One of the study’s first passages describes the gifts, especially gold, to the baby Jesus in Matthew 2:11. Notice the 15 second countdown clock in the bottom righthand corner which gives the class time to read the passage and/or pause the video until done, knowing that the lecture will resume when the clock reaches zero. A bit of commentary and Q&A comes next. In this excerpt we go from “Gold” to the “Four Drachma Coin” to the Prodigal Son parable. To follow along with the study excerpts read more. Treasure/Gold/Money Nothing is more basic to modern economics than money - so too apparently in Jesus’ time. Gold So it would seem to be a good place to start an economics review of the Gospels, especially since the first economics lesson from the Gospels is also one of the most famous: the gift of gold to the newborn baby… Matthew 2:11 As they came into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, they bowed down and worshiped him. They opened their treasure boxes and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Four Drachma Coin There are few more curious stories in all the Bible than this one featuring a coin… Matthew 17:27 But so that we don’t offend them, go to the lake and throw out a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find a four drachma coin. Take that and give it to them for me and you.” Assets/Estate There is much in the Old Testament about the importance of inheritances. In the following parable we see the importance of such issues then, and in the present. The Parable of the Compassionate Father Luke 15:11 Then Jesus said, “A man had two sons. 15:12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that will belong to me.’ So he divided his assets between them. 15:13 After a few days, the younger son gathered together all he had and left on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his wealth with a wild lifestyle. 15:14 Then after he had spent everything, a severe famine took place in that country, and he began to be in need. 15:15 So he went and worked for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 15:16 He was longing to eat the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 15:17 But when he came to his senses he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have food enough to spare, but here I am dying from hunger! 15:18 I will get up and go to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 15:19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired workers.”’ 15:20 So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way from home his father saw him, and his heart went out to him; he ran and hugged his son and kissed him. 15:21 Then his son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 15:22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Hurry! Bring the best robe, and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! 15:23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it! Let us eat and celebrate, 15:24 because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again – he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate. 15:25 “Now his older son was in the field. As he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 15:26 So he called one of the slaves and asked what was happening. 15:27 The slave replied, ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he got his son back safe and sound.’ 15:28 But the older son became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and appealed to him, 15:29 but he answered his father, ‘Look! These many years I have worked like a slave for you, and I never disobeyed your commands. Yet you never gave me even a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends! 15:30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 15:31 Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything that belongs to me is yours. 15:32 It was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is found.’”
 We are pleased to make available Economics in the Gospels (EITG) in both Kindle and paperback formats exclusively on Amazon.com.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
October 2024
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
TheoEco Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions to TheoEco in the United States are tax exempt to the extent provided by law.