Passions over 'prosperity gospel': Was Jesus wealthy?

[didymus]

CNN:

Passions over ‘prosperity gospel’: Was Jesus wealthy?

(CNN) – Each Christmas, Christians tell stories about the poor baby Jesus born in a lowly manger because there was no room in the inn.

Anderson says Jesus couldn’t have been poor because he received lucrative gifts – gold, frankincense and myrrh – at birth. Jesus had to be wealthy because the Roman soldiers who crucified him gambled for his expensive undergarments. Even Jesus’ parents, Mary and Joseph, lived and traveled in style, he says.
“Mary and Joseph took a Cadillac to get to Bethlehem because the finest transportation of their day was a donkey,” says Anderson. “Poor people ate their donkey. Only the wealthy used it as transportation.”

Many Christians see Jesus as the poor, itinerant preacher who had “no place to lay his head.” But as Christians gather around the globe this year to celebrate the birth of Jesus, another group of Christians are insisting that Jesus’ beginnings weren’t so humble.
They say that Jesus was never poor – and neither should his followers be. Their claim is embedded in the doctrine known as the prosperity gospel, which holds that God rewards the faithful with financial prosperity and spiritual gifts.

The proof, he says, is scattered throughout the New Testament. One example: The 12th chapter of the Gospel of John says that Jesus had a treasurer, or a “keeper of the money bag.”
“The last time I checked, poor people don’t have treasurers to take care their money,” says Brown, author of “Devil, Demons and Spiritual Warfare.”

Just too funny for words – except that some folks take it seriously. A while back I read that Peter and Andrew were well-off b/c they owned their own boat & boats were very expensive in 1st century Palestine as wood was very dear.

 

[juliamajor]

CNN:

Just too funny for words – except that some folks take it seriously. A while back I read that Peter and Andrew were well-off b/c they owned their own boat & boats were very expensive in 1st century Palestine as wood was very dear.

First a donkey was a valuable work animal -a beast of burden-and asset to anyone who owned one.Why would they eat a creature that helps them stay affloat economically?
Donkey was considered unclean and could not have been eaten.
Buried by a friend doesn’t not betoken richness.
That his clothes were either donated to Him or had some kind of metaphorical meaning -seems never to crossed some people’s minds.
Most of the money was not for themselves but for the poor.
A donkey was not a Cadillac more like a Datsun.
Jesus frequently had no where to sleep but in the open.
Horses were more like a Rolls Royce-very expensive -very rare.
Rich also like to be toted around by their servants.
Jesus was not toted around but walked-which the fast majority of people did-even long distances.
Apostles boats could have been daddy’s boat before them. It never says in the Gospels if the boats were brand spanking new or watery tugs.
You could make a good living as a fisherman but you had to divide earning among your crew.

 

[po18guy]

Who is Anderson?

 

[rlg94086]

First a donkey was a valuable work animal -a beast of burden-and asset to anyone who owned one.Why would they eat a creature that helps them stay affloat economically?
Donkey was considered unclean and could not have been eaten.
Buried by a friend doesn’t not betoken richness.
That his clothes were either donated to Him or had some kind of metaphorical meaning -seems never to crossed some people’s minds.
Most of the money was not for themselves but for the poor.
A donkey was not a Cadillac more like a Datsun.
Jesus frequently had no where to sleep but in the open.
Horses were more like a Rolls Royce-very expensive -very rare.
Rich also like to be toted around by their servants.
Jesus was not toted around but walked-which the fast majority of people did-even long distances.
Apostles boats could have been daddy’s boat before them. It never says in the Gospels if the boats were brand spanking new or watery tugs.
You could make a good living as a fisherman but you had to divide earning among your crew.

So, Jesus was middle class?

 

[Timbothefiveth]

He was homeless. I’m not sure that counts as middle class.

 

[Yerusalyim]

He was homeless. I’m not sure that counts as middle class.

Jesus was not homeless, he was an itinerent preacher…big difference. As Jesus almost certainly practiced his father’s (Joseph) trade as a skilled laborer (carpenter, mason or something in the building trades) he was by the standard of that time middle class…not rich…but not destitute either.

 

[Prodigal_Son1]

Christ sent some ahead and borrowed a ‘colt’ to ride. He borrowed an upper room. He was buried in a borrowed tomb.

As for his garments, I’m sure people were aware of those who ‘touched’ His garments and were healed. The Romans could have also viewed them as a ‘trophy’ of the ‘man’ they were crucifying. We certainly know of Christ’s fame during His time on earth.

 

[po18guy]

Once you reject and depart from Church authority, the door is wide open to the leading of any passing spirit.

Camels were available for the wealthy (Job 1:3; 42:12).

1 Maccabees 6 speaks of wars involving elephants.

As to Jesus’ cloak, He said: “From the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away” (Luke 19:26). Could this, in addition to the normal meaning, also refer to His cloak, which was all that He owned, and which was taken away on the cross?

As well, our Lord teaches us “Foxes have dens and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20, Luke 9:58).

Joseph of Arimathea was wealthy, as mentioned by Matthew the tax collector (Matthew 27:57), who would know such things. However, Joseph used his wealth to Divine purpose. Jesus was clearly poor His entire life. Those who claim otherwise attempt in vain to justify their own wealth.

 

[Prodigal_Son1]

We’re also overlooking the fulfillment of scriptures, when discussing the Romans casting lots for his garments…

Psa 22:18 (22:19) They parted my garments amongst them; and upon my vesture they cast lots.

Read all of Psalms 22, if there’s any doubt it’s speaking of Christ’s crucifixtion…

 

[Yerusalyim]

Instead of arguing symantics let’s agree that the Prosperity Doctrine of some protestant sects is obscene and contradicts scripture…whether Jesus was “middle class” (which really didn’t exist then) or destitute…he was by no means rich.

Judas held the common purse for the disciples not because they were rich, but because they received donations and needed someone to hold the money.

 

[Prodigal_Son1]

Instead of arguing symantics let’s agree that the Prosperity Doctrine of some protestant sects is obscene and contradicts scripture…whether Jesus was “middle class” (which really didn’t exist then) or destitute…he was by no means rich.

Judas held the common purse for the disciples not because they were rich, but because they received donations and needed someone to hold the money.

:yup:

 

[John7]

Maybe prosperity preachers figure Jesus was rich from this verse:

2 Corinthians 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

The verse is not talking about shekels or denarii, though it might to some if take verse out of context or if force onto the verse the idea that ‘Jesus had a net worth of many shekels’, (I think that’s called eisegesis)

 

[po18guy]

Maybe prosperity preachers figure Jesus was rich from this verse:

2 Corinthians 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

The verse is not talking about shekels or denarii, though it might to some if take verse out of context or if force onto the verse the idea that ‘Jesus had a net worth of many shekels’, (I think that’s called eisegesis)

Once outside the bounds of context, any meaning at all may be applied to a verse - and has been.

 

[redrosetea]

They were given gifts of gold .frankincense and myrrh…I have been told his seamless tunic was a costly garment, but it could have been a gift…They may have lived off of the 3 gifts during their time in Egypt…

I know his family gave an offering of 2 turtledoves at the temple for the purification /circumcision…these were the cheapest offerings that could be given

I know one thing for sure Christ came to redeem us, not to make us rich…Many of the holiest people also happen to be the poorest…Look at Mother Theresa…she was a very poor person but had great spiritual wealth

 

[bluelake]

CNN:

Just too funny for words – except that some folks take it seriously. A while back I read that Peter and Andrew were well-off b/c they owned their own boat & boats were very expensive in 1st century Palestine as wood was very dear.

Why would you ask this question?
Jesus was a carpenter by trade.
he didn’t live in a palace.

God bless,
bluelake

 

[bluelake]

Instead of arguing symantics let’s agree that the Prosperity Doctrine of some protestant sects is obscene and contradicts scripture…whether Jesus was “middle class” (which really didn’t exist then) or destitute…he was by no means rich.

Judas held the common purse for the disciples not because they were rich, but because they received donations and needed someone to hold the money.

What is ‘Prosperity Doctrine’?

bluelake

 

[Earnest_Bunbury]

What is ‘Prosperity Doctrine’?

bluelake

GOOGLE it next time! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosperity_theology

What surprises me is the entire context of the Bible as opposed to this “prosperity” view. With the actual words of Jesus of how hard it is for a rich man to enter heaven, this view really shows how concupiscence and desire effects one’s ability to discern.

In the end, all wealth belongs to God and He gives generously in His Omnipotence, whether wealth or poverty, consolation or adversity. Not all the rich are attached to their riches and thus worthy of scorn.

 

[latin_rite]

These people are just trying to over come the feeling of guilt of being rich. Which is understandable. itswhat humans do. Whats unforgivable. Is they are changing Jesus words.

Look at Mother Theresa…she was a very poor person but had great spiritual wealth

Didn’t she come from a wealthy family?

 

[redrosetea]

These people are just trying to over come the feeling of guilt of being rich. Which is understandable. itswhat humans do. Whats unforgivable. Is they are changing Jesus words.

Didn’t she come from a wealthy family?

I think they might have been comfortable but I am not sure they were wealthy…she probably had an average lifestyle for the time she lived in

 

[Libertarian_FL]

I see examples in the Bible of those that were wealthy and most were also very strong in faith. Job took alot of serious harm to his wealth, family and flesh before God blessed him again. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son as God directed and followed the will of God. And Esther was elevated to Queen to serve God and she had wealth very likely from that but had that secondary to her duty to serve the Lord.

If one is a wealthy Christian they are very likely either not truly Christian or have strong modest faith and use that for the greater good.