According to Ched Meyers, "The Biblical Standard of social and economic justice is grounded in the call to keep the Sabbath." If one looks carefully at the Sabbath tradition beginning in Genesis 2:1-3 and then continuing in the covenant in which God's rest is extended to humanity and creation (Deut 5:12-15), one finds an economy of enough for all. Sabbath practices reestablish the economic and social equity envisioned in the covenant and guard against hording and the creation of extreme wealth and extreme poverty. The story of the manna in the wilderness encourages one to take care of today's needs. The Lord's Prayer and its petition for daily bread echoes this story and the provision for the present.
The laws of the Sabbatical (Exodus 23: 10-11; Deut 15:1-18) extend the Sabbath to the seventh year when fields lie fallow and debts are forgiven. The restoration of property restores balance to society and prevents the downward spiral of poverty and the trend towards the rich getting richer while the poor get poorer. According to Meyers, "The Fullest Expression of Sabbath logic is the Levitical "Jubilee" (Leviticus 25). (Jubilee is named after the jovel, a ram's horn that is sounded to herald the remission of debt.) The Jubilee year brings release from debt, the return of encumbered or forfeited land to original owners, and the freeing of slaves. As Meyers puts it, the Jubilee served to "remind people that land belongs to God, that they are an Exodus people."
Many or Jesus' saying and deeds can be connected with the thesis that he comes to proclaim a Jubilee year. In the Lord's Prayer, the forgiveness of debt is enacted when one says, "forgive us our debts as we forgive those who debt against us." His invitation to forgive sins "seventy times seven" has Jubilee overtones. He frequently associates the forgiveness of sins with forgiveness of debt. Jesus performs healings on the Sabbath not to break it but to fulfill it. In Jesus' view the Sabbath was created for humanity. Meyers suggests Jesus' teaching "reiterates the Sabbath as part of the order of God's good creation (Genesis 2:2-3), and confirms that its purpose is to humanize us in a world where so much of our socioeconomic reasoning and practice is dehumanizing.
The following two charts illustrate how much of the Gospel of Matthew can be used to support the thesis of the Jubilee and how Luke brings additional evidence.
| Good News to the Poor | Admonitions to the Rich |
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Blessed are the poor [in spirit] for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink Consider the lilies of the field (Matt 6:25-34; par.) Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest Matt 11:28-30) The healing of the withered hand on the Sabbath (Matt 12:9-14; par.). Jesus and the Temple Tax: "From whom do the kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From the children or from others?" When Peter said, "from others," Jesus said to him, "Then the children are free." (Matt 17:24-26) On forgiveness: Peter, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times." (Matt 18:21-22; par.) The story of the laborers in the vineyard. (Matt 20:1-16) |
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal. (Matt 6:19-21; par.) The story of Jesus plucking grain on the Sabbath "I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. Fro the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath." (Matt 12:1-8; parr.) The parable of the unforgiving servant (Matt 18:23-35; parr). The story of the rich young man. (Matt 19:16-30 parr.) Story of mother of James and John. "You know that the ruler so the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Matt 20:20-28 parr.). |
| Good News to the Poor | Admonitions to the Rich |
| The Sinful Woman Forgiven: Jesus equates forgiveness of sins with cancellation of debts (7:36-50) | Parable of the rich Fool (12:13-21) Parable of the dishonest manager (16:1-13) "No slave can serve two master You cannot serve God and wealth." The story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) |