JESUS’ REFERENCES TO MONEY ARE SYMBOLICAL
This series of pages contain scriptures and commentary about commercial religion from a New Testament (i.e. New Covenant) perspective. Most scriptures are spoken by Jesus.

Matthew 6:1-8 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3 “But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

COMMENTARY: Christians have no shame, it seems, when it comes to letting others know about their spiritual activities – including asking for, giving and receiving money.

Perhaps the most egregious example of letting the right hand know what the left hand is doing occurs every Sunday morning when the offering is taken. The offering plate, or bag, is passed down every row in the congregation. This is such a common fixture of church, that hardly anyone notices anymore if the people sitting in front of them put anything (a check, cash, envelope) in the offering plate, or if they just pass it on to the next person in the row.

However, whether anyone is watching or not is not the issue here. The issue is that the process of public giving is an intrinsic part of all (as far as we know) institutional churches and para-church ministries. Giving for all such organizations is structured for the convenience of the organization and to appeal to the desire of most people to be seen as responsibly spiritual and good members of the Christian community. Indeed, no one may know the amount of the check or the amount in the envelope, but the amount is not the issue. The issue is the fact that public giving is in direct violation of what Jesus said. Furthermore, beyond the collection of the gift, there is the accounting of the gifts by someone. Now the real value of the check is known by someone else.

And not only is the value of the donation known, it is recorded. Churches are expected to keep meticulous records of donations by members. The same is true for para-church ministries. They need to keep such records in order to satisfy the IRS that the donations are legitimate deductions for income tax purposes. The system does not work unless the right hand knows what the left hand is doing.

Public reporting of donations by certain individuals is at its worst, it seems, when a church or ministry launches a building program. People who donate the most are set out as examples for others to emulate. The same kind of thing happens whenever a para-church ministry or non-profit routinely publishes the names of donors. How much was given may not be published, but if someone is listed as a member of a board of directors or a committee, it is very certain that the individual also gives financially. Poor people are not good candidates for leadership positions. A history of giving money, or a perceived ability to give generously because of worldly financial success is the ticket to getting appointed to a position of authority in an organization.

Publishing names of people with titles and degrees works as a motivator for the organization that needs the money. It is good for the people who donate because having their name on a list or on a plaque earns them favor in the community. Those who give are considered to be rich in worldly terms but also in spiritual terms. In a very real sense the donation is a bribe: One gives money in exchange for some kind of recognition from the organization that receives the money. The recognition may not be fully public, but there is usually some kind of a quid pro quo (more-or-less equal exchange or substitution of goods or services) that defiles the principle of an unconditional gift that God expects.

In these modern times, most religious organizations have websites and/or newsletters in which they tell their stories and solicit funding. Churches, missionaries and para-church ministries continuously report their success to those who donate to them and to those who might become donors if they come to believe that the organization does good spiritual work. People like to know that they are giving to a worthy cause, and the reporting (call it boasting) is the way to communicate the good work the organization does. They may not be directly reporting about financial matters, but the purpose of the reporting, is ultimately for financial gain.

MORE COMMENTARY: The context of Matthew 6:1-8 is giving to the poor. Some versions of the Bible refer to the gift as “alms“, as a gift of charity. The Greek word from which “giving to the poor” is translated is “Eleemosune” which is essentially “charity”.

Indeed, some morning offerings at church and some donations made to a para-church ministry may eventually end up in the hands of people who are materially poor. That is a good thing when it happens. For the most part, however, offerings and donations to churches and ministries are used for overhead operations (salaries, buildings, utilities, supplies, etc.) of the church or ministry. And of these expenses, salaries are invariably the largest budget expense.

The point of this observation is that the recipient of the gift is not typically someone who is materially poor. Indeed, a portion of the gift may ultimately provide some kind of benefit to people who are either spiritually or financially poor — but not necessarily. Therefore, instead of directly giving to people who are materially poor, people who give to a church or ministry are giving to people who have a regular income by virtue of their position as an employee of the church or ministry. The way we see it, it is hard to conclude that this is what Jesus had in mind in this teaching.

CONCLUSIONS: The entire system of giving and receiving donations for spiritual services is shamelessly contrary to what God had in mind from the time He called out Abraham. The notion of secret giving is nowhere to be found in contemporary religion. Everyone who engages in organized ministry is automatically programmed to report the good they do as a way of soliciting donations. It is fair to speculate that none of those ministries would continue in their current configuration if they did not report what they do and solicit support for doing it. Without the boasting of spiritual successes, they would not be able to gain a following of faithful supporters.

All the individuals and organizations that violate the “right hand/left hand” principle have their rewards in terms of finances and praise of men. To their shame, however, they foreclose on receiving spiritual rewards from God.

Matthew 6:7-11 “And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread;

COMMENTARY: Bread can be material or spiritual. This scripture says clearly that God should be seen as the source of our daily bread. When churches and ministries regularly call for offerings and donations, however, they are asking people to be their source of material bread (i.e. money). A goodly share of every offering and donation goes to salaries — even to the salary of the one who is making the request. If pastors and others involved in ministries that depend on regular offerings and donations really depended on God for their material bread, they would not need (or want) to keep making requests for money to people because they would know that God knows what they need before they ask him. It is more accurate to see their regular (weekly) requests for tithes and offerings as heaped up (i.e. repeated) empty (in God’s view) solicitations for people to provide their material bread.

The way we see it, this practice of making regular requests for money is simple pandering. It is the equivalent of the bedraggled traveler standing along the highway with a sign that says, “will work for food”. It is the system that religion uses but it is not God’s system. In the religious system, the religious leaders get their food (i.e. income) and the donors get the reward of thinking they have done something good for God by giving to the spiritual leader (typically the pastor) who feeds others with food that is labeled as “spiritual” but is really flesh because it comes from the mouth of a mortal man and not by the mouth of God.

As we have said in many ways in Religion is Commerce,  paying people to do spiritual work is not God’s idea. It is man’s way of doing religion according to man’s traditions.

Matthew 6:19-24 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light; 23 but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

COMMENTARY: Mammon is typically associated with material wealth and money. It may, however, also be associated with other kinds of possessions. Biblical references to mammon are to the religious things (e.g. beliefs, traditions, status, etc.) in which religious people put their trust.

God knows that we all need money to live. Many scriptures clarify that God gives wealth — even to the wicked. So Matthew 6:19-21 does not say that we should not have any money at all. Rather, it clarifies that there are two kinds of wealth (spiritual and earthly), and exhorts us to focus on spiritual wealth (i.e. treasures in heaven). We all know what earthly wealth (i.e. mammon) looks like. What is not so obvious is the nature of treasures in heaven.

The best way to distinguish between the two kinds of wealth is this: If you can see it and touch it, it is earthly wealth. If you cannot see it nor touch it, it is spiritual wealth. Another way to differentiate between the two kinds of wealth is this: You can spend or trade earthly wealth to benefit or sustain yourself. Spiritual wealth, on the other hand, always involves a cost for you that benefits someone else — except for the joy you will experience. The cost will be a matter of laying down your life (your treasures) in one way or another.

STUDY TIP: See this link for more about wealth.

The life that Jesus exhorts his followers to lay down, however, is not their physical life. Most often, then, the life to lay down is the stuff of life that makes you the person you are. More specifically, he is talking about laying down our religious life. We have discussed this in detail in our religious life.

Our religious life includes the religious things (e.g. habits, beliefs, relationships, etc.)we work hard to develop, acquire and protect. These are the external adornments in which we take pride because they make us look good to other religious people. All of these things are negotiable and variable from one life (person) to another. In God’s view, the things of your life are your treasures. Some of these aspects of your life (money, possessions, etc.) are material and some are spiritual (i.e. pride).

Most of the aspects of your life are spiritual and these are the ones that God emphasizes. They are the fruits of the spirit that accrue to New Covenant disciples. You cannot see them or touch them, but they are no less real to you or to others who observe them controlling and directing how you live from day to day. Some (i.e. those that come from God) of them are good, and some (i.e. those that we earn or accrue to us through religion) are not good. The good spiritual wealth is eternal, but the bad spiritual wealth is subject to decay or loss through theft.

The message of Matthew 6:19-24 is to avoid the kind of treasures we lay up for ourselves by participating in religion. These include money, property, a good reputation, pride and anything else that feeds your flesh/soul. The Bible calls this wealth mammon. This is the wealth that Jesus told the rich young ruler (i.e. religious leader) to sell (i.e. abandon). In essence, what Jesus said was that the religious leader should get out of the business of religion that was feeding him with both material and soulish wealth.

To the degree that we focus on spiritual treasures (i.e. treasures that cannot be used for our personal benefit in the natural world), we will lay up spiritual treasures for ourselves in the Kingdom of Heaven (i.e. the spiritual world). Spiritual treasures cannot be accounted for naturally, nor can they be handled or spent for your benefit. But they are stored up for you in heaven which is within you.

A good understanding of this concept can be gained only by looking at the definitions of the Greek words translated as “kingdom” and “heaven”. Doing this will yield the conclusion that the “kingdom of heaven” is not just where people go to be with God when they die. Those are true understandings, but they are incomplete. Looking at the scriptures that include the phrase “kingdom of heaven”, it must be concluded that it is as much a “here and now” place on earth as it is a future place somewhere in the sky.

See Kingdom of God/Heaven for more about where heaven is. Also see the Lord’s Prayer which says: Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.

It is helpful to understand that material wealth and spiritual wealth are never the same. We know this because material wealth can be seen and touched while spiritual wealth cannot be seen or touched. And God, being spirit, always deals with spiritual things and never material things. Therefore, material wealth can not be a reward or payment from God for ministry or for righteousness. We know this to be true because many people who do not believe in God and who have no spiritual treasures may have great material wealth here on earth. And we know also that God, who distinguishes between material and spiritual wealth, always emphasizes spiritual wealth.

Matthew 6:25-34 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

COMMENTARY: Religious professionals who trust that people will provide income through finances (tithes, offerings, donations, support, etc.) are effectively trusting man for their income. People who trust in religious professionals for their spiritual well-being are similarly trusting man. Both fail to trust God.

Indeed there is a sense in which people need to trust other people, but doing so can violate God’s exhortations about not trusting man if there does not first exist an inviolate, overriding trust in God. The question is, then, how can people know if they are trusting God or people?

There are many ways to test whether someone trusts God or not. One very useful test is when, and how often, people trust other people. There are times, hopefully only short seasons, when everyone must trust people and the institutions (social, religious, political, business, etc.) they live in, create and manage in the course of everyday life. Even then, however, it is important to look beyond the individual or organization you are trusting to God whom you trust will fulfill your needs through that person or organization. If the person or organization is faithful, that is an opportunity to praise God for his faithfulness. If the person or organization proves be untrustworthy, we must still praise God and trust that he knows what he is doing in that situation to build greater trust in us by introducing a season of famine and trouble in our life so that we will eventually repent and turn to God as our only source of help.

Another test regarding trust in man is found in examples when we put our trust in man and his institutions for extended seasons of our life. Again we should look beyond the individual or organization to God who is working through that human agent to provide for us and test us in the ongoing process of building our trust in him. The difficulty with these long term situations, however, is that the longer they are, the greater the tendency to idolize the human agents (individuals and corporate institutions) and forget about God. This may be especially true for religious, government, and financial institutions, which can become idols or gods for us. God knows when this happens even if we do not know, and we should not be surprised when he introduces famine and trouble in our life because we have turned to these other gods. Therefore, whenever we experience troublesome shakeups in our life (church, business, government, economy, etc.) we should ask God what he is trying to show us about areas where we are not trusting him.

With respect to the issue of commercial religion, however, the clearest test is to determine if people trust what God said about money and ministry. For example, if religious professionals do not receive money for spiritual services, it could be said that they do trust God to provide for their financial well-being. Alternatively, when religious professionals do receive payment for ministry services, then it could be said that they trust man and not God for their financial well-being. The evidence is made clearer whenever a religious professional solicits a payment of some kind (i.e. requests a donation, offering, support, etc.). Making such requests is clear evidence of a measure of anxiety regarding their financial well-being. Unfortunately, examples of such requests and anxiety regarding financial security are everywhere in the religious community (especially at the end of the year when people make donations so they can be claimed as deductions on their income taxes.). These are demonstrate trust in man (including government administered by men) and lack of trust in God.

Regarding consumers of ministry services and spiritual products (e.g. weddings, funerals, worship, counseling, music, books, movies, etc.), the same analysis can be made. If they seek out such services and travel to receive them, they show that they do not trust that God will provide for them wherever they are. And they show that their concept of bread (i.e. ministry) is limited to services and products tha are provided by a human mediator. This directly contradicts what God says about spiritual life that comes from the word of God and not from natural bread.

And if the one who receives ministry finds it necessary to make a payment of some kind in exchange for the ministry, it can then be said that the consumer trusts man and not God because he/she violates God’s exhortations about exchanging money for ministry. This is so because it is just as wrong to receive payments for ministry, it is wrong to make a payment for ministry. This unbiblical practice only works when both sellers and consumers participate.

27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?

28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.

COMMENTARY: God promises to provide for all needs of those who trust him (i.e. seek his kingdom and his righteousness). This is God’s promise to provide for those who trust Him. If that trust is really there, people in ministry should have no need to solicit or receive payment for spiritual services. Similarly, those who trust God for their spiritual well-being should have no need to make payments for spiritual services. They will trust that God will provide even when there are not spiritual professionals available to provide ministry.

MORE COMMENTARY: People who set themselves up in ministry, whether in a church or in a para-church ministry, effectively put themselves in the position of trusting people for provision instead of God. They would say, of course, that they trust God, but if they continually go to the people to ask for money, their statements are invalidated. If they really trusted God, they would not need to solicit funds from people or hire themselves out as employees with religious institutions. If they really trusted God, they would follow what he says about working for a living and commercial religion.

Unfortunately, the religious system that has been in place for hundreds of years has legitimized the practice of soliciting funds and receiving payments for services. This is not the system that God established.

But religious professionals are not the only guilty parties in commercial religion. People who look to a particular person (pastor, priest, prophet, apostle, etc.) for deliverance or guidance or truth, or whatever, are essentially putting their trust in that man or woman instead of God. Most who do this would deny that they are really trusting man instead of God. The proof is found in their patterns. Do they consistently go to a natural person for their spiritual food, or do they go to God? If someone rarely goes to God directly, rarely studies the Bible, rarely repents, is not always obedient to God’s commandments, but always goes to church to hear a sermon, or always listens to Christian music to worship and connect with God, or always reads Christian self-help books, that person has an established pattern of putting his/her trust in man and not in God. They can try to comfort themselves with the knowledge that this is how religion has functioned for two thousand years, but tradition does not trump what God says.

Tradition has created the belief that trusting in man is OK if it happens in the context of organized religion. Thus the world is full of people who are glad to be the go-to guys for people who will trust in man. Thanks to God’s goodness, they have something to offer that appeals to broken, hurting, hungry people who need some kind ministry. So these gifted people organize themselves into a ministry of some kind, or get hired by a church, or do something that is the equivalent of advertising their availability to provide a spiritual service or sell a spiritual commodity. And when they do advertise, they will find a market for whatever it is that they want to sell.

Some religious professionals (e.g. counselors) will charge the consumer directly for the spiritual service. But while most who are in ministry will not directly charge the consumer for the ministry (except for conducting a wedding or funeral), they can usually find people who believe that it is to their spiritual credit to support the one who proposes to perform the actual ministries such as missions and evangelism. Such donors wrongly believe that God will somehow reward them for paying others to perform ministry that they should be doing themselves. They believe this to be true because religious institutions have been operating this way for hundreds of years and continue to legitimize this way of commercial religion with their words and actions. They either do not know or do not practice what God has clearly said about commercial religion. Either way, they are in error and they deceive ignorant people into giving them money. They are ravenous wolves, dressed as sheep, preaching a deceptive gospel.

Matthew 10:5-10 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; 6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 “And as you go, preach, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. 9 “Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, 10 or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support.

COMMENTARY: Jesus is saying to His disciples that what they have received without cost they should give to others without cost. Could it be said any more plainly that there should be no financial cost for ministry?

Jesus goes on to say that the disciples should not acquire money in advance to take with them on the journey. With this prohibition, it is hard to imagine that they went around to their friends in advance of the journey to ask for financial support. And yet, missionaries and others in ministries of all kinds have no shame about asking for financial support.

Some might argue that this scripture says that the worker is worthy of his support and use that as justification for asking for support from others. That is a wrong interpretation of the scripture. The right interpretation is that God will be faithful to supply His servants with all the support they may need, including, but not limited to money, coats, sandals and staffs. To say that it would be OK to solicit support for the journey (i.e. ministry) from others would be contrary to the earlier part of the scripture which says that the disciples should not acquire money for the journey. It would also be contrary with other scriptures that speak to the issue of soliciting financial support.

Matthew 17:24-27 When they came to Caper’na-um, the collectors of the half-shekel tax went up to Peter and said, “Does not your teacher pay the tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he came home, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their sons or from others?” 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook, and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel; take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”

COMMENTARY: Peter apparently replied to the question of the temple tax without knowing if Jesus had paid the tax or not. Either that, or Peter understood that all the requirements of the law regarding the temple were spiritually fulfilled in Jesus as the spiritual embodiment of the law. Either way, Jesus paid the tax. Using the coin from the fish was a prophetic, miraculous way of affirming that Jesus did fulfill the law.

Jesus also paid to ensure that Peter’s “yes” reply was not a lie which would offend the tax collectors and others who would likely hear if Jesus did not actually pay the tax. It is curious that Jesus who was otherwise not shy about offending anyone, especially temple leaders, would be sensitive about offending the tax collectors. Consider, for example, two times he drove the money-changers out of the temple. That was clearly offensive to everyone associated with the temple. With that tendency in mind, it is clear that it was Peter’s reputation and integrity that Jesus had in mind — not his own. Therefore, he used a small miracle to obtain the half-shekel for the tax.

This also is curious considering the fact that Judas is reported to be the keeper of the money box. If Judas carried money at Jesus’ request for Jesus’ use, it is reasonable to expect that Jesus would have used money from the money box to pay the temple tax. That he did not call upon Judas to provide money appears to indicate that whatever money Judas had was not used for Jesus’ ministry. Therefore, Jesus employed the miracle for Peter’s benefit — not to fulfill the traditional obligation to pay the temple tax — and to prophetically fulfill the requirements of the law regarding the temple tax.

But actually paying the tax is less important to this story than Jesus’ comments about sons being free from the responsibility to pay tolls and tributes. When he said that the sons are free, he meant that those who are sons of God are free from any requirement to satisfy the traditions of the temple and all its religious demands — not only the payment of the temple tax. This incident quietly spoils the traditional interpretations regarding payment of tithes which are the modern day equivalent of the temple tax. All the spiritual requirements of the law are fulfilled in Jesus — including the payment of tithes and taxes.

This is another example, along with the money changer incidents, where Jesus forecasts that the time is soon coming when people who are true sons of God will no longer be obligated to Old/First Covenant rules and regulations regarding the temple. New Covenant disciples were not obligated to those rules because all of the requirements of the law are fulfilled for those who demonstrate trust that those requirements are fulfilled by respectfully declining to fulfill those requirements. Jesus could have simply told the disciples that they were not obligated to pay the tax and continued about his business without further thought about the incident. Instead, he used the incident as a teaching opportunity about what it means to be a son of God, and how to trust God for all kinds of provisions.

Matthew 23:1-11 1 Then said Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; 3 so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice. 4 They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, 7 and salutations in the market places, and being called rabbi by men. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren. 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ. 11 He who is greatest among you shall be your servant;

COMMENTARY: All popular, contemporary religious personalities violate these principles. If they did not violate these principles they would not be popular and they would not be able to sustain their name-brand ministries through donations from admiring followers. In fact, if they did not do their deeds to be seen by men, they would not be even known by the general public or those who hire them to perform spiritual services – including preaching, teaching, and music.

The reason they are known and popular is that people need to advertise their ministries and good deeds so that people will hire them to perform religious services or donate money to their ministry. This is true for missionaries, para-church ministries, pastors, musicians and any others who receive some kind of salary or income from a corporate ministry organization.

To make that point even more definitively, it can also be said that these public personalities cannot ascend to positions of leadership unless they have made an effort to reveal, and in most cases promote, their spiritual qualifications and experience. They will not be successful in their ministry unless the can make good names for themselves.

Pastors, for example, need to first report their qualifications and experience in the form of a resume in order to be considered for a pastoral position. Authors who write books about their spiritual adventures blatantly expose their deeds to entice people to purchase their books. Conference teachers/preachers boast about themselves and their spiritual successes (evangelism, moves of the spirit, etc.) in order to encourage people to attend their conferences. Missionaries continually report their activities through newsletters and itineration visits to encourage supporters to continue making donations to them. Musicians who promote their music as having spiritual content must advertise their products to entice people to purchase their products. In all these examples, and more, it is necessary for religious leaders to do all their deeds so that they can be seen while performing them or seen by self-promotion later. And the reality is that if they did not operate publicly, they would not be in a position to continue performing their particular spiritual specialty in a way that earns financial compensation for them. This is the modern equivalent of making “their phylacteries broad and their fringes long” so that they may be seen by men.

The further reality of this situation is that in order to continue doing the things they call spiritual, they need to do many other things that have no spiritual connotations. Think about activities such as advertising, travel, support staff, websites, newsletters, bookkeeping, financial management and other line item expenses associated with running a business. The conclusion is that if it looks like a business and runs like a business, it is a business. You may call it ministry, and it may indeed do work that religious people consider to be valuable, but it is still business. And the nature of business is that it must operate in clear public view in order to survive.

MORE COMMENTARY: The business angle is not even the main point of this scripture. (We will say more about religious business later.) Jesus has two other serious accusations that can be directed against contemporary religious personalities. One accusation is about recognition for position of leadership. Jesus gives examples of loving places of honor, and sitting in the best seats. Modern applications that speak to this accusation include pastors who sit on podiums in fancy chairs, conference teachers who sit up front in the conference hall, musicians who perform on stage for all to see, pastors who have assigned parking places in the church parking lot, and on and on.

This principle has been violated since the early days of the church. First their were bishops, then there were priests and popes. These days we have pastors, prophets, apostles and evangelists who refer to themselves with these titles. They will identify themselves with this label in their websites and in their written communications. When they are introduced in church or at a conference it is as “apostle so and so” or “prophet so and so”. Whenever they can they shamelessly use these labels even though Jesus says that His followers are not to be called rabbi or master. People who might argue that they are not guilty of violating this scripture because they are not called rabbi or master, miss Jesus’ point altogether and they show their ignorance of the definitions of the words rabbi and master.

MORE COMMENTARY: Jesus ends this discourse by saying that those who would be great would be servants to the people. Servants do not receive payment for their services. Indeed they do receive care and sustenance from their masters, but not payment from third parties. Matthew 6:30 contains God’s promise regarding how He will provide for His people who are called servants of the living God.

Furthermore, servants do not expect payment for services in advance of the service being delivered. Think about missionaries who gather cash and commitments for future support before they actually do anything in the missionary field. Think about registration fees for religious conferences or schools. They are paid in advance and no one can get into the conference or school without paying the fee. The same is true for music events where so-called spiritual music is performed. Can anyone really argue that the people who receive income from these events are servants as God defines servants?

The way we see it, they are spiritual entrepreneurs, not servants. If they were true servants they would offer their spiritual service without charge.

Mark 6:7-13 7 And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits; 8 and He instructed them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff–no bread, no bag, no money in their belt– 9 but to wear sandals; and He added, “Do not put on two tunics.” 10 And He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave town. 11 “Any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake the dust off the soles of your feet for a testimony against them.” 12 They went out and preached that men should repent. 13 And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.

Luke 10:1-11: Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. 2 And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 3 “Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 “Carry no money belt, no bag, no shoes; and greet no one on the way. 5 “Whatever house you enter, first say, `Peace be to this house.’ 6 “If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. 7 “Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house. 8 “Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you; 9 and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, `The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 “But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11 `Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you; yet be sure of this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’

Luke 9:1-6 1 And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. 2 And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. 3 And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics apiece. 4 “Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city. 5 “And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Luke 9:57-62 57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 He said to another man, “Follow me.” But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.” 62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Mark 10:17-22 17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.'” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth.” 21 And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.

Luke 18:18-29 18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.'” 21 And he said, “All these I have observed from my youth.” 22 And when Jesus heard it, 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 this he became sad, for he was very rich. 24 Jesus looking at him said, “How hard it is for those who have riches 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 man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But he said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” 28 And Peter said, “Lo, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no man who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive manifold more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

COMMENTARY: Jesus said many things that could be considered commandments. Here are two examples

First, the man wanted to know what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus gave him a short summary of all commandments. The man said that he had obeyed all commandments all his life. Jesus response is instructive when he says “You lack one thing; go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow me,” Jesus gives clues about the nature of spiritual wealth and spiritual fruit. When Jesus said “sell all that you have and give to the poor”, Jesus was symbolically saying that the man should lay down his religious life.

Luke 12:22-33 (NRS): He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29 And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. 30 For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

COMMENTARY: If we really believe what Jesus says here we will not need to worry about money for our natural life because God promises to provide for all our needs. Application of this belief is not that we don’t work, but that we are at rest in our work and not anxious in any way. The key to knowing if you or anyone is rightly applying this to their life is found in the words “worry” and “strive”. In other words, if there is any sense of worry or striving in your work, you may not be living in the truth of this scripture.

If it appears that a church often needs to exhort its members regarding tithing, the pastor and church leaders may be worrying about finances and striving to make something happen through sermons and other communications to inspire members to give more. When this happens, it is like they have effectively raised the price that members need to pay for the religious commodities (preaching, Sunday school, small groups, fellowship, etc.) the church offers. Of course members and adherents have a choice about how much they put in the offering plate, but the fact still remains that the church leadership has taken initiatives to increase giving. The way we see it, this constitutes striving.

Contrast that with being at rest and trusting that God would move the people to give by the power of His Spirit rather than by the pastor’s persuasive sermon on tithing. If you attend a church, it would be good to use adherence, or lack of it, to this scripture as an indicator of depth of the trust the church leaders have in God. If they seem to be striving on this account, what does that say about their general level of trust? And if their general trust seems to be below what God would expect, as you might predict from the above scripture, what kind of confidence do you have about what it is trying to teach you about trust?

A related issue for churches regarding the practice of exhorting members to give more in order to comply with what the Bible says about tithing is that this constitutes spiritual abuse. The concept of abuse exists when one party places some sort of pressure (physical, emotional, financial, guilt, shame, spiritual, etc.) on another party to do something that primarily, or exclusively, benefits the first party. Indeed the Bible does command the giving of tithes, but, as we explain in Sacrifices, Tithes and Offerings the tithes that are commanded are spiritual and not material.

Putting pressure on people to give more than what they have been giving when the church has greater need for funds goes beyond a sincere exhortation to be obedient. The exhortation may be couched in spiritual language that says that it is good for the giver to tithe. But the fact is that the occasion of the exhortation (i.e. when the church needs more money) indicates that the church is more concerned for its own benefit (i.e. more income) than it is for the spiritual benefit of tithing that accrues to the giver.

These practices are not exclusively found in churches. Name brand ministries, like most other non-profit organizations, have websites in which they report the activities in which they advertise and dispense their spiritual commodities (teaching, prophecy, books, dvds, worship, etc.) We have established elsewhere in this teaching that the very act of selling a product or service is in violation of what the Bible says about selling spiritual commodities. Beyond selling, however, these ministries also solicit donations through their websites and hard-copy newsletters.

It is very common for these ministries to make special appeals for donations at the end of the fiscal year when they will claim that they are running behind budget on donations received. It is also common to discount the prices of their products to entice people to purchase them. In this sense the ministry is no different from any other business that advertises discounts in order to increase sales. These efforts to increase donations or sales constitute striving to increase income for the ministry. If they really trusted God, they would not be selling anything in the first place, but being disobedient on that account, they now add to their sin by striving to stimulate more income. It is much better to avoid all such sin opportunities by not selling any spiritual commodities.

The other thing to notice about this year-end practice of inspiring increased giving is that all ministries (churches included) have not been good stewards of the money they do have if they have indeed spent more than they took in. Not only is this not good management, it is presumptuous to place themselves in a position where they need God to make up the difference between their irresponsible spending and the income He has provided to date. Thus, by their negligence, they have placed themselves in a position where they must strive to get more. And, as we said above, striving is a litmus test for evidence of trust.

Finally, we must point out the absurdity of discounting the price of a spiritual commodity. First of all, how do you establish a fair price for spiritual truth? And if you later discount the price of that truth, what does that say about the value at all? What does that say about the value you place on the truth?

If sellers of spiritual commodities later discount the price of a commodity such as a book or music disc, that is a clear indication that the value they first placed on the commodity was only relative to the cost of production and expected profit they would receive from selling it. If they later discount the price (i.e. put it on sale) they are doing what businesses do to recover something for their product. In other words, if it does not sell when it is new, it loses its value. Seriously, can we say that the value of spiritual truth diminishes with time?

To drive that point home with even more force, consider that Jesus died so that the truth of His life, death and resurrection could be made available to us. Think about it! How do you place a value on His life? And having done that once, how do you then discount that value to some new price that recover the cost of producing that life?

It all goes back to the truth that God is spirit. And so is Jesus. That being the case, how absurd to try to put a value on something you cannot see and cannot touch? If that is impossible, then we really need to ask: What is it that people are selling anyway? It is not God because God would not allow Himself to be reduced to a commodity. And if it is not God, it also is not Jesus. So what is it that religious entrepreneurs are selling?

The way we see it, if they are not selling life, they are selling death.

When you get down to the bottom of it, we see that they are selling themselves. They are selling their personalities, their creativity, their speech, their ideas, their performance, their looks, their scholarship, and so on. No wonder God calls them prostitutes. If they make a living from their work, they are doing it to advance and preserve themselves in a myriad of ways.

This is not the greater love that Jesus was talking about in John 15:8-18. Religious business for income and profit is not laying down your life. It is advancing and preserving your life at the expense of others. You may look good, earn an income and receive praise from men for your religious business activities, but if you did not lay down your life you did not do it with the right motive: Love.

And if you did not do it with the same motive that Jesus had, you are not a New Covenant disciple.

Jesus said that He is the way, the truth and the life. So in essence, when truth is sold as a commodity, people pay material money for supposedly spiritual goods. This totally violates what God has said in many places that what he has to offer is free.

The end of the scripture says that we are not to strive but that we are to sell all and give alms, Alms can be defined as mercy, pity and charity, and can include both material and spiritual benefits for others. This is another litmus test for trust. Thus the real test of trust is not in how much you get, or how you get it. Rather, it is in how much you give away. So, if you give to an organization that keeps all that it receives for its own benefit (i.e. to maintain the organization and the people who work for it) and does not give it all away does not demonstrate the kind of trust that God is talking about in this scripture.

Luke 16:8-15 “And his master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light. 9 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings. 10 “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. 11 “Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? 12 “And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? 13 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” 14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him. 15 And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.

Luke 22:35-38 And He said to them, “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “No, nothing.” 36 And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one. 37 “For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, `AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH TRANSGRESSORS’; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment.” 38 They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”

Luke 10:1-11: Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. 2 And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 3 “Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 “Carry no money belt, no bag, no shoes; and greet no one on the way. 5 “Whatever house you enter, first say, `Peace be to this house.’ 6 “If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. 7 “Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house. 8 “Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you; 9 and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, `The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 “But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11 `Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you; yet be sure of this, that the kingdom of God has come near.

John 15:4-20  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

COMMENTARY: This is the parable of the vine and branches. In order to understand it’s meaning, it is necessary to first understand that it is Christ, the anointed messiah, who is speaking God’s words. It is not the human person Jesus speaking under his own power and authority. He is speaking in the power and authority of the spirit of God.

See this link for understanding of fruit.

To abide in Jesus does not mean to remain in the human person of Jesus. That idea makes no logical sense or spiritual sense. The meaning of abiding is made clear in verse 7: Abiding in his words. Since Jesus spoke for God, abiding means abiding in God’s words. New Covenant disciples are the only people who abide fully and deeply in God’s words. They abide because God’s laws (i.e. his words) are written on their hearts.

Fruit refers to the fruit of Trees of Life (i.e. God’s words.) Jesus is a Tree of Life because he speaks for God. New Covenant disciples are symbolically represented here as vines that produce (i.e. speak) God’s words just like Jesus spoke for God.

In the natural world, fruit grows on vines. In the spiritual world, good spiritual food (i.e. fruit) comes from true prophets  angels  messiahs  high priests  witnesses warriors and apostles whom God anoints and sends to speak for him.

5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for we apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned.

COMMENTARY: God is the original Tree of Life. Jesus and all other New Covenant disciples are vines and branches that grow out of God (i.e. they are created in God’s image.)

Branches and vines that are nourished by God’s spoken word remain vigorous and produce the same kind of fruit (i.e. words) that the original tree produces. Vines and branches that are not continuously nourished by God’s voice can do nothing (i.e. cannot speak for God.) In other words, it is necessary to hear God’s voice to speak for God.

People who do not hear God’s voice have hard hearts. They are dead branches. They are consumed by the fire of God’s word.

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.

COMMENTARY: The concept of abiding is symbolic for having God’s spiritual laws written on your heart according to the terms of the New Covenant. Jesus spoke God’s words. None of God’s words are idle words. All of God’s words should be understood as being his laws/commands. Abiding, therefore,

When we abide in Jesus’ words, we hear and obey God’s spiritual laws.

8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love.

COMMENTARY: See this link for understanding of glory.

The way we bear fruit is by spreading spiritual seed. See this link for understanding the parable of the sower.

We spread spiritual seed when we love our neighbors as ourselves.

10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

COMMENTARY: New Covenant disciples who have God’s law written on their hearts are full of joy. The commandments they obey are not written rules such as those found in the Law of Moses, but are the ongoing obedience to the still small voice of God’s spirit speaking to us and directing us minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day.

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

COMMENTARY: God’s constant message to New Covenant disciples will be to love one another just like God loved us. God’s love for us is found in his willingness to love us enough to deliver us from religion even though we sinned against him while we were religious.

We bear fruit when we engage in spiritual warfare that sets people free from religion. What we should be asking for is that others should be set free from religion also. Those who are set free from religion will be our friends, but they cannot be our friends until we stop being religious toward them.

17 This I command you, to love one another. 18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.

COMMENTARY: The concept of “the world” is the world of religion because religion is found all over the world. Religion is what hated Jesus to the point of crucifixion because he spoke constantly against religion — especially its leaders.

Jesus represents the perfect example of a New Covenant disciple. Followers of Jesus, therefore, are New Covenant disciples who will also speak against religion and its leaders. Anyone who does this will be hated and crucified by religion just like Jesus was hated and crucified by religion (i.e. Pharisees and temple leaders). New Covenant disciples who speak out against religion will be heard like Jesus was heard and will be persecuted like he was.

There is much more to this scripture than can be covered in this page, but we will isolate a few key points that contribute to a good understanding of spiritual wealth:

• • • • • • • • • • • • Jesus is spirit, therefore he produces spiritual fruit.
                      • Fruit that comes from those who abide in Jesus is spiritual fruit.
                      • Abiding in Jesus is a necessary condition for producing spiritual fruit (vs 1-7).
                      • Keeping God’s commandments is evidence of abiding (vs 10).
                      • The commandments Jesus is talking about are the New Covenant.
                      • Love of your neighbor fulfills the law.
                      • The greatest evidence of love is shown in laying down your life (i.e. your religious life) for your friends (vs 13).
                      • In verses 18-19, Jesus gives a warning about a possible cost of laying down your religious life by loving your neighbor: The world will hate those who lay down their religious life.
                      • Jesus was hated by the world even though he showed his love by laying down his life.
                      • If Jesus was hated and persecuted despite his great love, we should be expect to be hated and persecuted also.

There are two other key verses that must be considered when understanding spiritual fruit:

John 14:15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command.

This is a repeat of what he said in John 15:13: 13 Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. In other words, selling all that he had and giving to the poor is the equivalent of sacrificing his religious life. Jesus was not recommending that he sell all of his material wealth, although the man could choose to do that. Selling all his material goods, however, would count as nothing if he was not also willing lay down his religious life (symbolically meaning “sell everything he had”.)

John 14:23-24 23 Jesus answered him, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.

COMMENTARY: These scriptures confirm that obedience to Jesus’ word (i.e. all scriptures that prohibit payment for ministry) is the primary evidence of loving Jesus. If Jesus commands that his followers should not receive payment for ministry, people who do receive payment for ministry demonstrate that they do not really love Jesus.