Jesus Teaches About Money

1. The Man with a Lot of Money (Mark 10:17-27)

As Jesus was walking along the road, a wealthy man came running up to Him, kneeling and asking, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus responded, “You know the commandments: Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.”

The man replied confidently, “Teacher, all of these I have kept since I was a boy.”

Jesus looked at him with love and affection. Then He told him, “One thing you lack: Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

At these words, the man’s face fell, and he walked away sad because he had great wealth. Jesus turned to His disciples and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

The disciples were amazed at His words. “Who then can be saved?” they asked.

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

This story highlights how wealth can become a barrier to following God. Jesus wasn’t condemning wealth, but rather showing that when wealth takes precedence over God, it becomes an obstacle. Only through God’s grace can anyone be saved, whether rich or poor.

2. The Biggest Gift of All (Mark 12:41-44)

One day, Jesus sat in the temple court watching the people give their offerings. Many wealthy people put in large amounts of money, some even making sure that everyone noticed how generous they were. But then a poor widow came along and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

Jesus called His disciples over and said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth, but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Jesus taught that the value of a gift is not in its size, but in the sacrifice it represents. The widow gave all she had, and in doing so, her gift was greater than the larger donations made by the wealthy. It was a gift made in faith and trust in God’s provision.

3. The Poor Rich Farmer (Luke 12:13-21)

One day, a man came to Jesus and asked Him to settle a dispute over an inheritance, saying, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or arbiter between you?”

Then He warned the crowd, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

Jesus then told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do: I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.'”

But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?”

Jesus concluded, “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

This story illustrates the futility of living for wealth alone. The farmer focused on accumulating material goods, only to realize that his life would be taken from him before he could enjoy them. True richness comes from being “rich toward God” by prioritizing Him above worldly possessions.

In these teachings, Jesus emphasizes that money and possessions are not inherently evil, but when they take priority over God, they can hinder our spiritual growth. He teaches us that generosity, trust in God’s provision, and being “rich toward God” are the keys to living a life that is pleasing to God. Whether it’s through sacrificial giving like the widow, or through trusting God above wealth like the rich farmer, Jesus shows that God values the heart and the faith behind our actions.