Jesus: Rich Man, Poor Man?
Rachel, a volunteer over at Off The Map, asked me my opinion on the article “Was Jesus rich?: ‘Kings brought him gold and he travelled with a treasurer’” in the National Post (ht: Justice & Compassion blog). The article presents the argument of many Christian leaders that Jesus was not a poor man at all, but rather wealthy, evidence (along with health and good relationships) that He was living in the fullest blessings of God. When the primary pastor quoted is “Rev. Dollar”, you can probably guess what direction they take.
While I am not going to get into the arguments and details, let it suffice to say that I disagree with the premise they present and have strong objections to the prosperity Gospel in its many varieties. And yet, the debate of “Rich Jesus vs. Poor Jesus” is not an adequate enough framework to explore the underlying questions. We first need to acknowledge that, while Biblical and historical evidence helps, the record is not explicit on the subject.
Some argue that the gifts of the Maji would be enought to establish the wealth of Jesus and His family. Certainly, such gifts would have helped, but we also must remember that shortly thereafter they fled to Egypt with little notice. The trip and the years in Egypt would have required money. Further, we can fairly deduce from Jesus life that we received an excellent education as a child, which also would have been costly.
When they returned to Israel, in addition to the cost of the move, they were coming home to a land under the thumb of foreign power, in the midst of political turmoil. Add to that the fact that first century Jews did not function like our nuclear families today, with larger extended family units, there were many expenses for the whole household. Also, Joseph leaves the story earlier in Jesus life, meaning one primary provider would be removed. Also, what wealth he had would be shared with more than just Jesus.
So as Jesus enters adulthood, we cannot say that He was wealthy, but neither should we say he must have been poor. As a popular rabbi and with a following, Jesus would likely have had a fair amount of support. Having someone care for the purse does suggest that there was a fair amount of money in that provision. However, given other Scriptures about giving (and the pattern of the early church) makes it clear that Jesus and His followers did not count this wealth as their own. Perhaps one of the most important factors to remember is that Jesus birth was in question. He would have been a social outcast to many, so despite his financial status, he would have suffered from some “social poverty” that cannot be underplayed.
So was Jesus poor or rich? In my opinion, most likely neither. It is dangerous to build a theology of prosperity on the thin references and culturally biased interpretations that are common today. There is far greater evidence to counter these shallow theologies in the fullness of Scripture. Again, I will not get into the details here.
However, it is also dangerous to paint Jesus a “homeless” man. Yes, Jesus did not “have a place to lay His head”, but in our cultural/historical context the word “homeless” is loaded with meaning that would not apply to Jesus’ situation. Working in the inner city, homelessness is not just defined by having not home (though that would seem obvious), but rather to the broader issues of poverty. Frankly, Jesus had the diverse support system that most of today’s homeless would greatly envy.
That being said, Jesus spent a great deal of time and energy living and loving the truly poor of His world. By His choices He demonstrated a pattern that made issues of poverty, marginalization and injustice (and their underlying causes) significantly important to our own faith, in belief and action. So while I do not think Jesus can be so strongly identified as a poor man as some today would like, neither can we ignore how strongly He identified with the poor.
As a missionary in an inner city context, I have a strong emphasis on Jesus’ identification with the poor and marginalized, something that I believe is Biblical. However, I also see the danger of that emphasis going too far. Whether it is to support a prosperity Gospel or to restore a balance against such tendencies, we must avoid remaking Jesus into images that are more convenient to our causes and purposes.
What do you think?
I think you have a good point about Him not being “homeless” in the way that we would understand it – He still had an identity, He had followers and He had the ability to ask people if He could stay or eat at their house.
I would say that there is clear evidence in what He did that He cared for the poor. Was there a bias there? Possibly. But not conclusively. He also ate with tax collectors after all.
We can’t argue that Christians should abandon the rich and the middle class, and the suburbs, from what Jesus did. But we can argue that Christians should have a heart for the marginalised of culture and society and engage practically to address this.
I think it’s hard to argue that even if Jesus was rich to start with, that He was rich when He died – after all, someone else looked after His mother, and why would He hold on to money He knew He wouldn’t need?
Duncan,
I agree. Thanks!
Peace,
Jamie
Wow, Jamie, that’s quite the article. thanks for the heads up.
I was thinking about this, and even if Jesus was rich (and i don’t think he was), so what? The teachings of Jesus clearly indicate the difficulties of wealth and their relation to our spiritual (or worldly) status.
Also, a JH Yoder quote comes to mind (surprise)!
“there is but one realm in which the concept of imitation holds—but there it holds in every strand of the New Testament literature and all the more strikingly by virtue of the absence of parallels in other realms. This is at the point of the concrete social meaning of the cross in its relation to enmity and power. Servanthood replaces dominion, forgiveness absorbs hostility. Thus—and only thus—are we bound by New Testament thought to ‘be like Jesus.’”
-the politics of jesus
so regardless of jesus’ wealth, our imitation of him is in the social implications of his cross, and not in his pocketbook.
peace,
mike
Mike,
Well said and excellent quote. Thanks!
Peace,
Jamie
i think too that we all have this need to make jesus into our own image. we have this desire to remove him from his context and make him our own. that is why jesus is portrayed white in most places in the west. that is why he is portrayed rich or poor by others. we want him to fit our mold or even to justify our own lifestyles or actions. i am sure i am guilty at times.
peace.
Joe,
This is so true. It is a tough tension to deal with, though, as Jesus does seek to reach us where we are at. So while Jesus is not white, for example, he isn’t distant from white people as a result. However, finding that middle ground of not recreating Jesus and relating to Him from where we are at is tough.
Peace,
Jamie
jamie,
i agree with everyone else that has commented…excellent article. no wonder i keep coming back here:)
“That being said, Jesus spent a great deal of time and energy living and loving the truly poor of His world. By His choices He demonstrated a pattern that made issues of poverty, marginalization and injustice (and their underlying causes) significantly important to our own faith, in belief and action. So while I do not think Jesus can be so strongly identified as a poor man as some today would like, neither can we ignore how strongly He identified with the poor.”
this statement by you is what it boils down to for me. whether i’m blessed with wealth or with very little…i believe it’s what i do with the what i have that God will hold me accountable for.
brad
Brad,
Thanks! I appreciate it. That quote sums it up for me too.
Peace,
Jamie
Hey, hey, good thoughts. Jesus did have to go fishing to pay his taxes…so… When I think of Jesus and money, I don’t consider him poor the way I don’t consider myself poor. The same way I don’t consider my truly homeless friend James poor. For me and James and even Jesus…we don’t feel poor, regardless of our financial realities. Our family lives well below the supposed “poverty line” here in California but our kids don’t feel poor. We have everything we need and then some. So does my friend James who lives at the mission and once prayed for me to get the house I wanted. Poverty can exist in the best neighborhood in town…one who is trapped in cycles, alone, with no one to turn to is truly poor.
I also know there is desperate poverty around the world the likes of which I may never know. But I have also seen children in Mexican slums, using cardboard boxes to slide down a dusty hill, laughing with great joy. I’ve seen a single mother enter her new home that our team built, a two room (nice) shack with a cement floor, a fridge and a bed in it and she felt like the richest person in the world…tears streaming down her face.
I doesn’t seem to me that Jesus was rich or poor as much as he wasn’t concerned about money. Lot’s of money, little money…what does scripture say? “Godliness with CONTENTMENT is great gain” Jesus was and is content. He can help us to be content. He can help people with little money to be content. He can help people with lots of money to be content. That’s real riches.
Oh and Jesus wasn’t white of course but he is now…not in the caucasian way though…His head and hair are white and his face shines like the sun! (Rev 1) Rich or poor, it won’t be long till we see that!
Chris,
Great thoughts. Thanks.
Peace,
Jamie
Well said, Jamie.
Thanks,
Rev. Larry Gregan
New Life Ministries
Winnipeg, Canada
Thanks Larry.
Peace,
Jamie
Jesus might not be what we consider white today, but he was certainly a Hebrew man.
Hey Anonymous, I think everyone here agrees.