Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 21:4 (Dec 1978)
Article: The New Testament View Of Wealth Accumulation
Author: David Murchie

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JETS 21:4 (December 1978) p. 335

The New Testament View Of Wealth Accumulation

David Murchie*

*David Murchie is U teaching fellow in Church history at Drew Theological School, Madison, New Jersey.

This short study attempts to bring together some of the prominent NT teachings on the subject of the Christian’s relation to wealth. The organization of the study betrays the author’s conviction that the very person and work of Christ are at the root of a proper Christian attitude toward material wealth and that only by recognizing this Christological foundation may one fully appreciate the subtle dangers of wealth accumulation, the uncompromising responsibilities of the Christian regarding wealth, and the attempts of the early Church to place its resources under the rule of Christ.

I. The Christological Foundations

Discussion of the Christological basis of a proper Christian attitude toward material wealth might best begin with a caution. One must recognize that the NT picture of Jesus as a man of limited means does not suggest that some form of asceticism is the only way to do the will of God in regard to the handling of one’s earthly goods. Jesus was not a rigorous ascetic, and, as Fred Craddock puts it, “the gospel can no more be equated with the financial poverty of Jesus than it can be equated with the pain he endured on the cross. Regardless of the immediate effectiveness of such a tug at human emotions, this misplaced accent is a cheapening of the Christ-event and a misunderstanding of Paul.”1 To direct one’s efforts toward legalistically “copying” Jesus’ lifestyle is to miss the point of why such a lifestyle is possible.

Though this idea of Jesus as a superficial example is of minimal value theologically speaking, there is a powerful analogical relationship between the work of Christ and the life of the Christian. In the incarnation Christ became identified with man in order that man might be like Christ. One’s personal acceptance of this identification means that he now shares the experiences of human life with Christ himself. As evidenced by the temptation, suffering and death of Christ (Heb 2:7–18), God has identified with the human situation and this identification has serious implications for the Christian’s material possessions. In 2 Cor 8:1–15, the liberal giving of one’s resources to those in need is seen as an essential part of the Christian life because Christ himself gave up riches to become poor for the benefit of those in need. In 8:1–7, liberal giving to the needy (the Jerusalem saints) is seen as an exhibition of divine grace i...

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