Sometimes Luke picks out key themes from Jesus’ preaching and embeds them into the flow of his narrative. Luke also loves the theme of the proper use of material possessions—an idea he no doubt received from the preaching of Jesus Christ himself on the subject. John the Baptist’s advice in Luke 3:10-14 is all about how to handle money and possession. In both the sending of the twelve and the seventy-two, most of Jesus’ instructions concern possessions and gifts (9:1-5; 10:1-15). Jesus’ most famous parable of the good Samaritan largely involves the Samaritan’s generosity with his money (10:29-38). Even the comparison between Martha and Mary of Bethany is related to Martha’s evident concern with material things (10:38-42). There is more teaching on generosity with possessions in the preaching material in 11:5-13, in the parable of the man who errs by stowing away his goods in his barn (11:13-21), and in the need to avoid anxiety and practice detachment from assets (12:22-34).

The famous parable of the dishonest steward (16:1-9) and that of the rich man and Lazarus (16:19-31) are all about the relation between material riches and spiritual impoverishment. They are interrupted by more teaching on avoiding the mastery of mammon (16:1-13). Small wonder that the Pharisees who love money balk at Jesus’ teaching in Luke (16:14-15).


The repentant publican and the repentant Zacchaeus already examined above resound with the money theme as well. And in Luke a disproportionate number of parables involve the handling of money. The theme continues in Acts. Judas “bought the farm” with his blood money (1:18) while Ananias and Sapphira literally die for their embezzlement (5:1-11). Contrast them with the members of the Church who share all possessions in common and give to those as they have need (2:44-45; 4:32-36), all in application of principles taught to them and embodied by Jesus himself.

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