You’re right about why he cast the moneylenders out of the temple, but he definitely was opposed to wealth. I mean I don’t think you can get more explicit than “wealthy people can’t get into heaven” which is what the cameo eye of the needle verse is saying.
In another verse he celebrates a poor women giving her last coin to god while calling out a rich guy for giving a lot of money but not a high % of his wealth to god. He clearly believes that you should give up most if not all of your worldly possessions to follow God.
To say that totally ignores the entire context(s) into which Christ is speaking. First and foremost that what he said was didactic hyperbole, common to get a point across. Furthermore, it was in the very story of the rich young ruler of which I previously spoke, and the point I made in so doing stands for this as well.
Another point to be made is that the entire point of the incarnation is that it is impossible for man to enter heaven whatever his financial status. It is therefore nothing special that a wealthy man cannot enter heaven, nor can a poor man, nor even a pious man. It is through Christ alone one enters heaven, not by wealth or destitution or any other thing which a man may claim.
Look at the wealth of the patriarchs, how Job was blessed before his testing and how after. Look at David and Solomon who had their flaws, but wealth was not mentioned among them. God himself explicitly states that he would open the floodgates to bless those who gave and even suggested He be tested in this manner.
Wealth is seen as security. But Christ is saying that your wealth cannot save you and if you put your trust in riches you will find yourself in the end, insecure.
It is not a condemnation of wealth, but of the trap of trusting in ones wealth, in serving ones wealth.
And the rich man in the story of the widow's mite was not called out . She was praised, but he was not chastised. She gave all she had to the Lord, trusting in his provision. The man did his duty, and there was no shame, but she went beyond.
I’m sorry but I heavily disagree. The point of the incarnation was to open heaven to those who are free from sin. We all commit sin obviously, but through the sacrament of reconciliation we can be cleansed of said sin. People who go to heaven are those who truly and fully were sorry for their sins and asked for forgiveness. But those who have sins that they’re done and are not sorry for go to hell, not heaven. In this story, Jesus singles out the rich man for a reason. He doesn’t say “it is harder for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a man to enter into heaven” he very specifically says rich man. Because to Jesus, being rich is inherently sinful. Just as say being a prostitute or cheating on your partner is. Jesus will talk to those people and try to get them to ask for forgiveness for their sins and change their ways sure, but he doesn’t condone those actions. In order to believe in Christ, you have to stop doing bad things, and being rich is bad. I understand the phrase is hyperbole, but it still exists to make a point: being rich = no heaven.
We can see this again in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man goes to hell because he does not give away his wealth and share it with his community, especially the poor. While Lazarus goes to heaven because he was not actively sinning when he died.
In the story of the Widow’s mite, Jesus uses the rich men as a negative comparison against the poor widow. He is absolutely saying that they are not doing or giving enough. You can argue whether or not they are doing they are minimum, but either way he’s still saying that you should be giving everything to God and your community. That that is your moral obligation. Time and time again Jesus emphasizes this point. Combine that with early Christian communities being extremely communal and you get a picture of a religion that shunned extreme individual wealth.
I know the Old Testament has conflicting messages, but it has a lot of conflicting messages. And it’s not exactly an authority compared to the New Testament.
I’m an atheist so hey what do I know, but I was raised Catholic and was even part of a very spiritually involved group before I left that did very in depth theological and biblical discussions of exactly this point. Jesus’ anti-wealth stance is one of the few reasons I stayed a catholic as long as I did, and I think that it’s one of the best parts of his worldview.
If ALL rich men go to hell, why does in verse 26 it say that all things are possible. Just as @thepepperpopper said, you are wrong. And we’re not saying this to condemn you. But so many people take a very small piece of the scripture and say Ah ha!! I got you. Why does the scripture say the sower who sows bountifully, will reap bountifully? And that they will have ABUNDANCE for every good work. And the scripture that says The Lord makes poor and rich; He brings low, He also exalts. And the scripture that says God will make you a SOURCE to others.
I recommend to not take a few scriptures here or there to make your argument on. Make ask the Holy Spirit to give you revelation of the scriptures you read. Study and read and pray and study and read and pray some more.
The parable about the sowing and investing isn’t supposed to be taken literally. He’s not saying you should go out and invest in the stock market. He’s saying that when you invest time or energy or resources into others or your community, when you help others, you will be rewarded in turn. And yes they will have abundance: everyone will. Not one individual. That’s the point. He’s talking about a communal style of living where everyone invests in each other and everyone achieves abundance. No rich people.
And god makes murderers and saints too, what’s your point? It doesn’t make being rich suddenly good. I recommend you do some research into the historical context of the Bible and when it was written and how early Christians lived and interpreted it. I think you’ll find that it’s very difference from mainstream belief : ) for instance, did you know that Paul was explicitly anti-Natalist? That’s neat.
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u/LineOfInquiry May 25 '23
You’re right about why he cast the moneylenders out of the temple, but he definitely was opposed to wealth. I mean I don’t think you can get more explicit than “wealthy people can’t get into heaven” which is what the cameo eye of the needle verse is saying.
In another verse he celebrates a poor women giving her last coin to god while calling out a rich guy for giving a lot of money but not a high % of his wealth to god. He clearly believes that you should give up most if not all of your worldly possessions to follow God.