Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: bunker!garys@decvax.uucp (Gary M. Samuelson) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: how rich is rich? Message-ID: Date: 20 Sep 89 08:21:53 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: ISC-Bunker Ramo, an Olivetti Company, Shelton, Ct Lines: 91 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article FRN@psuvm.psu.edu writes: >I've often been perplexed by the number of interpretations of Jesus's >statement that a camel will pass through the eye of a needle before a >rich man enters the kingdom. What's the ambiguity? Jesus makes it clear >that riches lead to hell; Then you must believe that Abraham, King David, Job and all the other wealthy individuals mentioned in the Bible are in hell. >and so he tells the man who asks for advice to >"sell all you have and give to the poor" (not an exact quote, I realize). Then let us base the discussion on an exact quote (Matthew 19:16ff - RSV): And behold, one came up to him, saying, "Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to him, "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. I am not sure if it is clear that Jesus expected the young man to sell everything, but that could be the case. But I don't believe that this advice was meant to apply to everyone; it was addressed to one individual. I don't think this was intended to be a universal command for several reasons: First, it reads that way. An individual asks questions, and Jesus gives answers. Second, it is impossible for me to obey the rest of the command given to that young man: "and come, follow me." Jesus is no longer walking around in bodily form; therefore I cannot follow him in the same sense that the young man could have, which is what I think Jesus wanted him to do. Third, it would be impossible to obey other commands that I believe are clearly universal if I sold literally everything. For example, I Timothy 5:8 says, "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his own family, he has disowned the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." How could I support my family if I sell everything and give it all to the poor? Fourth is the fact that there are several other wealthy people mentioned in the Bible who were not so commanded. In addition to the ones listed above, there was "a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus (Matthew 27:57). This same Joseph took Christ's body and laid in his (Joseph's) own tomb. >That Americans have trouble with these passages--and often work to >interpret them so as to justify their wealth--is, I think, evidence of how >devoted we are to our riches. Here we are, with one of the clearest >directives in the gospels, but because we're so uncomfortable with the >directive--and, of course, selfish--we can't bear to let the directive >appear to be so clear, so we interpret it and reinterpret it until we feel >some comfort. It is certainly true that many Americans are "devoted to riches." So, apparently, was the young man in the text above -- which is no doubt why Jesus told him what he did. Whatever gets between you and the Lord must be confronted, and, if there is no other solution, it must be eliminated. Note, however, that you don't have to be rich in order to be covetous or materialistic. Note also that "Money is the root of all evil" is a misquote; it's, "The love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs (I Timothy 6:10)." >A priest in a wealthy parish I attended once interpreted Jesus's directive >by telling his congregation that, "Of course, Jesus doesn't mean that." Do you honestly think that Jesus meant that Christians should walk about homeless and naked? If you think he meant that literally all of his followers should sell literally all that they have, then that is the logical conclusion. >Oh really? I challenge that priest to find a simpler, clearer directive >in any of the gospels. How about: "He who believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:16)." Clear enough? Gary Samuelson