(5) But whilst Jesus implies the lawfulness of private possessions and gives guidance as to the right use of them. He is at the same time keenly alive to the perils nttnche.d to wealth ; and His recorded utterances contain many warnings with reference to them. This is the explanation of those sayings of His which seem on the first read- ing of them to condemn wealth and tiie possession of it. He characterizes money as ' the mammon of unrighteousness' and ' tiie unrigliteous mammon' (Lk 169- 11), not because money is evil in itself, but because the getting and posses.sing and spending of it are so apt to lead to unrighteousness. Again, VOL. II.— 52
He pronounces woe upon the rich and prosperous (Lk e^'*- 2^), not only because they were too often guilty of oppressing the pious poor, but also be- cause their wealth exposed them to grave spiritual perils. And He inclicates what some of these perils are. Wealtii tends to delude a man as to his real worth, and to invest him with a facti- tious ini2)ortance (Lk V^^'"^^). It tends to become a man's god, and to oust the true God from His supremacy in the heart (Mt &*, Lk 161^ I216-21). The rich man is apt to trust in his riches, not in God, and to think that the possession of them insures him against adversity (Lk 12i''-'i). Wealth is also apt to make him forgetful of his indebtedness to God, and to lead iiim to regard God's gifts to him as his own absolute posses- sions to do with as he pleases (Lk 121^-^1). Fur- ther, wealth has the tendency to deaden the possessor's sense of spiritual need and his aspira- tions after spiritual good (Mt IS^^, Lk 12i«-2i 16i9-3i, Mt 22^ Lk I418-20). It tends also to limit the possessor's thoughts to this present world and its interests, to the exclusion of his/her things (Mt 619-34, Lk 1216-21 1619-31). It is apt to come into con- flict with the demands of the Kingdom of God and to indispose to the acceptance of them (Mt 19i®-26, Mk 10i7-«, Lk 1818-27 9"-«2 1418-2", Mt 22=). There is tiie danger, too, of producing alienation of sympathy from our fellow-men and selfish ignoring of their needs and claims (Lk 12i«-2i 16i9-3i). And, lastly, there is the danger of covetousness (lik 12i*, Mt 1322), wealth tending to breed the desire for more wealth (Lk 12i®-2i), though this sin may beset those also who do not possess (Lk 12i3-is).
(6) These dangers, vividly realized by Jesus and greatly dreaded by Him, led Him to make use occasionally of language which, interpreted liter- ally, would seem to teach the incompatibility of the 2)ossession of wealth with viemhership in the Kingdom of God. Such are the Woes pronounced on the rich and prosperous (Lk 62*- 25), tlie conver- sation following the incident of the Rich Young Ruler (Mt 1923- 24, Mk 1023-25, Lk 182-»- 25), and the demand that whosoever would be His disciple must renounce all that he iiath (Lk 1433). These utterances are to be explained partly by the cir- cumstances of the age in wliicii they were spoken. Jesus foresaw trouble and affliction for His fol- lowers. In the Avorld they would have tribulation : they would be hated of all men for His name's sake. Hence, if they were to endure unto the end, it was necessary that they should hold property and friends and life cheap, ready to part with them for the sake of Christ (Mt 103^-39, Lk I426). And this was specially incumbent on those M'ho were to be the preachers and missionaries of the gospel (Lk o,5^-m^ Mt 81^-22). Hence Jesus' demand that those who would be His disciples should renounce all that they had. And hence also tiie severe tilings He says regarding the rich. But these utterances are to be interpreted also in accordance with Jesus' practice of embodying His teaching in bold, striking, picturesque utterances designed and fitted to arrest attention. He expresses Himself thus strongly in order to impress men in all ages with tiie extreme peril of wealtli, and to admonish the ricii tliat they should hold tiieir wealtii lightly, and be ready to sacrifice it if duty demands.
But Jesus went further, and in one case at least demanded of an aspirant for eternal life that he sell all and !?i\'e to the poor if he would have treasure in heaven (Mt IOI8 '>2, ji^ ioi"-22, Lk 18i8-:i). This demand may have been made to make clear to the Young: Man the inadequacy of his observance of the Divine law, and especially the shallowness of his love for his neighbour. But more probably it was made in accordance with the principle, laid down elsewhere by .Jesus, that whatever interests or relation- ships conflict with a man's spiritual well-being and with the claims of God's Kingdom should be sacrificed, even though in them- selves legitimate (Mt 5'-»- »» 1910 12, Mk 9-«3. 45. 47, Lk 14'-!6). It was probably perceived by Jesus that the Young Ruler's wealth was
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interfering with his realization of the highest good- i^nd would render oval and enthusiastic discipleship impossible for him nrnce Jesus called upon him to part with it. Though this is Knly case of the kind recorded in the Gospels, it may well be th!t there vvere others similar. But even though it stand alone It is suffictent to establish the principle that the influence o