As well as understanding God’s view of poverty we need to explore what Jesus considers constitutes wealth, what it is to be rich. Money and financial systems are mans’ invention. They are not a foundation of the kingdom that Jesus is talking about. When asked, Jesus clearly makes a distinction, stating ‘Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s’. (See ‘Study The Poor’)

There is a connection to the first ‘temptation’, about hunger and being satisfied. (See ‘Sustenance’)   

The people were looking for a Messiah who would fully satisfy all their needs, making them totally fulfilled.    

Adam, as son of God is called to be ‘fruitful and multiply’. Fruitfulness is the sign of wealth. Eden illustrates this, where ‘every tree ….  is pleasing to the sight and good for food’. Fulfilment and fruitfulness is also found in relationships, illustrated through the creation of marriage.  Enjoying God’s Sabbath rest, being fulfilled, is to be fruitful, with loving friendships and having a productive purpose in life. The curse of sin damages the ground and undermines fruitfulness, resulting in toil, demoralising work and selfishness that yields little reward.  

A similar definition of wealth is expressed with the children of Israel as son of God. Fruitfulness results from God’s lovingkindness, His desire for us to be fulfilled. Wealth is sourced, sustained and enjoyed in relationship, expressed as Son with Father. As with Adam, this fruitfulness will be lost by self-centred independence.     

Jubilee further develops and illustrates what it means to be fulfilled, to enjoy God’s (Sabbath) rest. It emphasises that God is the source of all fruitfulness, the importance of family and friendship and introduces the principle of redemption, restoration to a place where life can be enjoyable and fulfilling again.   

The principle of redemption is taken up in song and applied to the soul in Psalm 49. Fools trust in their own wealth, the wise in God’s redemption.

When Jesus, teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, says ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven’, he differentiates between God’s treasure and the wealth displayed in the world around us. This wealth is temporary and creates anxiety, focusing attention on how to protect, rather than enjoy, it.  Jesus goes on to say ‘Ask and it will be given to you’. He is talking about the Holy Spirit not wealth, made clear in the parallel passage in Luke. Luke writes about fruitfulness, uplifting relationships, here with the Holy Spirit, resulting in the production of good fruit illustrates lasting and fulfilling riches.    

Jesus reiterates this in parables such as the parable of the sower. The seed sown amongst thorns does not fulfil its potential, the thorns being worries that choke any fulfilment or enjoyment of riches. The seed sown on good soil that allows God’s word to mature, brings about fruitfulness greatly beyond expectation.  Greed ultimately brings about ruin not fulfilment. Life is more than possessions, in fact they can be a trap to rob you of the real treasures that bring fulfilment. Possessions need good stewardship and this can demonstrate faithfulness. However, they need to be held loosely, better to give them away rather than let them become a worry, something to rely on or a status symbol. Good stewardship is where they serve God’s purpose enabling people to find fulfilment in him and his kingdom, not trapped in an ultimately frustrating and shallow selfish existence.

Jesus uses the vine to illustrate fruitfulness where he is the vine and we are branches grafted into his rootstock. Abiding (rooted) in Him comes through the Holy Spirit the helper, the person we receive when we ask for anything. If we walk by the Spirit, relying on him and not our own resources, we become fruitful. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, in other words the treasure (there is only one fruit) that is fulfilment and satisfaction in life.

Another way to express this is contentment. Paul in his letter to Timothy contrasts this with the harm that arises from the love of money.

The book of Revelation uses Babylon to illustrate the opposite of the Kingdom of God. Babylon is founded on wealth and greed, commercialism that has made her merchants rich to the detriment of others. This form of commercialism is condemned, as it makes slaves of human lives, is fruitless and ultimately generates rubbish. This is contrasted with a kingdom that is fruitful, the tree of life mentioned in Genesis, pleasing to the sight and producing fruit that is good to eat.