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JUBILEE, POVERTY, AND THE GOSPEL “They only asked us to remember the poor—the very thing I also was eager to do.” (Galatians 2:10) INTRODUCTION In the first article, Jesus,
Mercy Seat, Jubilee, and Atonement, we noted how some commentators
have said that Romans 3:21-26 is one of the most important paragraphs of the
Epistle and perhaps even the Bible.[1] We
then explored Christ’s atoning work in terms of Leviticus 16; Leviticus 25
and Romans 3:21-26. Jesus is both our
Mercy Seat and our Jubilee. Our view
of the atonement must focus on both Jesus’ death and life. In the second article, Jesus, Atonement, and Sabbath, we noted how both the Day of Atonement and the Year of Jubilee were sabbaths. Sabbath is at the heart of Gospel preaching and sabbath pertains to the grand themes of creation, re-creation, blessing, gospel, kingdom, work, rest, peace, freedom, forgiveness, atonement, jubilee, joy, inheritance, resurrection, and life. This article will explore the sabbatarian theme of poverty in light of atonement and Jubilee. Poverty is a result of sin and the curse (Genesis 3:17-19) and the atonement deals with both. The foundation of Israel’s economy was God’s work of atonement and atonement as we noted previously is rooted in sabbath. POVERTY, SABBATH AND THE
YEAR OF JUBILEE Leviticus 25 gives instructions about poverty, slavery and Israel’s practice of redemption. There was a now and not yet aspect to Israel’s redemption. On the one hand, they had been redeemed from Egypt and had been given a rich inheritance flowing with milk and honey. And yet there was also the fact that the Land was not always productive and that there were still poor Israelites. The ideal was, “there will be no poor among you” (Deuteronomy 15:4; cf. Ex.23:11; Nehemiah 5:1-13). The reality is that we live in a fallen and sin cursed world and there will always be poor among God’s people until the consummation (Deuteronomy 15:11; John 12:8). Nevertheless, the church must not resign herself to this reality because poverty is against the law. It’s not that we are to look down upon the poor as lawless; rather, the Israel of God is to look upon the poor as God has looked down upon us. Israel was to remember God’s work of redemption and rest every weekly sabbath. Part of their remembrance was giving rest not only to themselves but to others (Exodus 20:10; 23:11; Deuteronomy 5:14). Jesus taught and exemplified that giving rest to others involves work (Luke 18:10-17; John 5:16-17). Israel was to remember God’s work of redemption and rest every seventh year. This was a year of rest for rich and poor wherein all enjoyed the harvest of the land (Exodus 23:11; Leviticus 25:3-7). God’s people could also imitate God’s work by redeeming relatives who had become impoverished (Leviticus 25:25,47-55; see the book of Ruth). [2] If a person did not have a wealthy and loving relative to redeem them then God redeemed them on the Year of Jubilee. Every fifty years, after atonement was made all debts were forgiven! If an Israelite was forced to sell his property, the sale was not permanent but was a lease based upon how many years were left until the Jubilee (Leviticus 25:14-17; cf. Lev.27:17-24). The year of Jubilee was a reminder that God was the landlord of Israel and His people were tenants (Lev.25:23). The Year of Jubilee was a practical expression of thanksgiving, gratitude and rejoicing in God’s redeeming them from Egypt (Leviticus 25:38,42,55) and His forgiving their transgressions, sins and iniquities (Lev.25:42,55; cf. Deut.15:15). The Year of Jubilee was to be a Year of joy for both the poor and the wealthy. Jubilee and sabbath reminds us that a biblical view of economy and wealth is rooted in God’s atoning work. When we lose sight of this, the rich will tend to become richer by oppressing the poor. But as God’s redeemed people, we know that we are tenants in this sin cursed creation and that we have been called to labor in light of God’s work of atonement and the coming of the New Heavens and the New Earth (cf. Matthew 6:19-21). POVERTY, PROPHETS, SABBATH
AND JUBILEE The themes of sabbath, poverty and Jubilee are brought
together in Isaiah 58 where Isaiah is commanded to raise his voice like a
trumpet (v.1).[3] But instead of declaring that atonement for
transgression, sin and iniquity had been made, Isaiah is commanded to declare
the transgressions and sins of God’s people (Isaiah 58:1). God’s people had neglected the weightier things
of God’s sabbath pertaining to righteousness (tsâdaqah) and justice (mishpat) (v.2) [4]: ü loosen the bonds of wickedness (v.6) ü undo the bands of the yoke (v.6) ü
let
the oppressed go free (v.6)[5] ü break every yoke (v.6) ü
divide
your bread with the hungry (v.7) ü bring the homeless poor into the house
(v.7) ü cover the naked (v.7) One of the goals of sabbath and Jubilee was the
abolition of poverty reminding Israel they were slaves of God.[6] When God redeemed His people from Egypt He
did not send them out empty-handed but liberally (Exodus 3:21-22). In the same way, God’s people are to deal
liberally with their kinsman (Deuteronomy 15:12-15; cf. Ephesians
1:7ff.). God promises rich and
liberal blessing for keeping these weightier matters of the sabbath, “If because of the sabbath, you
turn your foot From doing your own pleasure on My holy day, And call the
sabbath a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable, And honor it,
desisting from your own ways, From seeking your own pleasure And speaking
your own word, Oppression of the poor
by the rich is frequently denounced by the prophets (Isaiah 5:5; 10:1-4;
32:6-7; Ezekiel 18:12-13; Jeremiah 5:26-29; Amos 8:4-6; Micah 2:1-2; 3:1-4;
Habakkuk 2:6). It was denounced by
Jesus (Luke 12:15-21; 16:13-15, 19-31; cf. Rev.3:14-22) and the Apostolic
Church (James 2:1-26; 5:1-6). Those
who have a high view of sabbath will have a priority for ministering to the
poor. [7] POVERTY, JESUS AND JUBILEE As we learned in a previous article Jesus, our Kinsman Redeemer, proclaimed Jubilee at the beginning of His earthly ministry. Jesus’ proclamation of the Messianic Age, as recorded by Luke, takes from Isaiah 58:6 and 61:1-2, [8] “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed (Isa.58:6), To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” …And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:18-19,21). It is of great importance to define the “poor” of Luke 4:18 in terms of Isaiah where the good news is preached to the afflicted/humble/`anav (61:1). First and foremost, affliction/humbling/`anah was the contrition all God’s people (materially rich and poor) were to express on the Day of Atonement for their transgression, sin and iniquity (Leviticus 16:29,31; Isaiah 58:3,5,10). [9] Those who did not humble themselves on this day (materially rich or poor) were to be cut off from Israel (Leviticus 23:29).[10] The poor to whom Jesus came with the Gospel are those who, unlike the scribes and Pharisees, humble themselves before God and His Word (Isaiah 66:2). The poor are those who look to God and His covenant promises for deliverance from sin and its consequences (Psalm 72:1-14,17-19; Isaiah 11:1-5). The poor may include orphans and widows (cf. Psalm 10; 146:9); Moses (Numbers 12:3); King David (Psalm 32; 34:4-6; 40:17; 51; 70:5; 86:1); Isaiah (Isaiah 6:5); John the Baptizer (Matthew 3:24); Roman centurions (Matthew 8:5-13); wealthy sinners like tax collectors or bankrupt sinners like prostitutes (Luke 7:18-50; 19:1-10). By God’s grace the poor recognize they have sinned against God and look to Him alone for deliverance The Good News of Isaiah 61 was to be proclaimed to all (the material rich and poor) in the Messianic Spirit of Jubilee (Isaiah 61:1,2,3,6 with Leviticus 25:10; Deuteronomy 15:2,9; Isaiah 58:1,5,9,12,13).[11] This is an important observation because, contrary to certain strands of liberation theology, the Gospel message is not limited to the material poor. [12] Nevertheless, the Gospel is good news for the material poor because the afflicted/humble of Isaiah 61:1 include the homeless poor of Isaiah 58:7 (see also Isaiah 3:14-15; 10:2; 14:32; 26:6; 32:7; 41:17; 49:13; 51:21; 54:11; 58:7; 66:2).[13] The Year of Jubilee and debt forgiveness reminds us that we cannot only spiritualize the poor to the neglect of the material poor.[14] Jesus’ denunciation of greed and tightfistedness toward the poor is most certainly in line with the prophets (cf. Luke 12:13-34; 16:13-15, 19-31). Also, the early church saw Christ’s ministry and proclamation as obliging her to aim for the Jubilee ideal that there be no needy in their midst (Acts 4:34 with Deuteronomy 15:4). [15] The debts of all God’s people (rich and poor) were forgiven on the Day of Atonement. As God richly forgave the debts of His people, they were to deal the same way with one another (cf. Matthew 6:12,14-15; 18:12-35). The Day of Atonement reminds us that we are all, despite our social standing, “poor” before God (Romans 3:23; cf. Matthew 18:21-35; Luke 5:32; 17:4; 18:9-14) and by grace have been made rich through faith in Jesus Christ (cf. Ephesians 1:7,18; 3:8). POVERTY, PAUL AND JUBILEE As was noted in the article Jesus, Atonement and Sabbath, it is common for theologians and commentators to make negative statements about sabbath.[16] Nevertheless, Paul’s concern for the poor was sabbatarian. [17] When the Gospel Paul preached was compromised by the party of the circumcision/Judaizers, Paul went to Jerusalem and met with other Apostles about the situation. Paul says that these men, “contributed nothing” to the Gospel Paul preached (Galatians 2:6). And yet ironically, the one thing that they did ask of Paul was that he “remember the poor” – the very thing he was eager to do (Galatians 2:10). [18] Paul’s collection for the poor in Jerusalem spanned almost 20 years of his ministry. [19] There is evidence that his collection incorporated the geographical regions of Galatia (1 Cor.16:1); Derbe (Acts 20:4); Lystra (Acts 20:4); Macedonia (2 Cor.8:1-5; 9:2,4); Berea (Acts 20:4); Thessalonica (Acts 20:4); Philippi (Acts 16:16; 20:6); Corinth (Rom.15:26; 1 Cor.16:1-4); Ephesus (Acts 20:4); Troas (Acts 20:5-6); Tyre (Acts 21:3–4); Ptolemais (Acts 21:7); Cyprus and Caesarea (Acts 21:16); Rome (cf. Rom. 12:13; 15:26 with 2 Cor. 8:4; 9:13; and Rom. 1:13 with 2 Cor. 9:6–10). Paul’s collection of alms from Gentile Christians was a kind of worldwide harvest brought to the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem signifying the unity of Jews and Gentiles through faith in Christ. Paul called this collection the “fruit” and “seal” of his ministry (Romans 15:23-24,28) and while Paul was often accused of teaching against the Law of Moses, the Jerusalem Collection was proof to the contrary! That the Jews shared in the material wealth of the nations[20]
was proof that the Messianic Age had come and that the Gentiles shared in the
Spiritual wealth of the Jews through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans
15:27). Just as Old Covenant Israel’s
economy and view of poverty and wealth was shaped by God’s work of atonement,
the same is true for the New Covenant Israel of God, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you
through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).[21] POVERTY, ATONEMENT, JUBILEE
AND THE CHURCH TODAY The following comments
are general. Liberalism, Poverty, and
Oppression A faulty view of God’s justice in the atoning work of Jesus will lead to a faulty view of how the church is to proclaim this Good News to those who are burdened and oppressed by the injustices of this fallen and sin cursed world. As was noted above, material poverty is ultimately a consequence of the curse placed upon creation because of sin (Genesis 3:17-19). The liberal model of atonement typically rejects poverty as being consequences of Adam’s sin and therefore ultimately rejects that the answer is to be found in the last Adam’s atoning work. [22] According to liberalism, Jesus did not take upon Himself the curse for sin or its penalty but rather gave an example of love which we are to follow. Walter Brueggemann asks, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if liberal and conservative church people, who love to quarrel with each other, came to a common realization that the real issue confronting us is whether the news of God's abundance can be trusted in the face of the story of scarcity?”[23] The simple answer is “No” because the real issue facing us is the story of the Gospel concerning God’s work in Christ and how He addresses sin, injustice, and the curse of scarcity. Liberalism does not give a biblical answer to the question as to why Jesus lived and died. Therefore, liberalism will always fall short of the necessity of proclaiming sabbath rest in Christ’s work (Luke 4:18-21; 24:45-49; cf. Acts 28:31).[24] There is no Jubilee abundance apart from the Day of Atonement. Another problem with liberalism is that its concern for the poor typically extends to anyone whom it deems to be poor and oppressed (e.g. homosexuals, women/abortion[25]) and ends up promoting lawlessness (Romans 1:18-32).[26] Lawlessness only compounds poverty (in all of its aspects) instead of giving relief. [27] Furthermore, liberalism typically rejects the supernatural origin of liberation (cf. Exodus 12:51) and places the burden of atonement on the shoulders of fallen mankind (Sabbath reminds us that this is not a burden we can bear). Man becomes his own savior and there is little or no emphasis upon repentance from sin, the power of Spirit-filled preaching,[28] the means of grace and the Spirit-filled life (Romans 1:16-17; Titus 2:11-14). Liberation Theology Another related problem, rather than solution, is liberation theology. This theology is concerned about the injustice of poverty and asserts that God has “preferential option for the poor.”[29] What it fails to realize is that poverty is ultimately the just judgment of God against sin (Genesis 3:17-19). Therefore, release from poverty (i.e. Jubilee) is rooted in the justice of the cross. Another danger is that the Christian struggle for justice must not resort to seeking atonement through violence and shedding the blood of others. Black Theology In Christ, there is no black or white, Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26-29). One of the dangers of “black theology” is failure to emphasize that through faith in Jesus, black and white Christians are more closely related to one another than those who are not united to Christ by faith (cf. Matthew 12:46-50; Romans 9:8,10-16; Galatians 3:26-29). Nevertheless, affirming our identity and unity on the basis of faith in Christ means that the black struggle for righteousness and justice must be the Christian struggle. Sadly, white Christians have not always struggled together with black Christians in what should be the common Christian cause of righteousness and justice (cf. Numbers 20:14-21; Judges 11:16-17; Westminster Larger Catechism 141). Indeed, some have even been oppressors or contributed to oppression which has been acknowledged by the RPCNA; [30] the PCA General Assembly, and NAPARC. Thankfully, black Christians were not completely alone in their struggle for righteousness and justice. By God’s grace, there were white Christians who have opposed and struggled against slavery alongside black Christians. Rev. Alexander McLeod wrote in 1802, “The toleration of slavery is a national evil. It is the worst of robberies sanctioned by law ... If the Judge of all the earth shall do right, he cannot but punish the guilty … O America, what hast thou to account for on the head of slavery! … Thou hast made provision for increasing the number and continuing the bondage of thy slaves. Thy judgments may tarry, but they will assuredly come” (Negro Slavery Unjustifiable: A Discourse). [31] Following Rev. McLeod’s book opposing slavery based on Exodus 20:16, the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America banned slave owners from membership. For Christians, righteousness and justice is the common cause of all because we all adopted into the same household, we are all related by blood, and we are all brothers and sisters. CONCLUSION Concern for the poor is best rooted in the substitutionary view of the atonement (The sabbaths of the Day of Atonement + Jubilee). Liberation from the curse and its consequences (including material poverty, oppression of the poor, greed and covetousness, and racism) ultimately comes from above. As the Gospel is proclaimed and the Jubilee is lived out, the Spirit empowered church will respond with the obedience of faith in matters pertaining to justice and the poor (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-37; 6:1-7; Galatians 2:10; 1 Timothy 5:1-16; etc.).[32] |
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[1] Thomas Schreiner wrote, “Most scholars rightly acknowledge this paragraph [Rom.3:21-26] as the heart of the epistle” (Romans, 178); Scot McKnight emphasizes that Romans 3 stands “as the most significant atonement passage in the New Testament” (A Community Called Atonement, [Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2007], 64). |
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[2] “[T]here
appears to be an important wordplay between two forms of the verb ys’ in
the context. According to [Lev.25:54], the redeemed Israelite is to (lit.)
“go out” (weyasa’, qal)—that is, to go free. According to v 55, at the
Exodus, Yahweh “brought out” Israel (hôse’tî, hiph.)—that is, set her
free. Implicitly, the wordplay links the Exodus with the institution of ge’ullâ.
It portrays the redemption of this chapter as a follow-up to what Yahweh
did in Egypt. Now, if this is so, two additional insights into the nature of
redemption follow. Put simply, redemption amounts to an institutional Exodus
in Israel. On the one hand, it perpetuates the first liberation—that from
Egyptian slavery—within later, settled Israel. It frees her from unending
servitude to later Pharaohs within her own ranks. On the other, each
instance, of redemption amounts to a fresh moment of divine liberation—as it
were, a miniature Exodus” (Robert L. Hubbard, Jnr., “The
Go’el in Ancient Israel: Theological Reflections on an Israelite Institution,”
Bulletin for Biblical Research 1 [1991], p.11). |
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[3] For the similarities between Isaiah 58 and
Leviticus 25 see Baker,
David L. “The Jubilee and the Millennium. Holy
Years in the Bible and Their Relevance Today,” Themelios 24.1
(October 1998), 52-53. |
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[4] Genesis 18:19 is the first time “righteousness and justice” are paired in the Bible. Righteousness and justice not only have a juridical sense but often have reference to social justice: helping the alien, the poor, the widow, not taking the pledge of your neighbor to whom you have given a loan, paying workers fair wages, not perverting justice, leaving crops in the field for the alien , orphan, and widow (Job 29:12-17; Psalm 9-10; 112:4-5,9; Ecc.5:8; Isaiah 1:21-23; 51; 58:2-12; Jeremiah 22:1-3,15-17; Ezekiel 18:5-21; 33:14-16; 45:8-10; Amos 5:11,13,24; cf. Psalm 33:5; 103:6; Proverbs 1:3; 2:9; 8:20; 21:3; Daniel 4:27; Zech.7:9-10; etc.). Righteousness and justice are integral to the various
administrations of the Covenant of Grace: Abrahamic (Genesis 18:19); Mosaic
(Ex.23:6-9; Deut.4:8-9; 16:18-20; 24:10-22) Davidic (2 Sam.8:15 = 1 Chron.18:14; 1 Kings 10:9=2 Chron.9:8; cf. 2 Samuel
23:3-5; Psalm 72:1-4; 89:14; Isaiah 5:7; 9:6-7; 16:5; Ezek.18:5-9;
Amos 5) and New Covenant (Isaiah 9:6-7; 16:5; 28:16-17; 51:1-8; 53; Jeremiah
23:5-6; 33:15-16; Hosea 2:19-20). See Moshe Weinfeld, Social Justice in Ancient
Israel and in the Ancient Near East, Jerusalem/Minneapolis:
Magnes/Fortress, 1995. |
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[5] “Go free” is the language of the Exodus where Moses spoke to Pharaoh saying “Let My
people go (shalach)!” (Exodus
5:1; 7:16; 8:1; etc. Cf. Jeremiah 34:9,10,11,14,16; Deuteronomy 15:12,13,18;
etc.). |
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[6] “The
Jubilee laws (Lev 25) in particular aimed at reversing the condition of these
people [orphans, widows, and the very poor] so as to enable them to regain
ownership of land, or ownership of their freedom from slavery and debt, and
to restore a sense of dignity as humans, as men, women, and children made in
the image of God….In the absence of an earthly kinsman-redeemer, God stands
as their protector and guardian” (W. R. Domeris,
in New International
Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis; [Grand Rapids:
Zondervan Publishing House, 1997] Volume 1. 229). |
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[7] Question 103 of the Heidelberg Catechism lists
contributing to the relief of the poor as one of the duties God requires in
the Fourth Commandment. |
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[8] It is my understanding that Jesus’ reading from the scroll was lengthier and Luke is summarizing what Jesus read (thus inviting us to go back and read/study the larger context). A similar coalescing of passages from Isaiah occurs later in Luke 7:22 (Isaiah 35:5-6 and 61:1). |
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[9] “In antithetical parallelism, the opposite
of the rich (עֹשֶׁרo or עָשִׁיר) is never עָנִי
but rather אֶבְיׄון
or דַּל (Ps 37:14; 82:3, 4). This suggests that עָנִי
might have a wider semantic meaning than just poverty, since the term
is most often contrasted with the wicked (רְשָׁעִים“, e.g., Prov 10:2) and oppressors (e.g., Ezek 18:12). דַּל
and אֶבְיׄון
are found
3x in parallel in the Psalms (Ps 82:3, 4;
72:13; 113:7), suggesting that
they share the same field of meaning, namely, physical poverty” (W. R. Domeris, in New International Dictionary of Old
Testament Theology and Exegesis; [Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing
House, 1997] Volume 1. 230). |
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[10] Ron Sider, founder of Evangelicals for Social Action, speaks often about God being on “the side of the poor” (see his book, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger). But his definition of poor is not rooted in the necessity of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. |
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[11] Luke makes a connection between Jesus’ proclaiming
the favorable Year of the Lord and the preaching of the Gospel
(Luke 4:18-19 with Luke 4:43-44; 7:22; 8:1; 9:2,6; 24:47; Acts 8:4-5; 9:20;
10:36-38,42; 20:25; 28:31). |
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[12] “In the New Testament, Jesus is not for all, but for the oppressed, the poor and unwanted of society, and against oppressors” (James Cone; quoted by Michael Gerson, “The Perils of Patronizing,” Washington Post, 2 May 2008). |
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[13] “We must certainly avoid the extreme of supposing that Isaiah’s contemplation of the poor disregards the social conditions of his time and has in view only the spiritual state of Israel” (Ned B. Stonehouse, The Witness of Luke to Christ [Eerdmans, 1951], p. 80; quoted by David C. Jones, “Who are the Poor?” Evangelical Review of Theology: Volume 2, p.221). |
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[14] “It is perhaps well to recall here that, in the precise words of the Shorter Catechism, ‘The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery’ (Q. 17). As the Redeemer of God’s elect, Christ’s work is to bring them out of the estate of sin and misery into the estate of salvation. The Messianic salvation is a deliverance from both sin and misery. In its proclamation in the book of Isaiah and elsewhere in the Bible, one or the other aspects of our fallen estate may be conspicuous, just as the consciousness of need varies according to individual circumstances, but the Gospel is always liberation from sin and misery” (David C. Jones, “Who are the Poor?” Evangelical Review of Theology: Volume 2, p.224). The power of the Gospel to save from misery is one of the reasons Christians are persecuted in India. Oppression of the poor is institutionalized by Hinduism through the caste system. The Gospel opens the door for the untouchables to better standards of living because Christianity preaches a radical equality of individuals through faith in Jesus Christ. The government of India calls these economic and social benefits of the Gospel “allurements” and accuses Christians of coercing “conversion” by offering opportunity (Marvin Olasky, The Religions Next Door [Broadman and Holman, 2004], pp.88-89). The Gospel does not leave people in miserable gutters of poverty and destitution whereas Hinduism does. |
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[15] Jubilee is not to be confused with communism! |
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[16] For example, “Nine-tenths of the Decalogue (minus the Sabbath command) clearly illustrates…broad moral categories (Exod 20:2–17). Much of the rest of the Law gives specific ways of obeying and disobeying these principles. In the NT, both Jesus and Paul reaffirm the continuing relevance of all nine” (William W. Klein, Craig Blomberg, and Robert L. Hubbard, Introduction to Biblical Interpretation. [Dallas: Word Publishing, 1993], 487). |
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[17] “Yes, child of suffering, thou may'st well
be sure “But chiefly man the day of rest enjoys. |
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[18] Paul’s concern for the poor was first brought to my
attention by my systematic theology professor Wayne Spear and a sermon he
preached in Oswego, NY in the early 1990s about the prominence of the
Jerusalem collection in Paul’s letters and ministry. |
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[19] Paul refers to the collection of alms for the Christians in Jerusalem in several ways: ü “fellowship” (κοινωνια[koinōnia]) (Romans 15:26; 2 Cor.9:13) ü “service” (διακονια[diakonia]) (Romans 15:25,31; 2 Cor.8:20; 9:1,12,13) ü “collection” (1 Cor.6:1) ü “gift” (1 Cor.16:3; 2 Cor.8:6,7,19) ü “liberal gift” (2 Cor.8:20) ü “generous gift” (2 Cor.9:5) ü “grace” (2 Cor.8:9; 9:4) |
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[20] Ironically, Adam Smith’s magnum opus was entitled, “An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations.” Contrary to Adam Smith, the “wealth of nations” is rooted in the atoning work of Messiah and His proclamation of Jubilee, “But you will be called the priests of the LORD; You will be spoken of as ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of nations, And in their riches you will boast” (Isaiah 61:6; cf. Deuteronomy 8:18; Isaiah 60:5,11). In another Providential twist of irony, Karl Marx’s economic creed also comes from Scriptural practices of economics even though his philosophy is not Scriptural, “From each according to his ability (Acts 11:29), to each according to his needs (Acts 4:35).” |
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[21] “Now dear Christians, some of you pray
night and day to be branches of the true Vine; you pray to be made all over in
the image of Christ. If so, you must be like him in giving … “though he was
rich, yet for our sakes he became poor” … Objection 1. “My money is my own.”
Answer: Christ might have said, “My blood is my own, my life is my own” …
then where should we have been? Objection 2. “The poor are undeserving.”
Answer: Christ might have said, “They are wicked rebels … shall I lay down my
life for these? I will give to the good angels.” But no, he left the
ninety-nine, and came after the lost. He gave his blood for the undeserving.
Objection 3. “The poor may abuse it.” Answer: Christ might have said the
same; yea, with far greater truth. Christ knew that thousands would trample
his blood under their feet; that most would despise it; that many would make
it an excuse for sinning more; yet he gave his own blood. Oh, my dear
Christians! If you would be like Christ, give much, give often, give freely,
to the vile and poor, the thankless and the undeserving. Christ is glorious
and happy and so will you be. It is not your money I want, but your
happiness. Remember his own word, “It is more blessed to give than to
receive.”” (Robert Murray
M'Cheyne, “The Blessedness of Giving”). |
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[22] “What are the causes of world hunger? What must be done to overcome world hunger? Obviously, the Bible does not supply any direct answers to these deep questions. We may not look here for clear proposals or concrete strategies. The Bible (in this as in many matters) offers only impressionistic hints subject to varying configurations and interpretations. The role of the Bible in these questions is not to displace hard technical analysis or sober economic reasoning. But it may shake our ways of thinking and perhaps define things afresh for us in terms of human, historical, covenantal reality” (Walter Brueggemann, “A Biblical Perspective On The Problem of Hunger”; Christian Century, Dec 1977). |
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[23] Walter Brueggemann, “The Liturgy of Abundance, The Myth of Scarcity”; Christian Century, March 1999. |
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[24]
“[T]he Greek word aphesis, translated
‘freedom’ (NIV) or ‘release’ (NRSV) in Luke 4, usually refers in the Bible to
forgiveness of sins (i.e. release from the punishment for sin, e.g.
Lk. 3:3; 24:47). Jesus did not only preach a gospel of liberation from
suffering in this world (the horizontal or socio-economic aspect) but also―what
is eschatologically even more important―liberation from sin in
this world and the world to come (the vertical or spiritual aspect). So also
the mission of the church today should include a holistic witness to the
gospel, not concentrating exclusively on its social or its spiritual aspects.
Our aim should be that every person may experience true freedom, free from
oppression and free from sin, now and for always (Jn 8:36; Rom. 6:18; 8:21; 2
Cor. 3:17)” (Baker, David L. “The
Jubilee and the Millennium. Holy Years in the Bible and Their Relevance Today,”
Themelios 24.1 [October 1998], 59). |
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[25]
“We women know when it is or is not the
right time to bring a child into the world...We act out of compassion when we
wait to have a child until the time when we can give it the kind of life
every child deserves. We act out of love when we consider what we would be
taking away from the child or children we already have if we brought another
child into our family now...We women know the truth: That given certain
circumstances, abortion is the most morally responsible and loving choice we
can make” (Jean Steward Berg and Anne Baker in Our Choices, Our Lives:
Unapologetic Writings on Abortion, by Krista Jacob, [iUniverse,
2004], p.3; favorably quoted in an article on the Beliefnet website, “Women
Know” by Marjorie Brahms Signer; accessed
1/8/2009). |
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[26] Other forms of theology can promote “gracelessness”
if they fail to remember Jesus was a friend of tax collectors and
prostitutes. The active obedience of
Jesus was mocked by His enemies when they accused Him of being a drunkard and
a glutton. Are you a friend of
sinners? Can you say with Paul the
converted Pharisee, “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full
acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom
I am foremost of all” (1 Timothy 1:15). |
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[27] “The exodus from Egypt has become the locus
classicus of liberation theology. ‘Let
my people go!’ is its cry. But in this
modern theological call to liberating action, there is virtually universal
silence about the need for faith in, and conversion to, God. When James Gustafson once wrote, ‘Where
there is oppression God wills liberation; where there are movements for
liberation, there is the presence of God,’ H. Jonas replied that this must be
said differently: ‘Where there is oppression, God wills liberation—on
condition of a ‘covenant,’ i.e., on the condition that the liberated will
henceforth serve Him, i.e., that liberation is charged with a new
obligation.’ When we sing ‘Let my people go!’ we must ask
immediately, ‘Go where?’ “Mount Sinai [Zion], no the Golden Calf, was the
divine interest in the liberation,’ Jonas said.’” (J. Douma, The Ten Commandments
[Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 1996], pp.361,362). Liberation for service was a widespread
concept in the ancient world. See Moshe Weinfeld, Social Justice in Ancient
Israel and in the Ancient Near East, (Jerusalem/Minneapolis:
Magnes/Fortress, 1995), pp.79-83. |
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[28] As was noted in a previous article (Jesus, Atonement and Sabbath), there is a strong connection in the New Testament between the favorable Year of the Lord, preaching (euaggelizo) and proclaiming (kerusso) (Isa.61:1 [LXX]; Luke 4:18-19 with Luke 4:43-44; 7:22; 8:1; 9:2,6; 24:47; Acts 8:4-5; 9:20; 10:36-38,42; 20:25; 28:31; cf. Rom.10:14-15; 1 Cor.15:1,2,11,12). |
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[29] “For there is no partiality with God” (Romans 2:11); “You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly” (Leviticus 19:15; cf. Deuteronomy 1:16-17; 16:18-20; 25:1). God’s redemption of His people from Egypt was not rooted in their material poverty but rather His covenant and election (Exodus 2:23-25; Deuteronomy 7:7-10). |
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[30] Minutes of Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian
Church of North America, 1997, pp.131-132, 217-218 (A special note of thanks
to Bruce Martin, Clerk of the RPCNA Synod, for helping me find this
reference). |
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[31] Sixty years later, President Abraham Lincoln echoed the words of Rev. McLeod when he said in his Second Inaugural Address, “Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said ‘the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.’” |
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[32] In his later years, as theological liberalism and Christian socialism arose, Charles Spurgeon increasingly put forward the orphanage as a testimony to opponents of the gospel. “The orphanage is an eloquent answer to the sneers of infidels and scoffers of the modern school who would fain make it out that our charity lies in bigoted zeal for doctrines but does not produce practical results. Are any of the new theologians doing more than those of the old orthodox faith? … What does their Socialism amount to beyond words and theory? At any rate, we care for both the bodies and souls of the poor, and try to show our love of truth by truthful love.” (Christian History: Charles Haddon Spurgeon). © 2009 by Aaron Goerner.
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