Ben Witherington, Jesus and Money: A Guide for Times of Financial Crisis. Brazos Press, 2010.
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
If Ben Witherington has written on any subject, it is worth reading. Here Witherington translates his extensive scholarship into a practical volume on the subject of money. It is substantive enough to satisfy the interest of scholar-preachers, yet accessible enough in style to be appreciated by those in the pew. As he says in the preface, “I promise this discussion will not be boring.” (16) It is a thorough and balanced treatment which challenges the excesses of “health-and-wealth” preachers who cherry-pick scriptures and misuse texts such as the Jabez prayer. It also includes helpful guides for Christians to move beyond materialism into lives of stewardship and generosity.
The prequel is an important feature, where Witherington presents his interpretive approach of paying attention to the whole Bible, not just parts, to understand this and other topics. He uses Sondra Wheeler’s work, Wealth as Peril and Obligation to summarize the overarching themes regarding money from both Old and New Testaments. This summary reveals the complexity of the subject and elevates the need to see each text in its literary and historical context. From there, he overviews the teaching of a few texts from both testaments (emphasis on N.T.) that highlight what followers of Jesus ought to think and do with regard to money. He begins with an emphasis on God’s ultimate ownership and our stewardship, rooted in Genesis. He also surveys the Proverbs and their extensive wisdom on wealth, since prosperity theologians often misuse these aphorisms. From there, he looks carefully at the teachings of Jesus, James, Luke-Acts, Paul, and Revelation. The last two chapters synthesize these teachings into a set of theological principles and offer practical suggestions on overcoming conspicuous consumption and self-gratification.
Witherington’s work is to the biblical teachings on wealth in the New Testament what David Baker’s Tight Fists and Open Hands is on the Old Testament. Throughout, Witherington demonstrates his familiarity with other scholars on the subject, many that are listed in the “Theological and Spiritual Foundations” section of the resource guide on Giving and Financial Stewardship.
From the Publisher
Widespread unemployment. Record home foreclosures. A vulnerable stock market. Government bailouts. In the wake of a sobering global recession, many Christians realize they need to rethink their approach to money. Here respected New Testament scholar Ben Witherington III explores what the Bible does—and doesn’t—say about money. He clearly and concisely examines what Jesus and his earliest followers taught about wealth and poverty, money and debt, and tithing and sacrificial giving to help readers understand the proper role of money in modern Christian life. Along the way, he critiques the faith promise and health-and-wealth approaches to these issues, showing what good stewardship of God’s possessions really looks like. Church study groups, pastors, church leaders, students, and all who are concerned about making sense of money in a world of economic uncertainty will value this book.
Editorial Reviews
“In Jesus and Money, Ben Witherington has done something that is not nearly as easy as it looks: he has presented a clear, accessible, and carefully balanced Christian view of wealth. He draws from a range of scholars of different theological stripes, embracing necessary complexities while ruling out popular views that are simply untenable. This will be of help to any church group that wants to take an honest look at what the Bible teaches us about money.” – Sondra Ely Wheeler, Martha Ashby Carr Professor of Christian Ethics, Wesley Theological Seminary
“This timely book blends Witherington’s exegetical skill and his pastoral concern to address a very relevant issue. His interpretations of various passages reveal the complexity of issues involved in interpreting and applying texts about money that many take for granted. While this work is a welcome retort to the Scripture-twisting of prosperity preachers, it will also challenge many who have been living large without sustained theological reflection on their lifestyle.” – Craig Keener, professor of New Testament, Palmer Seminary
“This book is like a theological cagematch—Jesus and Mammon go head to head. Witherington offers a smart, witty, bold corrective to the prosperity gospel. Rooted in Scripture and church history, Jesus and Money will help us all navigate the narrow way to life, regardless of whether Wall Street flounders or flourishes. After all, as Ben reminds us, God’s dream looks pretty different from Wall Street’s dream.” – Shane Claiborne, author, activist, recovering sinner, www.thesimpleway.org
“Urgently needed. Solidly biblical. Readable, clear, and provocative. American Christians desperately need to read and heed this book.” – Ronald J. Sider, president, Evangelicals for Social Action; author, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger
About the Author
Ben Witherington III (PhD, University of Durham) is Amos Professor of New Testament for Doctoral Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, and is on the doctoral faculty at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He is the author or coauthor of more than thirty books, including The Jesus Quest, The Paul Quest, and The New York Times bestseller The Brother of Jesus. He is a frequent contributor to Beliefnet.com and has appeared on the History Channel, NBC, ABC, CBS, and CNN.
***For additional information on this resource, including reviews, click the bookstore links. Check the reference at page top or the links below for resource guides on related topics.***
See Other Resource Guides on Christian Social Ministry:
- Theological and Philosophical Foundations of Social Ministry
- Spirituality for Ministry of Social Compassion and Justice
- Strategies For Christian Social Ministry
- Perspectives and Strategies For Social Ministry Among the Urban Poor, Urban Ministry
- Christian Perspectives on Political Theory and Church-State Relations
- Christian Perspectives on Economics and Public Policy
Other Ministry Resource Guides on Giving and Financial Stewardship:
See Resources on Over 100 Areas of Ministry Leadership: