Jesus & Economic Life (5)

Jesus teaching challenged the people to live according God’s instructions for economic life. These were rooted in love of God and love of neighbour (Lev 19:18).

1. John the Baptist challenged people to share their food and clothing with those in need.

   Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same (Luke 3:11).

   He challenged the soldiers to stop extorting taxes that they were not entitiled to take. This was common practice at the time.

   Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay (Luke 3:11-14).

   John was pushing the people back towards God’s principles for economic life.

2. Jesus also challenged the people to give generously to those in need.

   Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back (Luke 6:30).

   Loving of neighbours required this.

3. Jesus challenged the people to lend to those in need without expecting anything in return.
   

   Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you (Matt 5:42).

   This was an application of the poor law principles.

   If you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked (Luke 6:34-35).

   These words were a reference to providing interest free loans to the poor.