Money Matters: True Generosity

by Marilynn Chadwick

Money was Jesus’s most talked-about topic. He addressed money matters in nearly a third of his parables and often referred to money in his teachings about the condition of a person's heart.

Did you know the Bible mentions money, possessions, and wealth over 2,000 times? Jesus even referred to money as a rival god. “No servant can serve two masters,” he warned, “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 money” (Luke 16:13 ESV).

Jesus’s attitude about money is clearly captured through the eyes of Luke in his Gospel account. He mentions money more than any of the Gospels and gives us a compelling picture of Jesus’s warnings about the dangers of wealth and riches.

The Gospel of Luke is widely regarded as some of the most beautiful writing from its era, noted for its polished literary style. Luke was a well-educated Greek physician. Even outside of religious circles, Luke's Gospel was referred to by a 19th-century French scholar as "the most beautiful book ever written.”

Throughout much of Luke, we see Jesus embroiled in a running conflict with corrupt religious leaders over their love of power, prestige, and money. These religious leaders, who were part of the Temple system, somehow found ways to defraud the poor while appearing pious to the community. Jesus publicly rebukes them for their mistreatment of the community’s most vulnerable citizens—poor widows. “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely” (Luke 20:46, 47 NIV).

Jesus observed the offerings which were presented publicly at the Temple. He watched the rich putting their gifts into the Temple Treasury. Then, he noticed a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said. “This poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on” (Luke 21:1-4).

In one sweeping sentence, Jesus condemned the hypocritical religious leaders and honored the poor widow’s generosity. Jesus challenged them and us, not with the size of our gift, but with how much it truly costs us. Her gift cost her everything.