ECT Observation about "the rich" as often used in the Bible

[musterion]

Happened across this note on a Bible translation review website, and find it interesting enough to share here:

Other notes [in this particular translation, the NET Bible], labeled "sn" for "study notes," give the kind of cultural background information that is often helpful for an accurate understanding of the text. Most of these resemble the notes found in study Bibles intended for laymen (e.g. the NIV Study Bible) but some go deeper and resemble the comments one finds in scholarly introductions. A good example of the latter type is the long note (of about 180 words) at Isaiah 1:23 which explains that the rich people who are so often denounced in the writings of the prophets were not private capitalists but people who controlled the government bureaucracies. It makes a big difference when [we] understand that this is how great wealth was ordinarily gotten in the ancient Near East (and still is today in "third world" countries) — members of the ruling families were enriched by highway tolls and tariffs demanded from merchants, heavy taxes laid on farmers and artisans, tribute money and slaves taken from subjugated peoples, bribes collected from everyone who must deal with them, exemptions and advantages obtained arbitrarily through their legal and administrative privileges, and other parasitic uses of their public authority. The NET Bible note here rightly suggests that those whose have grown rich in this way should not be confused with those who have gained wealth by productive enterprises in a free market system.

 

[Nick M]

10 So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king. 11 And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. 12 He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. 14 And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. 16 And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants.

 

[oatmeal]

Good points.

Zacchaeus the tax collector did not gain his wealth by crooked means.

He told Jesus how he conducted his business, if Zacchaeus was lying, surely Jesus would have correct him.

Luke 19:1-10

19 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.


Who today can say they give half their goods to the poor?

Is it any wonder that God blessed Zac with wealth?

God's word does not condemn Joseph of Arimathaea for his wealth, but calls him a disciple

Matthew 27:57

When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:

Mark 15:43

Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

The word tells us to labor to be rich, but when we do God's will and prosper as a result, God is pleased
John 19:38

And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

When people believe God and prosper as a result, God is pleased.

3 John 1:2