Fire On Your Head

Hey guys, this is another sacred cow that might need to be killed.

I’ve been thinking about a commonly misrepresented passage of Scripture lately as I’ve heard it misused a lot. Matthew 10:7-8. Most people think of it in correlation to finances or material belongings. However, it comes from when Jesus sent out the 12 to go from village to village preaching the gospel and performing the wonders of which Jesus gave them authority:
As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. (v. 7-8)

The context has nothing to do with giving the money they have, because frankly, they didn’t have any: Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep. (v. 9-10; the verses immediately after those other two). So in order for this verse to be even talking about giving what you have as freely as you have received, it can’t possibly be talking about money or belongings if Jesus just told them not to take any with them, therefore they’d only be able to give the nothing they have. If you freely received and have nothing, then that’s what you have to give.

So the thing He’s more likely to be telling them is to give what they DO have (duh, I know I sound learned and deep don’t I?). What do they have? He called His twelve disciples to Him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. (v. 1 of that chapter). The freely giving as we have been given revolves more around the power of God and the Holy Spirit than it does finances or material gain. I’m not saying that money can’t be applied to it to this and that we shouldn’t give what we have, but I just find it interesting that this verse is so commonly used to take up offerings with, or used to judge other Christians that have more finances than some of us, when it has nothing to do with money in immediate context.

Just some quick food for thought.

However, before anybody accuses me of overlooking or forgetting that the Bible does teach elsewhere about giving monetarily, let me say this. I’m aware for example that the Scriptures say “Give and it shall be given unto you” But however, though both of these verses in Matthew and Luke can be used in application with our finances, neither one of them is taught in that context. I have heard countless Christians quote Luke 6:38 and say about financial breakthroughs “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.” Like I said, there’s nothing harmful about applying this to what we do with our finances, but however, if we were simply reading Luke 6 and left that passage in context, we wouldn’t necessarily read it that way. Look at at least v.37-42:
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
He also told them this parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye”

Clearly the backdrop for the “pressed down and shaken together running over” is not one of our finances, but of how we treat others in interpersonal relationships and is a general teaching. Like I said, it doesn’t harm anybody to give money, and then see money given to them. However, in case you’re saying to yourself “If I had a lot come in, then I’ll do x y z… with it”. This verse actually puts the emphasis on our part (the giving) first, and THEN receiving.

I hear a sacred cow shouting ‘moo’ as it gets minced into ground beef.

Steve