Rich Men in the Bible

The Bible, being the inspired word of God, has a great deal to say about everything, from deep spiritual realities–the Trinity, Justification, Salvation, and Sanctification, for instance–to the material realities of fasting, physical health, and even the use of our financial resources. To be blunt: on the matter of finances, many Christians have an incomplete and improper view of what the Scripture has to say on the matter of wealthy people. Guaranteed many of you have heard people misquote 1 Timothy 6 and Paul as follows:

"Money is the root of all evil"

However, a more proper citation of the verse shows a very different story:

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs." (1 Timothy 6:10 ESV)

The actual verse seems to imply that money/wealth is not, in and of itself, evil. Rather, it is an improper over-valuing of material wealth that is considered to be the source of many types of sinful behaviors. After all, the Bible speaks to many wealthy people, yet it was not their wealth that was the source of their sins mentioned in Scripture:

• Abraham (Gen. 13:2)
• Isaac (Gen. 26:12)
• Joseph (Gen. 41:37-44)
• David (2 Samuel 7:9)
• Solomon (1 Kings 10:14-25)

So, given the many stories of great rulers and patriarchs of God's people who were also men of great wealth, we guess we should ask the question:

What Does the Bible Say About Rich People?

Interestingly enough,a great many verses deal with this exact topic. Let us camp out on Old Testament verses first, and break each message up into the book where they are found:

Exodus

• Exodus 22:21-25: “You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless. “If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him."

Summary: The wealthy and those with the lives of excess are called to use their excess resources (be it food, land, or monetary wealth) to provide for the poor.

Proverbs

• Proverbs 3:9-10 “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.”
  Proverbs 10:22: “The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.”

• Proverbs 13:22: “Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren, but the sinner’s wealth passes to the godly.”
• Proverbs 21:20: “The wise have wealth and luxury, but fools spend whatever they get.”

Summary: Wealth, be it spiritual and/or material, can be a blessing from God to those who follow good godly instruction. Furthermore, the wise are blessed and far more likely to be wealthy, and they will also be wise about how they save and use their funds (being slow to spend).

Ecclesiastes

• Ecclesiastes 2:8-11: “I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man. So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.”
• Ecclesiastes 5:10-12: “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.”
• Ecclesiastes 6:1-2: “There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil.”

Summary: Wealth seems to not always be a blessing for those who love their wealth! As a matter of fact, those who accrue wealth for the sake of fulfillment and greed will find that it is more a burden than a blessing. They will be too busy working or protecting their wealth for them to actually enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Isaiah

• Isaiah 10:1-3: “Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees,
      and the writers who keep writing oppression,
  to turn aside the needy from justice
      and to rob the poor of my people of their right,
  that widows may be their spoil,
      and that they may make the fatherless their prey!
  What will you do on the day of punishment,
      in the ruin that will come from afar?
  To whom will you flee for help,
      and where will you leave your wealth?”

Summary: God pronounces judgment on those who refuse to protect and provide for the poor. The wealthy are called to use their wealth to care for the poor, and to not do so is worthy of God's judgment. Wealth, on the day of judgment, will not matter.

Next, moving onwards to the New Testament teaching on wealth, we see these declarations continue throughout the various Gospel and Epistles writings:

1 John

• 1 John 3:17-18: “But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”

Summary: The rich and wealthy peoples of God ought to give generously and care for the poor. If they do not, it may be a sign that they are lacking in sanctification, or that they have not truly realized what a great gift they have freely received in salvation.

1 Timothy

• 1 Timothy 6:8-10: “But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”

Summary: Just as we had seen before in Ecclesiastes 5:10-12, the love of money is what leads a wealthy person into sin and emptiness. This is restated in this New Testament passage so we don’t miss the point!

There are a few more New Testament passages that deal more specifically with wealth. And it is these passages that we shall review in the upcoming sections below.

Who Was the Rich Young Ruler in the Bible?

The "Rich Young Ruler," as we see him described in the various Gospels (Matthew 19:16-30; Mark 10:17-31; Luke 18:18-25), is an excellent example of New Testament teaching on wealthy people. He is indeed a wealthy individual, likely a rich Jewish religious leader of some sort, who desired to be justified in his lifestyle while asking Jesus what he would need to do to "inherit eternal life." The famous encounter is as follows:

• Luke 18:18-25: “And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

What Can We Learn From His Encounter With Jesus?

We can learn a great deal from this rich young ruler, though three major points come to mind. Firstly, we can learn that we ought to value the "treasure in heaven" far more than we value the material wealth on earth. The rich young ruler states that he wanted eternal life, but the thought of losing his temporary earthly wealth was too burdensome for him. Let us not make the same mistake, especially those of us residing in the materially well-off West.

Secondly, the rich young ruler approached Jesus with a question of what he must do to inherit eternal life. Yet when he is questioned on the matter of following the Law, he states that he upheld these moral acts since his youth. Did his answer have a sense of self-righteousness in it, perhaps? Or did this rich young ruler actually tell the explicit truth, and indeed did uphold all of those moral imperatives from youth. Notice, however, that Jesus omitted the 10th Commandment in his questioning, which is “Thou shalt not covet”! If Jesus did verbalize it, no longer could the rich young ruler say he was followed that law, since his heart was obviously covetous of his wealthy status and security!

Thirdly, Jesus states that it is easier for a "camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." Some have argued that the term "the eye of a needle" is actually referring to a small gate in Jerusalem through which a camel could enter only after it stooped itself down low (and be stripped of all of its baggage).

If this is correct, then Jesus could be saying that a rich person must "stoop themselves down low" (humble themselves) and "strip themselves of their cargo" (give all their wealth, as He had just commanded the young, rich ruler to do) in order to enter.

 Others say that Jesus was referring specifically to a sewing needle, and that the image was purposefully meant to show an impossible task. This being followed by Jesus easing their worries by saying:

Luke 18:27: "But he said, ‘What is impossible with man is possible with God.’”

In either case–likely the latter–the truth is that wealthy people often become attached to their material possessions and lives, and this can make it difficult for them to realize their need for Jesus and the surpassing value of eternal life.

What is the Significance of Purple and Fine Linen in Biblical Narratives?

Since this is mentioned often in Scripture, with ancient cultural context abounding, a short word will suffice. Purple linen was a symbol that was often used to depict royalty and/or wealthy status throughout the biblical narratives. Purple dye was rather expensive at the time, and so one would often see purple linen only amongst those who could afford it. Most often, it is meant to represent those of Royal/Kingly status. Roman generals of this time paraded around the battlefield with a purple cloak; Julius Caesar’s Imperator attire with this purple robe of military prowess and status.
Ironically, Jesus came as a humble and lowly servant who did not arraign Himself in purple, yet it is true that He is "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" (Rev. 19:16).

What Can We Learn From the Parable of the Rich Man's Table and the Poor Beggar Lazarus?

In an intriguing passage from Luke 16:19-31, which has produced and led to years of theological debate, Jesus describes a poor beggar who is brought up to the table of Abraham (heavenly descriptions abound) while a rich man was brought down to "Hades." In this parable, we come to see that God is just in His judgments and merciful to those of lowly estate. From this passage, we ought to remember:

1. God Hasn't Forgotten About You

Though Lazarus was a poor man who suffered greatly during his time on Earth, God dealt kindly with him and blessed him with comfort amongst the patriarchs. In this, we can remember that no suffering is pointless or hidden from God. He sees all, and is the comforter of us all in our suffering. No tears are wasted with our God.

2. God Rewards the Downtrodden

Just as the passage says, "‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish" (Luke 16:25). God is just and merciful. To those who believe in Him and rely on God for salvation, He shall comfort them and grant them eternal rest. But to the wealthy who refuse to give aid to the poor and who refuse to depend on God for their salvation, they shall be judged accordingly. God is just and is the kind king to His humble servants.

3. Beware of Money

Lazarus, in the parable, though he was poor and had no money, was saved by God and brought up to the table where he could experience comfort with his forefathers. But the rich man did not suffer in his life, and so did not rest in God for his care! Even while in Hades, he still is asking for the poor beggar to be sent down to serve him with water. The rich man did not even call out to God, but to Abraham. If money clouds one's ability to rely on God, and if it is not used to care for the downtrodden, then it should be given away lest it be a source of burden and sin for the wealthy.

4. Here's Your Warning

The rich man, despite his clear selfishness, does make a request which is of some value. From Luke 16:27-31, it is written: "And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
A very revealing truth in this passage is that the wealthy and powerful are often blinded by their love of their wealth/status, so much so that even a clear act of resurrection and prophetic fulfillment would not be enough to make them turn from their ways.

5. There's No Crossing the Great Spiritual Divide

Sometimes, we wonder if people have a second chance after death. However, this passage is quite clear that there is an impassible "great chasm fixed between" those in the comforting presence of God and those in Hell. Let us be motivated to give the Gospel before it is too late, especially to those of rich means whose trust is not in the Lord.

How Does the Bible Address the Responsibilities and Temptations of Wealthy People?

The Bible clearly explains the responsibilities of wealthy people, and especially rich Christians, throughout the book of James:

• James 2:1-4: “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”
• James 2:15-17: “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

If one wishes to serve God and to properly represent Christ's church to the world, believers must be willing to share their treasures with those in poverty. For this is the good stewarding of one who knows that their worldly riches are nothing compared to the treasures which are in heaven.
And this isn’t an advocacy for Acts 2 type living as normalcy by selling off all you have and donating it to the poor–God is not a communist by any means.

Conclusion

Is wealth inherently evil? According to the Scripture, the answer is "No!" However, the more wealth one has, the more opportunities they have to use it foolishly for selfish desires, or more scarily, to be ensnared by its whispers of security instead of trust in the Lord. Those with a love of wealth may also strongly find themselves unfulfilled and inclined to a great variety of sins.

But those with wealth who love the Lord most will use their wealth to care for the poor, the sick, and the downtrodden; as the Lord is to us, so would they be to the poor. We cannot bring material wealth with us to heaven, so let us treasure that which is most important: knowing God (shout-out to the famous J.I. Packer book of the same name!).

We’ll appropriately end on Scripture, and letting the Lord have the last word on how rich men should walk out their Christian life, as Paul compels Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:17-19:

“As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”

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A clearer case cannot be made than that.

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