Early Christian Views on Possessions

Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching

11. You say that you are wealthy and rich, and you think you should use the things that God has willed you to possess. Certainly, use them, but use them for the things of salvation. Use them for good purposes. Use them for the things that God has commanded and that the Lord has set forth. Let the poor feel that you are wealthy. Let the needy feel that you are rich. Lend your estate to God. Give food to Christ. By the prayers of many, move Him to grant that you may carry out the glory of virginity and succeed in coming to the Lord's rewards. Entrust your treasures there, where no thief digs through and no crafty plunderer breaks in. Prepare possessions for yourself, but let them be heavenly ones instead, where neither rust wears them out, nor hail damages them, nor the sun burns them, nor rain spoils your fruits. Let them be lasting and unending, and free from every touch of worldly harm. For in this very matter you are sinning against God if you think that He gave you riches for this purpose: that you should fully enjoy them without any concern for salvation. For God also gave man a voice, and yet because of that, love songs and indecent things should not be sung. And God willed ir

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Supporting witness

and instead of the law enjoining the giving of tithes, [He told us] to share all our possessions with the poor;

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

...says, "If you will be perfect, go, sell all that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come and follow me." Matthew 19:21 If rich people did this, they would not perish because of their riches. If they stored up treasure in heaven, they would not now have an enemy and attacker in their own household. Their heart and mind and feeling would be in heaven, if their treasure were in heaven. Nor could the world overcome a man who had nothing in the world by which he could be overcome. He would follow the Lord, loosened and free, as the apostles did, and as many did in the time of the apostles, many who gave up both their possessions and their relatives, and clung to Christ with undivided bonds.

Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching

...ing alms, and not depend on earthly possessions, but instead store up heavenly treasures. He says, "Sell your goods, and give alms." Luke 12:33 And again: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in nor steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21 And when He wished to describe a man as perfect and complete through keeping the law, He said, "If you will be perfect, go and sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come and follow me." Matthew 19:21 Moreover, in another place He says that a merchant of heavenly grace, and one who gains eternal salvation, ought to buy the precious pearl—that is, eternal life—at the price of Christ's blood, using his inheritance, and giving up all his wealth for it. He says: "The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls. And when he found one precious pearl, he went away and sold all that he had, and bought it." Matthew 13:45-46

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

...r this reason, all you who are faithful must, through your bishop, minister to the saints from your possessions and from your labor. But if anyone has nothing, let him fast for a day, set that amount aside, and arrange it for the saints. But if anyone has extra, let him minister more to them according to his ability. And if he is able to sell all his means of living and redeem them out of prison, he will be blessed and a friend of Christ. For if the one who gives his goods to the poor is perfect, assuming he has knowledge of divine things, how much more is the one who does this for the sake of the martyrs. Such a man is worthy of God, and will fulfill His will by supporting those who have confessed Him before nations and kings and the children of Israel. Concerning them our Lord declared, saying, "Whoever confesses Me before men, I also will confess before My Father," Matthew 10:32. And if these are the kind of people whom Christ will acknowledge before His Father, you ought not to be ashamed to go to them in prison. For if you do this, it will be counted to you as a testimony, because their actual trial was a testimony to them, and your readiness will be the same for you, since

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

But among us, unity has lessened as generous action has declined. At that time, people used to sell houses and property. So that they might store up treasures for themselves in heaven, they brought the price of them to the apostles, to be given out for the use of the poor. But now we do not even give a tenth of our inheritance. And while our Lord commands us to sell, we instead buy and add to our wealth. So the strength of faith has faded away among us. So the power of believers has grown weak. Therefore the Lord, looking ahead to our days, says in His Gospel, "When the Son of man comes, do you think that He shall find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8. We see that what He foretold has happened. There is no faith in the fear of God, in the law of righteousness, in love, or in labor. No one thinks about the fear of what is to come, and no one takes to heart the day of the Lord, and the wrath of God, and the punishments coming on unbelievers, and the eternal torments appointed for the faithless. What our conscience would fear if it believed, it does not fear, because it does not believe at all. But if it believed, it would also take heed. And if it took heed, it would escape.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

...anship of God. Do not avoid the persons of the wicked, but their opinions. Abstain from fleshly and worldly lusts. If anyone strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. Not that revenge is evil, but that patience is more honorable. For David says, If I have repaid those who repaid me evil. If anyone compels you to go one mile, go with him two. And, He that will sue you at the law, and take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. Matthew 5:40; Luke 6:29 And from him who takes your goods, do not ask for them back. Luke 6:30 Give to him who asks you, and from him who would borrow from you do not shut your hand. Matthew 5:42 For the righteous man is pitiful, and lends. For your Father wants you to give to all, and He Himself makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends His rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:45 It is therefore reasonable to give to all from your own labors; for He says, Honor the Lord from your righteous labors, but in such a way that the saints are preferred. You shall not kill; that is, you shall not destroy a man like yourself, for you destroy what was well made. Not as if all killing were wicked, but only the killing

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Background

For as gushing wells, when pumped out, rise again to their former measure, so giving away, being the benignant spring of love, by communicating of its drink to the thirsty, again increases and is replenished, just as the milk is wont to flow into the breasts that are sucked or milked.

Clement of Alexandria, Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved? Direct teaching

...h wealth and observance of the law — and not understanding how the same person can be both poor and rich, can have wealth and not have it, can use the world and not use it — went away gloomy and downcast. He left behind the rank of life that he was able only to desire but not also to attain, having made what was difficult impossible to himself. For it was difficult that the soul not be drawn around and dazzled by the luxuries that come with obvious wealth and by their flowery enchantments. Yet it was not impossible, even amid these things, to lay hold of salvation, if one should transfer himself from sensible wealth to the wealth grasped by the mind and taught by God, and learn to use indifferent things well and properly, and so press on toward eternal life. The disciples too, at first, themselves became thoroughly afraid and astounded when they heard this. Why, indeed? Was it because they too had acquired much wealth? But they had long ago left even those very nets and hooks and serviceable little boats, which were their only possessions. What, then, did they fear when they say, "Who can be saved?" They listened well, and as disciples, to what had been spoken in parable and unc

Clement of Alexandria, Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved? Supporting witness

...' And Jesus, looking upon him, loved him, and said: 'One thing you lack. If you wish to be perfect, sell whatever you have and distribute to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.' But he, becoming downcast at the saying, went away grieved, for he had many possessions and lands. And looking around, Jesus says to His disciples: 'How hard it is for those who have possessions to enter into the kingdom of God!' And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus, answering again, says to them: 'Children, how hard it is for those who have set their trust on possessions to enter into the kingdom of God! More easily shall a camel pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man into the kingdom of God.' And they were astonished beyond measure, and said: 'Who, then, can be saved?' And He, looking upon them, said: 'What is impossible among men is possible with God.' Peter began to say to Him: 'See, we have left everything and have followed You.' And Jesus, answering, [says]: 'Truly I say to you, whoever leaves what is his own — both parents and brothers and possessions — for My sake and for the sake of the gospel shall receive a hundredfold; now in th

Minucius Felix, Octavius Supporting witness

...it is strengthened by frugality. And who can be poor if he is not in want, if he does not crave the possessions of others, if he is rich toward God? Rather, he is poor who, although he has much, desires more. Yet I will speak as I feel. No one can be as poor as he is when he is born. Birds live without any inheritance, and the cattle are fed day by day. Yet these creatures are born for us, and if we do not lust after these things, we possess them. Therefore, just as the man who travels a road is happier the more lightly he walks, so he is happier in this journey of life who moves forward in poverty and does not breathe heavily under the burden of riches. And even if we thought wealth useful to us, we would ask it of God. Surely He, to whom all things belong, could grant us some measure of it. But we would rather despise riches than possess them. We would rather desire innocency. We would rather ask for patience. We prefer being good to being prodigal. And that we feel and suffer the human mischiefs of the body is not punishment; it is warfare. For fortitude is strengthened by infirmities, and calamity is very often the discipline of virtue. In addition, the strength of both mind

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

He teaches us that riches are not only to be looked down on, but are also full of danger. In them is the root of misleading evils, which deceive the blindness of the human mind by a hidden trick. So God also rebukes the rich fool, who thinks about his earthly wealth and boasts in the abundance of his overflowing harvests, saying, "You fool, this night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have prepared?" Luke 12:20. The fool, who was going to die that very night, was rejoicing in his stored goods; and he, whose life was already failing, was thinking about the abundance of his food. But on the other hand, the Lord tells us that the one who sells all his goods and gives them for the use of the poor becomes perfect and complete, and in that way lays up treasure for himself in heaven. He says that the man who is free from hindrance, with his loins girded, and caught in no entanglements of worldly property, is able to follow Him and imitate the glory of the Lord's passion. Being himself unburdened and free, he goes along with the possessions that he has already sent ahead to God. So that each one of us may be able to prepare himself for this, let h

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Supporting witness

...l and rotten. Therefore, this illustration is for the servants of God, for the poor man and for the rich." I said, "How so, sir? Explain it to me." He said, "Listen. The rich man has much wealth, but he is poor in matters relating to the Lord, because he is distracted by his riches. He offers very few confessions and intercessions to the Lord, and those that he does offer are small and weak, and have no power above. But when the rich man refreshes the poor and helps him in his needs, believing that what he does for the poor man will receive its reward from God, because the poor man is rich in intercession and confession, and his intercession has great power with God, then the rich man helps the poor in all things without hesitation. And the poor man, being helped by the rich, intercedes for him, giving thanks to God for the one who gives him gifts. And he continues to care zealously for the poor man, so that his needs may always be supplied. For he knows that the intercession of the poor man is acceptable to God and has influence with Him. So both of them accomplish their work. The poor man makes intercession, a work in which he is rich, which he received from the Lord, and with

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Supporting witness

... question and understanding nothing? These are the people who do have faith, but they also have the riches of this world. Therefore, when tribulation comes, they deny the Lord because of their riches and their business. I answered and said to her, When then will they be useful for the building, Lady? When the riches that now lead them astray have been cut back, then they will be useful to God. For just as a round stone cannot become square unless parts of it are cut off and thrown away, so also those who are rich in this world cannot be useful to the Lord unless their riches are cut down. Learn this first from your own case. When you were rich, you were useless. But now you are useful and fit for life. Be useful to God, for you also will be used as one of these stones.

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness

...s in it. And they imagine that the rites of other gods are true, since those who worship them enjoy riches and honors and kingdoms. But those who think this way do not carefully consider the power and nature of man, which consists entirely in the mind, and not in the body. For they see nothing except what can be seen, namely the body. And because this can be seen and touched, it is weak, fragile, and mortal. And to it belong all those goods they desire and admire—wealth, honors, and rule—since they bring pleasures to the body, and therefore are just as subject to decay as the body itself. But the soul, in which alone man truly consists, since it is not exposed to the sight of the eyes, and since its goods cannot be seen because they are found only in virtue, must therefore be as firm and constant and lasting as virtue itself, in which the good of the soul consists.

Gregory Thaumaturgus, Metaphrase of Ecclesiastes Background

But even as property acquired by violence is a most hurtful as well as impious possession, so the man who lusts after money never finds satisfaction for his passion, nor good-will from his neighbours, even though he may have amassed the greatest possible wealth.

Luke 12:33 Direct teaching

Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.

Acts 2:45 Direct teaching

And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.

Luke 12:15 Direct teaching

And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Matthew 6:24 Direct teaching

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Luke 18:22 Direct teaching

Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

Matthew 6:20 Supporting witness

but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Matthew 6:19 Supporting witness

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Matthew 19:21 Supporting witness

Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

Clement of Alexandria, Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved? Direct teaching

...other voice is to enter into the kingdom of the heavens. "And how shall you stand off from them? By selling." What then? Will you receive money in place of possessions, making an exchange of wealth for wealth, by turning your visible substance into silver? By no means. Rather, in place of what was formerly within the soul which you long to save, you bring in another wealth that makes one godlike and supplies eternal life: the dispositions according to God's commandment. In return for these, reward and honor will accrue to you — perpetual salvation and eternal incorruption. Thus you rightly sell your possessions — the many and superfluous things, those that shut the heavens against you — by exchanging for them the things that are able to save. Let those things be possessed by the carnal poor who stand in need of them; but you, by receiving spiritual wealth in their place, will already have a treasure in the heavens.

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness

...knowledge concerning the new teaching of Christ Jesus. And he has these riches stored up in his own treasure-house, in heaven, where he stores his treasure as one who has been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven, "where neither moth consumes, nor thieves break through." Matthew 6:20 And about the man who, as we have said, stores up treasure in heaven, we may truly say that not even one moth of the passions can touch his spiritual and heavenly possessions. "A moth of the passions," I said, taking the thought from Proverbs, where it is written, "As a worm in wood, so pain wounds the heart of man." Proverbs 25:20 For pain is a worm and a moth, which wounds the heart that does not have its treasures in heaven and in spiritual things. For if a man has his treasure in these, for "where the treasure is, there will the heart be also," Matthew 6:21 then he has his heart in heaven, and because of this he says, "Though an army should camp against me, my heart shall not fear." And so thieves also, about whom the Savior said, "All who came before Me are thieves and robbers," John 10:8 cannot break through into those things that are treasured up in heaven, nor into the heart that is in h

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness

Matthew 6:20 And in regard to him, who, as we have said, lays up treasure in heaven, we may truly lay down that not one moth of the passions can touch his spiritual and heavenly possessions.

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Background

At this point you may ask whether the kingdom of heaven is compared only to the treasure hidden in the field, so that we should think of the field as different from the kingdom, or whether it is compared to the whole treasure hidden in the field, so that the kingdom of heaven includes, in the comparison, both the field and the treasure hidden in the field. Now a man who comes to the field, whether to the Scriptures or to Christ, who is made up of both visible things and hidden things, finds the hidden treasure of wisdom either in Christ or in the Scriptures. For as he goes around the field, searches the Scriptures, and seeks to understand Christ, he finds the treasure in it. And when he has found it, he hides it, because he thinks it is not without danger to reveal to everyone the secret meanings of the Scriptures, or the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Christ. After hiding it, he goes away and works and plans how he may buy the field, or the Scriptures, so that he may make them his own possession, receiving from the people of God the oracles of God, with which the Jews were first entrusted, Romans 3:2. And when the man taught by Christ has bought the field, the kingdom of God

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Background

Here we must ask separately about the field, and separately about the treasure hidden in it. We must also ask how the man who found this hidden treasure goes away with joy and sells all that he has in order to buy that field. And we must ask what the things are that he sells. The field, it seems to me, is the Scripture, according to these points. It was planted with what is plain in the words of the history, the Law, the Prophets, and the other thoughts. For the planting of the words throughout all Scripture is great and varied. But the treasure hidden in the field is the thoughts concealed and lying beneath what is plain: wisdom hidden in a mystery, that is, Christ, in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden, Colossians 2:3. But someone else might say that the field is that which is truly full, which the Lord blessed, the Christ of God. And the treasure hidden in it is the things that Paul says were hidden in Christ, when he says about Christ, "in whom are hidden the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Therefore the heavenly things, even the kingdom of heaven, as it is written figuratively in the Scriptures—which are the kingdom of heaven, or Christ Himself, the

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Background

The heavenly things, therefore, even the kingdom of heaven, as in a figure it is written in the Scriptures— which are the kingdom of heaven, or Christ — Himself the king of the ages, are the kingdom of heaven which is likened to a treasure hidden in the field.

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness

And so neither can thieves in regard to whom the Saviour said, All that came before Me are thieves and robbers, John 10:8 break through those things which are treasured up in heaven, and through the heart which is in heaven and therefore says, He raised us up with Him, and made us to sit with Him in the heavenly places in Christ, Ephesians 2:6 and, Our citizenship is in heaven. Philippians 3:20