Biblical Notions Regarding The Prominent Features of Capitalism

The Bible only briefly elaborates upon the economic systems in effect during its relevant history. However, it refers to business and wealth in a variety of ways: actual stories about real people, parables, advice, and proverbs. These references to business and wealth provide insights into values Bible writers extolled. Following, I will explore how these insights from selected biblical references relate to each of the four prominent features of capitalism.

A. Private Property

Generally during Bible times, owners of property freely transacted as they wished – they kept it, used it, gave it away, or sold it without restrictions. Thus property rights were strong, typical of a capitalistic system. However, in ancient Israel God instructed Moses to establish a “clan egalitarianism”[5] economic system in which restrictions on sales, seventh-year statutes, and jubilee provisions prevented utter poverty for some and the accumulation of vast land holdings for others.[6] The required return of property after a period of time as a corrective to prevent extremely uneven distribution of wealth constituted a weakening of property rights. Those wishing to sell property could not sell it in perpetuity, and, likewise, buyers could not buy property in perpetuity. This system broke down with the advent of monarchs.

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This system affected the lives of Ruth and Boaz. Boaz is described to as a “man of wealth.”[7] He showed compassion and generosity to Ruth as a reward for what she had done for her mother-in-law, a kinsman of Boaz. In the story obligation is based on kinship, with no indication that wealth created obligation. However, the system that created the obligation was designed to perpetuate family ownership of land, a means of maintaining a more equal distribution of wealth in the society.

Bible writers described the wealth possessed by many biblical characters as significant in their stories without censuring their wealth. In his first book Moses observed, “Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.”[8] Abram refused to take spoil from the King of Sodom, because he did not want the king to have any grounds to claim, “I have made Abram rich.” (Genesis 14:23, RSV). Moses goes on to point out that the Philistines envied Abraham’s son, Isaac, as a result of his wealth. He credited Issac’s wealth to the Lord’s blessing: “And Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The Lord blessed him, and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy.”[9]

In the strange story about Job, his wealth was prominent. Immediately after describing Job as “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned from evil,” the Bible numbers Job’s sons and daughters and lists his vast wealth. Due to his impressive balance sheet (huge assets, no liabilities), he is called “the greatest of all people of the east.”[10]

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Saul and the kings that followed him were also wealthy. Nathan called David a rich man.[11] He censured David for coveting Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, but not for having riches. Because Solomon asked God for an understanding mind and discernment to govern, God was pleased and, as a result, promised him riches and honor in addition to what he requested.[12] He used his massive wealth to build a spectacular temple.[13] Later, the Lord was angry with Solomon because “his heart had turned away from the Lord,” but He did not mention Solomon’s wealth. Shishak of Egypt took away the riches in the temple and in Solomon’s house after Solomon’s death during the reign of his son, Reoboam.

One might agree that the Bible does generally support the right to own property and even vast amounts of it, but then point to the story of the rich young ruler as evidence that it is better not to (or, perhaps, even wrong to) possess wealth.[14] The rich young ruler asked Jesus, “What good deed must I do, to have eternal life?”[15] Jesus answered him with instruction to keep the commandments and to “love your neighbor as yourself.”[16] When the young man boldly stated that he had always observed these but even yet felt a lack, Jesus replied with an equally bold command, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”[17] After the man sorrowfully went away, Jesus complicated things further by generalizing the problem to all rich people: “Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”[18]

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The story of the rich young ruler appears to provide guidance for the use of wealth. It seems to suggest that those who acquire wealth should distribute it all to the poor. However, Jesus could not possibly have meant for his followers to take the command literally as a guide for dealing with material possessions. If taken to apply to all Christ’s followers for all time, all who choose to follow Him would be naked for a short time while they slowly starve to death. This is the case because he said give all, so every time a person happened upon a material possession (even food and clothing), he or she would be obligated to give it away. Perhaps He meant it as a one-time event. If that were the case, then the follower faces the challenge of knowing the appropriate time to give all. Jesus was not providing a guiding rule for the possession of wealth. Rather He commanded the rich man thus as “a test that would make manifest the selfishness of his heart.”[19]

In stating that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God,”[20] Jesus was addressing His disciples who believed that God favored the rich. In actual fact, He said nothing about people without wealth having a relatively easier time entering the kingdom of God. What He meant was that it is not riches, but “only through the unmerited grace of Christ that any man can find entrance into the city of God.”[21] Pertaining to wealth, Jesus wants Christians to see that they hold their possessions as a “trust to be used as God shall direct.”[22]

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This point of recognizing that by giving people wealth God is giving it in trust means Christians recognize ownership differently from other capitalists. Ownership in the biblical sense is stewardship. True ownership never transfers from God. Therefore, an “owner” is in reality a steward.

B. Self-interest

For a Christian self-interest is the most problematic feature of capitalism. While self-love is recognized and apparently sanctioned in the Golden Rule, generally the Bible emphasizes love of others, even one’s enemies. The notion of self-interest seems entirely contrary to Jesus’ dictum, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”[23] Likewise, Paul admonished each member of the church at Philippi to follow Christ’s example and “look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”[24] Jesus spoke three more pronouncements that help sort out this problem: “I do nothing on my own authority but … I always do what is pleasing to [the Father],”[25] “As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father,”[26] and “I do not seek my own glory.”[27] These powerful words of Jesus constitute what E.G. White called “the law of life which is the law of life for the universe.”[28] Those who accept and live by this “law of life” will do as Jesus did, “He took to give”[29] and did all to the glory of God. Their objectives, therefore, their self-interest, in business transactions as in all of life will be to glorify God.

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This aligns perfectly with the notion of stewardship. As Christians recognize that the property they “own” is in trust from God, they also recognize that they are acting on God’s behalf, therefore, in God’s interests. This should not be difficult for business people to understand, because it is similar to the manager/shareholder relationship in a corporation. In the corporation the manager is to act in the interests of the shareholder. In this case ideally the manager’s and the owner’s interests will be the same, just as ideally the steward’s interests and God’s interests will be the same.

C. Distribution according to productivity

Although there are biblical examples of equal distribution (egalitarianism), generally people in Bible times practiced distribution according to productivity, which is consistent with capitalism. The classic verse used to prompt many laggard children from their lethargy is “If any one will not work, let him not eat.”[30] The parable of the talents supports this concept by suggesting that the more productive should receive more.[31] In the parable a master prepares for a journey by entrusting his property to three servants. He gives sixteen talents (the equivalent of 240 years’ wages of a laborer) to three servants, “to each according to his ability:”[32] ten to the first, five to the second, and one to the third. As soon as the man had departed, the first two servants “went at once and traded” with their talents. The third buried his talent in the ground.

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After a long time the master returned and prepared to settle accounts with his servants. The first two had each doubled his property, and, of course, the third had only the one talent to return. The master commended the first two, saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.”[33] The master chastised the third servant, calling him a “wicked and slothful servant.” He told the servant that at the very least he should have invested the money with bankers so there would have been interest to return with the principle. The master took the talent from that servant and gave it to the one who at that time had ten talents, and he said,” For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”[34]

Clearly, the Bible supports a correlation between productivity and reward.

D. Freedom from interference

Freedom is highly valued by God. “For freedom Christ has set us free.”[35] “For you were called to freedom.”[36] In spite of the fact that He owns all property, He rarely intervenes directly even when the “owner” is not using the property in ways consistent with His desires. However, as self-interest for the Christian is different from self-interest for others, freedom for the Christian also has a twist. Paul continues in Galatians 5:13, “only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another.” Christian business people will use their freedom to apply the “law of life.” That is, they will glorify God in their business activities.

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In Table 1 I have listed the prominent capitalistic values along with the values drawn from Biblical stories and parables.