“Do not barter a friend for money, or a true brother for the gold of Ophir” (Sir 7:18): Money in the Bible
Dariusz DZIADOSZ
John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin , PolandAbstract
The category of money, which—in various forms—appears in almost every Book of the Old and the New Testament, is largely determined by the social, political and economic situation of the ancient Middle East. Numerous Biblical sources reflect the multi-stage process which resulted in the origination of money in Asia Minor and the entire Middle East, beginning with barter trade, up till the phase of a developed monetary system introduced in that region by the Persian, Greek, and Roman civilizations. Biblical traditions depict the multi-stage and multi-layered process of the adoption of money by the ‘chosen people’ throughout its history, as well as the role of money in the daily lives of the Israelites of the Old and the New Testament. Biblical traditions simultaneously provide a broad social, cultural, ethical and theological context of the use of money as described in the Bible.
Keywords:
money, gold, silver, coin, wealth, the Hebrew BibleJohn Paul II Catholic University of Lublin
