October 18

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For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9

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🔊 One of the questions we might ask about Jesus is how rich or poor He was in natural terms.  He certainly came from a poor family that could only offer doves for an offering – Luke 2:24.  But are we right in thinking He was poor?  A very few preachers have suggested He was well off, well provided for by wealthy individuals – Luke 8:3, as evidenced by His seamless robe, and His rock-hewn tomb.  But was He a rich man?  The answer is that Jesus was completely indifferent to money and to the accumulation of wealth and goods.  This is the mentality neither of a rich man nor a poor man.  It is the mentality of a Son.  Jesus didn’t have stashes of money; He had a Father.  When Father said: “Son, tonight you skip food and sleep under a hedge”, He was content with that.  When Father said: “Tonight you eat at Martha’s table and spend the night under Lazarus’ roof in a nice warm bed”, He was content.  The fact of Father in His life meant that He knew He would never lack anything when He needed it.  It produced a tranquillity and contentment, knowing that what Father had decreed was not merely good, it was wonderful.  Jesus was separated from His Father at the cross – that is grinding poverty.  He gives us His Father through His blood and the Spirit of adoption – that is riches untold.