Jesus and Money

Through his actions and words, Christ had much to say about money while on earth. He spoke of “mammon”,its uses, abuses, and deceits. He pointed out the sacrifice of the widow who gave only a mite; she gave more than the rich who made a big show of their giving.

The money changers exploited the religious devotion of temple worshippers; and in righteous anger, Christ turned over the tables and scattered the coins. Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’, but you have made it a ‘den of thieves’. (Matthew 21:12-13)

He defended Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, who poured the costly perfume over his head, ‘anointing him for his burial’. However, others in the room criticized her waste.

Did Peter laugh or question his Lord sent him to hook one particular fish? He needed money to pay their temple tax. Christ suggested Peter check the mouth of his first catch.…go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you. (Matthew 17:27)

Christ knew which fish had the coin, and the incident showed his omniscience and omnipotence, for He made it come to Peter’s hook. He demonstrated his supernatural abilities to supply all our needs, temporal or eternal.

The disciples learned their views of giving from h