JESUS' ECONOMIC TEACHINGS Jesus' Interest in Economic Problems. Jesus did not propound an elaborate economic system, and yet at the foundation of his social teachings lie certain ethical and economic principles that are as vital as they are advanced. Any economic system that is to abide must reckon with them. They are presented so incidentally and elusively that the reader of the gospel narratives often fails to discover them. They are set forth in Jesus' answers to searching questions that were flung at him, in chance conversations, in direct statements, above all, in the matchless parables in which he clothed his profoundest teachings. It is at first glance surprising to find how large a part of his teachings deal with the value and use of wealth. Four explanations of this fact suggest themselves. The first is that the acquisition of wealth is the chief ambition of the majority of men. None of the men to whom Jesus appealed had great fortunes, but practically all of them were in quest of that which represented material comfort for themselves and for those dependent upon them. They included humble farmers, industrious fishermen, enterprising merchants, and grafting tax collectors. Even the learned and pious Pharisees were exceedingly eager to acquire wealth. A second reason is that the subject is in itself of the greatest importance, not only from the point of view of the individual, but also of society. Furthermore, the hot pursuit of riches was unquestionably the chief barrier that kept men from accepting Jesus' philosophy of living. Finally, Jesus himself, during at least fifteen years of his life, had had wide practical experience, both as a manual labourer and perhaps also later as an employer of labour. He therefore approached economic questions not as a theorist, but as one who spoke out of a broad experience and observation, and above all from the moral point of view. In the light of this fact, it is not strange that questions of this character were constantly being referred to him. Repeatedly the scribes and Pharisees sought to wring from him a definite expression of opinion on the great economic problem of his day and race, as to whether or not the faithful Jew should pay tribute to Cæsar. In every case he refused to be entangled in technicalities, but laid down instead a broad principle, leaving the individual decision to each man's enlightened judgment. On one occasion we are told (Lk. 1213-15) that tell my brother A man out of the crowd said to him, "Teacher, As was his custom, Jesus first analysed the underlying motives which governed the man's action. In this case Jesus was evidently less concerned about the actual division of the inheritance than about the sinister spirit of covetousness that he saw revealed in the man's tone and expression. He recognised that the chief danger was not that the man might lose his share of the inheritance but rather his vision of what was really worth striving for. Even the question of securing justice seemed unimportant compared with the man's moral and social development. With the true instinct of a teacher, Jesus also made this specific case the occasion for one of his most significant utterances. Jesus' General Attitude toward Wealth. The concluding sentence of the passage just quoted states succinctly Jesus' attitude toward wealth. It is an excellent illustration of his sane judgment on all economic questions. There is a note of both humour and pathos in his words: For a man's life consists not in having more possessions than he needs! JESUS' ATTITUDE TOWARD WEALTH 227 He taught his disciples to pray: Give us this day our daily bread. Jesus was evidently no foe of wealth as such. On the contrary, that a certain amount of material possessions is necessary for a man is definitely implied by his words. He taught emphatically that industry, of which wealth is the concrete product, is a primary social duty. He gave not the slightest sanction to the tendency that developed among many of his later followers (especially in the Middle Ages) to refrain from all economic effort and to become a mere burden to society. This fact is clearly illustrated by the familiar parable of the talents (Mt. 2514-30). The man with one talent as there portrayed was a coward and a shirk, and for that reason his master con 66 demned him as a wicked and idle servant" and cast him out as worthless social refuse (Mt. 2530). His was the paralysing fear of mediocrity. In yielding to this craven fear he wronged not only himself but society. It is the faithful toil of the men of limited talents that for the most part supplies the imperative needs of society. Jesus also thoroughly believed in the proportionate reward of industry and efficiency. The unjust and uneconomic wage theory that every man should be paid a standard wage regardless of his personal ability finds no support in his teachings. The extra talent was intrusted to the man who had faithfully and successfully used his ten. For him there was only the highest commendation (Mt. 2522): Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful over a few things; It is important to note, however, that the one thus commended was working not simply for himself but for society. His reward also consisted not in receiving the extra talent as his mere personal possession but that he might faithfully use it in the further service of society. Jesus' Teachings Regarding the Perils of Wealth. What many men in Jesus' day, no less than in ours, most required was not incitement to industry and encouragement to acquire more material possessions. The majority of them—some consciously but the majority unconsciously-were striving for "more possessions than they needed," and thereby losing sight of that in which a man's life consists. What they supremely needed was a right philosophy of wealth. That Jesus used hyperbolic language in describing the dangers of excessive wealth and its unreasonable quest is obvious; but this fact only tended to emphasise the importance of the subject and his zeal to fix the underlying truth in men's minds. Then, as to-day, the love of wealth (i. e., that which represented purely material possessions) was one of the greatest perils that threatened men's liberty and the complete development of their personality. To acquire riches men were ready to sell their bodies and souls and to repudiate their most sacred social obligations. Much of the massed wealth of Jesus' day was acquired by graft or exaction or by exploiting the dependent classes. But even if justly acquired, there was great danger that it would stifle the social impulses of its possessor and cause his soul to shrivel. Luke 16 contains a story which presents a remarkable analysis of this insidious tendency. It is the vivid picture of the rich man feasting with his friends, surrounded by all the material comforts that wealth could purchase, living a life strictly legal according to the accepted law, but devoted exclusively to the selfish gratification of his own desires. At his door lies the poor beggar Lazarus, the superlative type of human need and woe. Of the two, the condition of the rich man in this life, as well as the life beyond, is the more tragic, because his wealth has so completely blunted his social consciousness that he is not even aware of his fatal sin and loss in neglecting the great responsibility and opportunity at his door. In the story of the rich young man who came to Jesus we have the record of a typical case taken from his social laboratory. The young man's question, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" indicates that, although he had spiritual aspira THE PERILS OF WEALTH 229 tions, he was already the victim of inherited wealth, for "eternal life" in the language of the day meant a title to individual future blessedness. His ideal, therefore, even for the future, was still selfishly individualistic. Like the great Athenian teacher of earlier days, Jesus instantly diagnosed the case and endeavoured to relieve the man of his false egoism by means of a series of searching questions. There was something in the youth which appealed profoundly to Jesus' affection, for the narrative declares that "as he looked upon him, he loved him." By training and inclination he was already qualified for admission to the inner circle of the disciples. Recognising the heavy handicap which wealth had placed upon the youth, Jesus proposed to deliver him by resorting to a heroic measure. He sought with one sweeping stroke to free him of all his incumbrances (Mk. 1021): And Jesus said to him, 'One thing you lack; go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor; so shall you have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.' The bold experiment failed, not because it was impracticable, but because the possession of wealth had so weakened the young man's will that he was incapable of responding to the great challenge (Mk. 1022): But his countenance fell at this saying, and he went away sorrowful, for he was one that had great possessions. It was the ever-recurring pathetic story of a man tied hand and foot by vested interests. Luxury, ease, position, and a certain public esteem, which wealth brought, had all woven their meshes about him. His moral fibre, as a result, was so weak that he felt unable to walk alone. The possibility of sharing in the work which Jesus was doing evidently had a great attraction for him; but nevertheless he was ready to risk even his title to future blessedness, for which he had been so eager, in order to retain his hold on more possessions than he needed." 66 |