It is noteworthy to interpret this text in the context of the chapter preceding Matthew 20 in order to fully understand God’s wish for treating the poor justly. Jesus urges the man to follow the commandments and to sell all of his possessions to the poor if he wants to enter the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:21 NIV). In doing so, Jesus is again promoting God’s will to love others and help those less fortunate. He insists that it is harder for the rich to enter the kingdom since it is the rich that are given the option to either help or ignore the poor, in which many are tempted to choose the latter. This is the introduction to the idea that those who have made sacrifices for others will be granted eternal life. It is in this chapter that a …show more content…
It is our decision and responsibility to reject this sin, and instead follow God’s commands. However, not everyone follows God’s plan, and those who do not will find it harder to enter God’s kingdom.
The envy felt by the workers stems from the fact that the last ones hired worked less, yet received the same reward as the others. Observing from a neutral view, this makes perfect sense. If the first worker knew he did not have to exert himself for the long hours he did, but would get the same pay, he would choose to work less, as would anyone. This exchange violates natural instincts about fairness. However, after considering this dispute in light of God’s reward and an economic standpoint, this equality in pay for labor extends God’s mission. The landowner says “Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money” (Matthew 20:15 NIV). However, the landowner’s remark can be argued because God owns all that is good and this ownership is absolute. What one may think is theirs is really a gift from God, so when this good is taken away there is not much one can do except acknowledge that it was first God’s and so He can decide to take it back at any time. The workers hired first, who represent the upper class, are presented in a manner that persuades the reader to sympathize with the poor. The first hired group seems to complain about making the others’ payment equal to theirs rather than receiving
Nonetheless, in this case, workers are lowly paid. They have to organize strikes for any wage increment to be effected. The labor unions are actively involved in dealing with the concerns raised by its members. All members are therefore called upon to pay a small proportion of their wages to the union as indicated by the young lady’s payment of 25 cents monthly. Wage inequalities are overwhelming particularly defined by gender. She reports that some men could make as much as $16 a week while others as low as $3.5 while she was on $5.5. Mistakes are not tolerated at all. New workers are called upon to be very clinical and accurate in their work. This explains why they would suffer in the course of their work and never report it. Perhaps the death of the young lady’s mother is related to
Introduction to the Hebrew Bible has provided me with a critical analysis of the Hebrew Bible and introduced a wide variety of interpretive strategies, including African American, anthropological, feminist, historical-critical, Jewish, and literary perspectives. These approaches were presented by our author’s, L. Juliana M. Claassens, Peter Enns, Walter Brueggemann, and John L. Collins. Each author provides a unique interpretation to help us comprehend how the text is an expression of one’s interpretive understanding. Having said that, the biggest influence has been how I will seek to present Old Testament scriptures more effectively while remembering the context and the audience in which I am presenting. For example, I believe the greatest lessons that I have been reminded of are, the Old Testaments Scriptures from my childhood, which have become a big part of my relationship with God and are based on a childlike faith, which must now grow in the richness of the different interpretations, it is this message that I can apply to life.
In today’s Gospel, we read about Matthew 20:1-16. A man hired laborers for his vineyard. The men started at 9 o’clock, and agreed to usual daily wage. Around 5 o’clock, the man met more people standing around. He asked them, “Why do you stand here and idle all day?” The men replied, “Because no one has hired us.” He then told them to work in his vineyard. Later, the man told his foreman, “Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.” When the men who started at 5 o’clock came, they received the usual daily wage. When the the man who started at 9 o’clock came, he received the same wage. The man who worked earlier started to complain about how he worked more, but received the same wage.
In warning about the evils of greed, Jesus used a parable: “There was a rich man blessed with [fertile land.] He thought to himself, ‘What will I do? I have no place to keep all my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘I know what I will do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger barns! I will put all my good things together in my new barns. Then I can say…Rest, eat, drink, and enjoy life!’“But God said to that man, ‘Foolish man! Tonight you will die!... Who will get [your things] now?’ This is how it will be for anyone who saves things only for himself. To God that person is not rich.” (Luke 12:13 21)
Still, my younger self did have a good point: if Jesus implored his followers to give all they had to charity, why is charitability of that level so uncommon in modern day members of the religion? According to 2014 statistics about how much money Americans give to charity, the country’s average is only about 3%, far from the suggested giving of every possession (Daniels). While whether or not the intent behind the statement in Mathew 19:21 that the follower should “sell [his] possessions and give to the poor” was meant for all or just the individual is up to debate, it was said, but is not always followed (Matthew). What is the point of having religious knowledge and a set of moral beliefs if you do not do anything to help others? Take the concept of praying over the
The King James version bible states in ‘Genesis 1:26-27’ that “Gods image is shared equally by women and men”. ‘Exodus 36:1’ says, “use your skills to honor God”. Despite what the bible seems to be saying, women do not have the same opportunities as men in Christian religious settings. Imagine a woman in the Christian faith who has the qualifications to preach the word of God and the eagerness to serve the Lord. Logically, she should be awarded the job position. However, she is not even considered for that opportunity. In multiple recurring instances, the church congregation has discriminated against women, not allowing them to have the same opportunities as the men in the community. These women are not only discriminated against, but are scoffed at, even penalized for wanting these positions. Women should not be penalized for having faith in the Lord and wanting to share it with others. The bible states how both women and men are equal and are to use the skills they have to honor God. The congregation should not limit these human resources to only men, when highly qualified and respected women are willing and able to serve. Gender discrimination is a problem in Christian Churches because women who are qualified are unable to access jobs, are experiencing emotional stress, and are being penalized for wanting changes within the church.
When looking at Jesus’ teachings at the Sermon on the Mount, he gives clues onto what the ideal person is portrayed as. Many use St. Matthews version of the Sermon as an ideal reference: “How blessed are the poor in spirit: the kingdom of Heaven is theirs… Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for uprightness: they shall have their fill” (Sermon on the Mount, Verse 3 and 6). By a stale look at these verses, one can infer that the ideal person to “receive the blessings of God” are poor, because when looking at the Gospel given by Luke he tells us about that the people who will be suffering are the rich. Since rich people tend to be greedy and selfish, it was simple to see that poor people will be more appreciative of what they would soon have. Therefore, from verses 3 and 6, it can be implied that the ideal person is selfless. Although, when looking at the ideal person from this stale
(Luke 10:25-37). Jesus taught this so that Christians would treat everyone the way that they would want to be treated. In Luke 6:20-26, Jesus said. “That the poor were special to him and that their suffering would be rewarded in heaven.” He also went on to say, “The rich who ignored the suffering of the poor would be punished.” One of Jesus’ most important teachings on poverty was in Matthew 25:31-46. To the affect Jesus said “Whenever you help anyone in need you are helping me.” Christians believe that when they help someone they are helping Jesus and that they will be rewarded for it. These are the main Christian teachings on wealth and poverty.
Reverend Young addresses Christians about wealth inequality as he states that Jesus cared for the poor and consequently, followers of the faith have an obligation to do the same.
In the Gospel According to Matthew, Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” When Jesus said this, he showed how the Kingdom of Heaven was welcomed for anybody, not only those who were more fortunate than others. Jesus then went on to explain how those who were humble and those who showed righteousness would enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus also told the people how they should spread his word everywhere and teach those to examine all the things He commanded them. In The Great Commission speech, Jesus inspired His
To me this is like a very wicked Bible and History book all in one. Just like the Christian Bible it tells the people that there is only one god. The manual goes back to the past on how a group of people come over to their land and took over, by raping virgins, shaving women's hair and so on. When you start reading its confusing but not only does it confusing it tries to make the reader angry by telling them the history, but also make them sick because it tells them to do what happened to them, and do it to others in a kind of Pledger known as "O Sister" In our Christian Bible it states "how the lord will forgive your sins" and "only fear him". In the manual it tells the reader to not fear his creator and Allah will also forgive you as long
17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ 18Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19You know the commandments: “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.” ’ 20He said to him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’ 21Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come,
In summary, the injustices surrounding money are just as active and relevant during Jesus’ ministry as they are today and have remained throughout the course of history. It is always hard to say exactly why an injustice occurs, but I believe our tendency to rely on money as our provider feeds our tendency to turn money into our god. And when we turn money into our god, we worship it, which leads us to act against humanity in the presence of our false idols. Jesus was addressing this very issue in his ministry.
All throughout the beatitudes there seems to be the theme that it does not matter what is on the outside, but God sees and is only concerned with the inside of his children. Their hearts and their souls. It doesn't appear God cares much for material wealth or success in the world, but more so for what is in mans heart. Luke suggests the poor' should be monetarily poor, and if they have any wealth they should give it all up to those more needy to give glory to God. Money and wealth may be seen by some as a sign of being in God's favor with darker signs and adversity a sign of some sort of punishment. Which should not be the case at all, Matthew seems to add "in spirit" more to identify wealth and social status is not the standard by which God will judge. Money and wealth do have an
Unfortunately, this fact is so true of our society today, but Yancey goes on to show how Jesus makes an extra effort to reach out to he poor. He gives a list, which he got from another writer, on the advantages of being poor. This list really made an impact on me. It showed me how I need to be more open to what God has to say, and not so involved with the materialistic and secular views of today. I need to focus on what God has planned for me, and not make my focus to be what other people think of me. “Strength, good looks, connections, and the competitive instinct may bring a person success in a society like ours, but those very qualities may block entrance to the kingdom of heaven” (Yancey 114).