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Temple Tax
[Bible]The temple tax was a payment made by adult Israelite men for the upkeep of the sanctuary (the tabernacle and later the temple) and its worship. It originated in the half-shekel regulation of Exodus and appears in the New Testament in Matthew 17.
Gerah
[Bible]The gerah is the smallest unit of weight mentioned in the Old Testament. Scripture defines it in the statement "a shekel is twenty gerahs," and it appears chiefly in passages that fix the weight of silver offered to the sanctuary.
Luke 17
[Bible]Luke 17 is a chapter of the Gospel of Luke in which Jesus, on the way to Jerusalem, teaches about forgiveness, faith, and the attitude of a servant; heals ten lepers; and speaks about the kingdom of God and the day of the Son of Man.
Luke 12:29–31
[Bible Verses]A saying of Jesus in which he tells his disciples not to be anxious about what they will eat and drink but to seek the kingdom of God. Together with its parallel in Matthew 6:33, it is frequently cited in discussions of anxiety, material possessions, and priorities in the life of faith.
Luke 21
[Bible]Luke 21 is the chapter of the Gospel of Luke that contains the account of the poor widow's offering of two mites and Jesus' eschatological discourse (an extended teaching on the end times), which opens with a prediction of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem.
1 Timothy 6:9–10
[Bible Verses]A passage in which Paul warns Timothy that the desire to be rich and the love of money lead people away from the faith. Because it identifies not money itself but "the love of money" as the root of evil, it is frequently cited in discussions of the Christian view of material possessions and of prosperity theology.
2 Corinthians 8:9
[Bible Verses]A verse in which Paul, urging a collection for the saints in Jerusalem, says that Christ, though rich, became poor for the sake of believers. It is frequently cited as a text on the incarnation and as a basis for generous giving, and interpreters differ over the meaning of "rich."
Matthew 19:24
[Bible Verses]"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God" is a saying of Jesus. It is a principal verse on the relationship between wealth and salvation and is also known for the various popular explanations of the "eye of a needle."
The Widow's Two Mites
[Bible]The widow's two mites refers to the incident in which Jesus, watching at the treasury of the Temple in Jerusalem, saw a poor widow put in two mites, all that she had, and declared that she had put in more than anyone else. It is recorded in the Gospels of Mark and Luke.
Parable of the Unjust Steward
[Bible]A parable of Jesus recorded in Luke 16:1-13. A steward facing dismissal reduces the debts owed to his master in order to provide for his own future, and the master commends his shrewdness. The parable teaches about the right attitude toward wealth.
1 Corinthians 11:20-26
[Bible Verses]In this passage, Paul rebukes the Corinthian church because rich and poor members were divided at the Lord's Supper, and he hands on Jesus' words instituting the Supper. It is read at communion services in nearly every denomination and is a central text in debates over the meaning of the Lord's Supper.
Joseph of Arimathea
[People]Joseph of Arimathea was a member of the Jewish council who, after Jesus died on the cross, asked Pilate for the body and laid it in his own new tomb. He appears in all four Gospels.
Matthew 19
[Bible]Matthew 19 is the chapter in which Jesus, traveling from Galilee into the region of Judea, answers the Pharisees' question about divorce, lays his hands on little children, and speaks with a rich young man who asks about eternal life.
1 Timothy 6:10
[Bible Verses]A warning that "the love of money is the root of all evil." Interpreters frequently stress that the verse targets the love of money rather than money itself. It is among the passages most often cited in discussions of church financial ethics and in critiques of prosperity theology.
Revelation 3:20
[Bible Verses]Revelation 3:20 records Christ's words, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." The verse is widely used in evangelism and in prayers for receiving Christ, but discussions of it also note that it was originally addressed to the lukewarm church in Laodicea.
Ephesians 2:8–9
[Bible Verses]Ephesians 2:8–9 is a passage of Paul's letter declaring, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." It is widely regarded as the passage that best summarizes the Reformation principles of "grace alone" and "faith alone," and what the word "that" refers to remains a matter of discussion.
2 Samuel 12
[Bible]In this chapter the prophet Nathan exposes David's sin through a parable, and David confesses. The first child Bathsheba bore to David dies, Solomon is born, and David captures Rabbah, the royal city of the Ammonites.
Luke 19
[Bible]Luke 19 contains the account of Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector who welcomed Jesus in Jericho; the parable of the minas; the entry into Jerusalem; Jesus weeping over Jerusalem; and the cleansing of the temple.
2 Corinthians 9:7
[Bible Verses]A verse in which Paul instructs each believer to give as he has decided in his heart, "not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." It is a key text on the proper attitude toward giving and is cited in the tithing debate as a basis for voluntary offerings.
Luke 19:8–9
[Bible Verses]Luke 19:8–9 records the declaration of Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector of Jericho, that he would give half of his goods to the poor and restore fourfold whatever he had wrongfully taken, and Jesus' response that salvation had come to his house. The passage is frequently cited in discussions of the fruit of repentance, salvation, and wealth.