10:17-25
• Matthew 6:25-34
• 1 Timothy 6:10
• Luke 12:33-34

Question 3

Give two quotes from Mark 10:17-25.

Answer 3

• “You shall not defraud.”

* “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.”

Question 4

Give context of Mark 10:17-25.

Answer 4

• Trad. Jewish teaching on wealth = a sign of divine favour + urged to be generous
• J provides an answer diff. to trad. Jewish teaching: give up your possessions and join the Jesus movement
- This might not have been expected from a respected Rabbi

Question 5

What is the main message of Mark 10:17-25?

Answer 5

• Impossible to enter the JoG if one is wealthy. Does tis apply to all, or just this one man?
• The KoG = infinitely more important than wealth

Question 6

Give scholarly detail to Mark 10:17-25.

Answer 6

• “not defraud” ≠ one of the 10 Comm.s, despite J saying “You know the Commandments”
• ∴ J was likely talking specifically to the man - maybe J was aware of the man’s financial sins

Question 7

Give an interesting fact about Mark 10:17-25.

Answer 7

• Some early manuscripts use ‘kamilon’ (rope) instead of ‘kamelon’ (camel)
• A story circulated that there was a passage into Jerusalem called ‘The Needle Gate’ (likely a fanciful medieval legend to impress pious tourists)
• Both of these suggestions make J’s words appear more sensible

Question 8

Give a quote from Matthew 6:25-34.

Answer 8

• “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

Question 9

Give the context of Matthew 6:25-34.

Answer 9

• One of the main themes = that righteousness must be defined in a new way, beyond the letter of law, to an all-embracing lifestyle of love + commitment

Question 10

What is the main message of Matthew 6:25-34?

Answer 10

• Have the right priorities - “strive first for the KoG”

* The enemy of any priority is anxiety. Have faith in G’s provision.

Question 11

Give scholarly detail to Matthew 6:25-34.

Answer 11

• ‘Anxiety’ = used more than in any other place in NT; related to being afraid in such a way as to cause distress

Question 12

Give an interesting fact about Matthew 6:25-34.

Answer 12

• J’s audience would have been familiar with the wealth of Solomon (1 Kings 3:13), perhaps even longing for G to restore their nation to its former glory ∴ would have been surprising for J to point out that there is a beauty greater than Solomon’s

Question 13

Give a quote from 1 Timothy 6:10.

Answer 13

• “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil”

Question 14

Give the context of 1 Timothy 6:10.

Answer 14

• The Pastoral Epistles (1+2 Timothy + Titus) = concerned w/ heretical c.ch teachings + lax morality

Question 15

What is the main message of 1 Timothy 6:10?

Answer 15

• Money ≠ evil/dirty in itself; the danger = greed

Question 16

Give scholarly detail to 1 Timothy 6:10.

Answer 16

• It was a common phrase to the ancient world

* Cynic, Diogenes of Sinope: “the love of money is the mother-city of all evils”

Question 17

Give an interesting fact about 1 Timothy 6:10.

Answer 17

• It was common for ancient philosophers to charge their opponents w/ teaching for pay and ∴ seeking to please rather than to present the whole truth

Question 18

Give a quote from Luke 12:33-34.

Answer 18

• “Sell your possessions and give alms. [You will have] an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near.”

Question 19

Give the context of Luke 12:33-34.

Answer 19

• Earlier in chapter = parable of rich fool: a wealthy man celebrates the fact that he has hoarded enough material wealth to secure his future, But death now comes to him and he has made the mistake of not providing for his spiritual life

Question 20

What is the main message of Luke 12:33-34?

Answer 20

• A test to see whether one is living for G’s kingdom. Their decision puts them on the path of the rich fool or path of eternal life
• The ‘spiritual bank account’ is free from the anxieties + corruption of earthly bank accounts

Question 21

Give scholarly detail to Luke 12:33-34.

Answer 21

• Acts shows J’s followers living this instruction to sell their possessions
• Is it expected of all followers? Implies so. However, J commands Zacchaeus to give away only half of his wealth in Luke 19:1-10.

Question 22

Give an interesting fact about Luke 12:33-34.

Answer 22

• Dio Chyrysostom (40-115 CE) wrote that “greed is not only the greatest evil to a man himself, but it injures his neighbours as well.”

Question 23

What is stewardship?

Answer 23

• Administration/management

* In a theological sense, views humans as having the God-given position of managing all their resources well

Question 24

What are the key principles of stewardship?

Answer 24

• Earth belongs to G ∵ he created it; does not belong to us
• The material world = “good”; goodness remains even if there is sin ∴ should not flee from the management of the material world
• B assumes there is private ownership (8th Comm.) ∴ stewardship also applies to individuals
• ∴ G = defender of the poor/oppressed; stewardship always includes generous giving
• Some C.tians see tithes as an aspect of stewardship

Question 25

What is the opposite of stewardship?

Answer 25

• Greed + covetousness

• Consistently condemned in B (e.g. Psalm 10)
• Hebrew prophets are remembered for their searing rebukes over eco. sins + even kings are told there are limits to the wealth

Question 26

Explain how those who view their role in life as stewards do not necessarily embrace a communistic/monastic view of the Christian community.

Answer 26

• They view their role as managing wisely the resources G has given them
• John Wesley, founder of Methodism: “Make all you can, save all you can, give all you can.”

Question 27

What is asceticism?

Answer 27

• Severe self-discipline and avoiding all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons
• Greek, ‘askeo’ - exercise, discipline, training
• In Greek philosophy, referred to refraining from pleasures to achieve a moral goal

Question 28

Asceticism is only used once in the New Testament; where?

Answer 28

• Paul refers to “striving” to live in such a way that he has a clear conscience towards G
- Idea of undertaking a special discipline or lifestyle as a part of the C.tian path that permeates NT

Question 29

Give a quote from Jesus about the ascetic ideal.

Answer 29

• “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and […] follow me.”
• What does it mean to deny oneself?
- For J, it involved fasting, prayer, giving up possessions, being itinerant
- Seemingly entails abstaining from sex, though not commanded (J refers to this in Matthew 9:12; Paul discussed the appropriateness of the celibate life in 1 Corinthians 7)

Question 30

Give examples of how ascetic practices were widespread among early Christians.

Answer 30

• Origen = dedicated to an ascetic lifestyle of voluntary poverty so that his soul could be purified from passion to secure true knowledge of G
• The Desert Fathers focused on simple devotion in remote locations; viewed J’s 40 days as an example to follow
- But, J gave this up - C.ty = public, not private r. ∴ should not focus on one aspect of his life

Question 31

Give a brief overview of asceticism in the Middle Ages

Answer 31

• Monasteries attempted to build C.tian character through a disciplined life
- Some focused on the suffering of J ∴ violent forms of asceticism developed (e.g. self-flagellation)

Question 32

The value of asceticism was questioned by the rise of which two movements?

Answer 32

• Humanism

* Protestantism

Question 33

What question does asceticism raise?

Answer 33

• What attitude should a Christian take towards the world?
• C.tians view world as separated from G ∴ care = needed as to how to participate in the world
- Most C.tians believe training + discipline = essential to live a G-oriented life, but there is disagreement of what types/how much

Question 34

Which two extreme movements considered the world to be evil and therefore advocated extreme forms of discipline?

Answer 34

• Manichaeism

* Montanism

Question 35

How did Jesus compare himself to John the Baptist?

Answer 35

• JtB was not ascetic, yet J called himself a glutton in comparison w/ JtB

Question 36

What is the prosperity gospel?

Answer 36

• The teaching that C.tians have the right to expect wealth/good health
• Theme of faith = combined w/ view that the covenant G made w/ Israel included a promise of material blessing

Question 37

How can Christians achieve the promise of the prosperity gospel?

Answer 37

• By making a positive confession of faith + ‘sowing seeds’ through tithes + offerings

Question 38

Give some information on the popularity of the prosperity gospel.

Answer 38

• Approach = popular through prominent television evangelists at end of 20th C, and now has a following in trad. Prot. c.chs + charismatic/Pentecostal
• Popular in deprived areas; offers a sense of hope for upward mobility
• Also popular in affluent areas - ‘The Prayer of Jabez’ (centres on a prayer for material blessing) topped NY Times Bestseller List

Question 39

What is the prosperity gospel also known as? Why?

Answer 39

• The ‘Word-Faith’ movement
• ∵ of the teaching that it is not good enough merely to believe in what B says about well-being - one must proclaim aloud that the healing has occurred, even though the symptoms may not be present
- Positive confession demonstrates faith + initiates G’s healing powers

Question 40

Give a quote from James 4:3 relating to the prosperity gospel.

Answer 40

• “You do not have because you do not ask.”

Question 41

Give evidence for why some view that God wants his followers to be wealthy.

Answer 41

• The C.ch patriarchs exp., at times, enormous wealth
• G’s instructions for the tabernacle include costly materials
• The ppl of G inherited a land “flowing with milk and honey”
• This all suggests that G ≠ ascetic, not prescribing an ascetic ideal

Question 42

According to Craig L. Blomberg, what are some issues with the prosperity gospel?

Answer 42

• G never promised prosperity to all individuals. Promise given to nation of Israel based on personal levels of obedience to Torah
• G never made similar agreements w/ any countries surrounding Israel ∴ should not apply OT promises to modern-day nations
• No NT text makes promise of prosperity contingent on faith
• B.berg notes that the blessing believers receive for faith = often spiritual qualities, not wealth
- B = about being aware of wealth’s corrupting influence
• Hardships endured by J do not seem to confirm prosperity gospel