Jesus Needed Money

Last updated on: October 15, 2011 at 4:51 pm by David Hayward

Jesus Needed Money 2011-10-15T16:51:23-04:00 David Hayward

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I very frequently get an email or a comment from someone saying something like:

doesn’t it embarrass you to make money here by selling your drawings which are precisely criticizing how some churches and pastors try to make as much money as possible from their followers?

That’s a quote. I’ve had other comments like, “Jesus wouldn’t sell his art. He’d give it away. You should too.”

I’ve posted quite a bit about my own spiritual struggle with money. My years and years in the church gave me a rather unhealthy attitude about money… that it was evil, I would be weak to need it, and that it is selfish and greedy to earn it. I didn’t feel this way about other people, but I did about myself. You can read my “Money Confession” here.

Now that I’ve been out of the ministry for a year and a half, and also having talked with a counsellor about it, I’m feeling much better and thinking much healthier. I want to tell people who challenge me on selling my art, etc., that I am selling actual products. I’m not asking for your support. Although if someone offers it I’m happy to receive it. I would love to be doing nakedpastor full time. I’m not nearly there yet. But that is a dream I have that I work hard to see fulfilled one day.

So, lightheartedly, I imagine these people talking to Jesus:

Why did you accept gold, frankincense and myrrh as birthday presents?
I can’t believe you received financial support, especially from women.
You should’ve had your own house instead of staying in other homes all the time.
Would it have been too difficult for you to eat your own food?
Isn’t a seamless robe a bit showy?
Couldn’t that expensive perfume be given to the poor?
Why borrow someone else’s donkey? Use your own!
You shouldn’t have been friends with rich people.
So why did you have Judas act as treasurer if you didn’t need money?
A hole in the ground should have sufficed, not a wealthy man’s hewn sepulchre.

I don’t suppose these people have heard about how much money the Buddha required for his ministry, even accepting huge donations of money and land from the wealthy. Or how it is said that it took a lot of money to keep Gandhi poor. Or how many millions of dollars Mother Teresa’s ministry generated. I could go on. This isn’t to question the value of these people or their ministries. It is only to point out that money is necessary.

(On another note, the back end of that kind of attitude suggests that, psychologically, some of these people believe the poor shouldn’t need money either. But that’s a whole other post.)

Previous Post

October 15, 2011

new Sophia drawing "Escape"

Next Post

October 16, 2011 prayer from the cell: silent moves

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category art cartoons cartoons 2 freebie music one minute message podcast Sophia teaching technology thought

Select a Month February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 March 2006 February 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What famous prophecy is given in Isaiah 53?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Destruction of Edom The suffering servant Messiah Plague in Egypt Cyrus the Great's reign