1. March 2003 HBU General Epistles James 41 The Poverty - Piety connection

2. March 2003 HBU General Epistles James 42 1.The Place of Money in the Old Testament  1.1.The piety- prosperity cycle  1.2.The danger of prosperity

3. March 2003 HBU General Epistles James 43 1.3.Control of money in the Old Testament  1.3.1.The tithe  1.3.2.The firstfruits  1.3.3.The gleanings  1.3.4.The tax on the firstborn  1.3.5.The Sabbath year  1.3.6.The freewill sharing

4. March 2003 HBU General Epistles James 44 1.3.7.Principles  1.3.7.1.God did not need what the people gave  1.3.7.2.The people needed to break the power of mammon  1.3.7.3.The people needed to acknowledge God as the giver  1.3.7.4.The people needed to share with one another

5. March 2003 HBU General Epistles James 45 2.Intertestamental period: piety of the poor  2.1.The intertestamental period and wealth  2.1.1.The wisdom tradition 2.1.1.1.Piety-prosperity equation 2.1.1.2.Giving is stresses 2.1.1.3.Danger of wealth 2.1.1.4.Poverty associated with piety  2.1.2.The Psalms of Solomon  2.1.3.Apocalyptic literature

6. March 2003 HBU General Epistles James 46 2.2.Intertestamental period and giving  2.2.1.Giving was a mark of national identity  2.2.2.Giving was a mark of religious devotion  2.2.3.Giving was marked by legalism  2.2.4.The same is true of much of Christian literature today

7. March 2003 HBU General Epistles James 47 3.Money in the New Testament: Mammon  Note: Jesus’ teaching set in a context of good news  3.1.In the New Testament we hear about Mammon not Baal  3.1.1.What is mammon? "Money, property and anything of value" F. Hauck, mamonas, TDNT 4.388.

8. March 2003 HBU General Epistles James 48 3.1.2.What is the problem with mammon?  3.1.2.1.You can gain it unrighteously – the Jews distinguished between neutral and unrighteous mammon.  3.1.2.2.You can end up serving it  3.1.2.3.You cannot avoid the temptation.

9. March 2003 HBU General Epistles James 49 3.1.3.How does one serve mammon?  3.1.3.1.By loving it  3.1.3.2.By trusting it  3.1.3.3.By fearing it

10. March 2003 HBU General Epistles James 410 3.1.4.What is the power of mammon?  3.1.4.1.Fear  3.1.4.2.Spiritual oppression

11. March 2003 HBU General Epistles James 411 3.2.Control of money in the New Testament  3.2.1.Free from the law  3.2.2.Freed by the Spirit 3.2.2.1.Freed from the need to find security in money 3.2.2.2.Freed to trust God  3.2.3.Fixed on Jesus  3.2.4.All one family (Acts 2 and 4)  3.2.5.The law of love

12. March 2003 HBU General Epistles James 412 4.The poverty - piety connection in James  4.1.The danger of wealth in James  4.1.1.The rich as the persecutor  4.1.2.The rich as the unbeliever  4.1.3.The church as the rich  4.1.4.The church as the co-opted

13. March 2003 HBU General Epistles James 413 4.2.Faith and works in James and Paul  4.2.1.Works  4.2.2.Faith  4.2.3.Righteousness  4.2.4.James as a corrector of the abuse of Paul

14. March 2003 HBU General Epistles James 414 4.3.Resisting the devil  4.3.1.The devil as the world  4.3.2.The call to suffering  4.3.3.The call to endurance