Reading and Discussion Group

Topic: Jesus and the problem of debt in ancient Palestine:

The READING & DISCUSSION GROUP evening is at Mary and Brian’s home

Some bible texts for participants to read before our gathering. People can read one, some, all or none.

In the Greek / Roman world, debt and related land problems played a crucial role in historical developments. The same is true on the Jewish side. A long biblical tradition recognised and attempted to limit, if not completely eliminate, the corrosive and socio-economic effects of debt. Ways of ‘fixing’ the problems related to debt are in all the major divisions of the bible. Some examples are:

‘Old’ Testament

Legislative: Exodus 22: 25-27

Leviticus 25

Deuteronomy 15 & 23: 19-20

Prophetic:  Isaiah 5: 8

                   Habakkuk 2: 6

Historical:  1 Samuel 22: 2

                   2 Kings 4: 1

                   Nehemiah 5: 1 – 5

Wisdom     Proverbs 22: 7

‘New’ Testament

Matthew 5: 42, & 6: 9 – 13, & 18: 12 – 35

Luke 7: 41-42

Mark 12: 1 – 12