Is the New Testament Biased Against The Rich?

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Kato Mivule | August 30, 2011

So, is the New Testament against rich people per say? I do not think so. On the contrary, the New Testament clearly warns against trusting in wealth and riches and calls for those who are blessed with riches and wealth, in humility to do justice to the poor and provide and care for those who are less fortunate, rather than gloat and boast in arrogance.

To try to blame the poor for current Western economic problems is ridiculous, as has been the talk lately from some right wing conservative politicians, including some conservative evangelical Christians, that the USA wastes a lot of Federal money on projects for the poor. Many poor have been and continue to be victims of greedy economic policies that benefit the wealthy.

The New Testament actually seems biased towards the poor and clearly calls for justice for the poor as articulated in James 5:1-6, that the laborers cry out to The Lord for their pay which the rich have held back by fraud... Yes, that is very current, and yes, in the New Testament.

I decided to take a look at what the New Testament says about the Rich. I did not find that the New Testament was favorable to the Rich, rather, the New Testament clearly warns the rich against pride, arrogance, and trusting in worldly riches. The New Testament then commands the Rich to freely give, share and care for the poor. The New Testament scriptures below are self explanatory and very authoritative on what Jesus Christ and His disciples thought on the subject of the Rich and the Poor...

The rich young ruler and the missed call for ministry to the poor...
Matthew 19:20-26 KJV  The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?  (21)  Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.  (22)  But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.  (23)  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.  (24)  And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.  (25)  When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?  (26)  But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Justice for the Poor; He has filled the hungry with good things and the Rich he has sent away empty  handed...
Luke 1:49-53 KJV  For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.  (50)  And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.  (51)  He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.  (52)  He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.  (53)  He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

Blessed are the Poor...
Luke 6:20-21 KJV  And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.  (21)  Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

Woe to the Rich...
Luke 6:24-25 KJV  But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.  (25)  Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

Beware of Greed and Covetousness...
Luke 12:15 KJV  And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

The Parable of the Foolish Rich Man...
Luke 12:16-21 KJV  And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:  (17)  And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?  (18)  And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.  (19)  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.  (20)  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?  (21)  So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

When you make dinner, invite the poor who cannot repay you...
Luke 14:12-14 KJV  Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.  (13)  But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:  (14)  And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

The story of the Rich man and poor Lazarus...
Luke 16:19-31 KJV  There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:  (20)  And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,  (21)  And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  (22)  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;  (23)  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  (24)  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.  (25)  But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.  (26)  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.  (27)  Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:  (28)  For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.  (29)  Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.  (30)  And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.  (31)  And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Zacchaeus gives away his riches to the poor...
Luke 19:1-10 KJV  And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.  (2)  And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.  (3)  And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.  (4)  And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.  (5)  And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.  (6)  And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.  (7)  And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.  (8)  And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.  (9)  And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.  (10)  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

The poor widow gives more than all the rich...
Luke 21:1-4 KJV  And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.  (2)  And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.  (3)  And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:  (4)  For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.

The love of money is the root of all evil...
1 Timothy 6:6-10 KJV  But godliness with contentment is great gain.  (7)  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  (8)  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.  (9)  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.  (10)  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Command those who are rich not to trust in riches...
1 Timothy 6:17-19 KJV  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;  (18)  That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;  (19)  Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Let the rich should rejoice when humbled...
James 1:9-11 KJV  Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:  (10)  But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.  (11)  For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

Show no respect of persons, especially because of their riches...
James 2:1-9 KJV  My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.  (2)  For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;  (3)  And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:  (4)  Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?  (5)  Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?  (6)  But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?  (7)  Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?  (8)  If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:  (9)  But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

Go now, oh you rich, weep and howl because of ill gotten riches...
James 5:1-6 KJV  Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.  (2)  Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.  (3)  Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.  (4)  Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.  (5)  Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.  (6)  Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

Poor before man but rich before The Lord...
Revelation 2:9 KJV  I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

Rich before man but poor and naked before The Lord...
Revelation 3:17-18 KJV  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:  (18)  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Among those fleeing the wrath of God included the rich and powerful...
Revelation 6:15-17 KJV  And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;  (16)  And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:  (17)  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Both poor and rich cannot buy and sell without the mark of the beast...
Revelation 13:16-17 KJV  (16)  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:  (17)  And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

The merchants of the earth  made rich by Babylon's Policies...
Revelation 18:3 KJV  For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

The Rich men of the earth associated with Babylon...
Revelation 18:15 KJV  The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,

Babylon the city that made them rich is destroyed...
Revelation 18:19 KJV  And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.