Jesus On Money, Markets and Capitalism
Here are Verses 64 and 95 from Richard Valantasis' 'The
Gospel of Thomas'
(Published by Routledge, London and New York, 1997):
Saying 64
Jesus said, "Someone was receiving guests. When he had prepared the
dinner, he sent his slave to invite the guests. The slave went to the
first and said, 'My master invites you.' The first replied, 'Some merchants
owe me money; they are coming to me tonight. I have to go and give them
instructions. Please excuse me from dinner.' The slave went to another
and said, 'My master has invited you.' The second said to the slave, 'I
have bought a house, and I have been called away for a day. I shall have
no time.' The slave went to another and said, 'My master invites you.'
The third said to the slave, 'My friend is to be married, and I am to
arrange the banquet. I shall not be able to come. Please excuse me from
dinner.' The slave went to another and said, 'My master invites you.'
The fourth said to the slave, 'I have bought an estate, and I am going
to collect the rent. I shall not be able to come, Please excuse me.' The
slave returned and said to his master, 'Those whom you invited to dinner
have asked to be excused.' The master said to his slave, 'Go out on the
streets and bring back whomever you find to have dinner.' Buyers and merchants
[will] not enter the places of my Father."
Saying 95
[Jesus said], "If you have money, don't lend it at interest. Rather,
give [it] to someone from whom you won't get it back."
You might find it useful to compare these with: Luke 14: 16-24 (from
The Authorised Version (AD1611): compare with Thomas Saying 64)
Then he said unto them, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come;
for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make
excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and
I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said,
I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have
me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot
come. So the servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the
master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into
the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the
maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is
done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said
unto the servant, Go into the highways and hedges, and compel them to
come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, that none of
those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
Luke 6: 30-35 (from The Authorised Version (AD1611): compare with Thomas
Saying 95)
Give to every man that asketh of thee; and to every man that asketh of
thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as
ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them to them likewise.
For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? For sinners also
love those that love ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye
lend to them of
whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to
sinners, to receive as much again.These quite clearly show what Jesus
thought of those who own (land, money and productive resources) and exploit
people (from city, highway and hedge) and the planet for profit.
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