I’ve been working my way through one of the “Bible in a Year” books and ran across this passage in 2 Cor 8:12-15 (bold is mine):
- For if the eagerness is there, it is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have; not that others should have relief while you are burdened, but that as a matter of equality your surplus at the present time should supply their needs, so that their surplus may also supply your needs, that there may be equality. As it is written: “Whoever had much did not have more, and whoever had little did not have less.”
American Christianity, especially that of the Protestant, nondenominational variety tends to equate socialism with evil. Anything, even Earth Day can be denounced as evil if one can tie it into socialism or Marx.
But the Bible, while upholding personal property, is full of quotes like the one above speaking approvingly of redistribution (think of the Jubilee years mandated by Exodus). Likewise a good amount of Christian historical tradition insists we have a duty to share what we have. Take this quote from St. Augustine:
If you are not capable of laying down your life for your brother, you are at least capable of sharing some of your goods with him. For if you cannot even give out of your abundance to someone in need, how could you possibly lay down your life for anyone?
St. Augustine also said:
God does not demand much of you. He asks back what he gave you, and from him you take what is enough for you. The superfluities of the rich are the necessities of the poor. When you possess superfluities, you possess what belongs to others. (Exposition on Psalm 147, 12).
So the next time you hear someone imply that socialism is always bad and capitalism is always good, ask him or her about what Paul and St. Augustine had to say.
Filed under: bible, bible study, christianity
Hmm. Perhaps you should read the whole passage.
It refers to giving to God, not giving to the state.
Hi coldfoot. I read the whole chapter before posting. I see Paul collecting for needy Christians elsewhere and telling the Corinthians they’ll be taken care of by their fellow Christians in turn.
For that matter, I didn’t see anything about the State at all, no I recall having Paul say anything about the state.
How you support your view of the passage?
You are absolutely right that we should consider more than just a verse here or there.
Looks like we agree.
Except for the fact that giving to the state under the threat of imprisonment or other sanction in order for the state to redistribute the wealth is not an act of charity.
The verses in question do not support the notion that socialism is divine.
Ah. I honestly didn’t mean to imply that socialism was divine. I’m opposed to all forms of materialism. In some ways state socialism and unbridled capitalism are identical — both focus exclusively on wealth to deterimint of people.
I was more going for the idea that unregulated capitalism isn’t divine either. I think our society tends to deify it.