Theo-economics

A short dream; I was on Facebook, scrolling through one of my Facebook groups, and a question was posed, "Is the bible socialist?" In the comments, everyone said no. I was thinking of whether I should respond or not with a contrary notion. That being that the bible leans towards socialism over capitalism despite it not being socialist either. As I began to straddle the border of the waking and the resting world, verses came to mind regarding the Bible's politics.

Firstly, I intend to explore this thought regarding biblical socialism, and afterward, I intend to write about a system which is more biblically accurate. Now, biblically speaking, we don't see capitalism or socialism because scripture shows that God owns the means of production. This is why when we talk about biblical economics, it's better to look at the law directly. 

Ownership: Who owns the means of production. A fair place to start right?

Israel's land was parcelled out by God, and the punishment for Israel's rebellion would be a revoking of their land privileges, the revoking of which is what we refer to as “the exile.” God, in His infinite mercy, would then restore their covenantal position with Him over time. Still, as He states throughout scripture, the Earth belongs to Him and everything in it, which connotes divine ownership with covenantal partners, neither of which is capitalism or socialism. (This can be seen in Job 41:11, Exodus 9:29, Exodus 19:5, Leviticus 25:23, Deuteronomy 10:14, 1 Chronicles 29:11, Psalm 24:1-2, and Psalm 50:12). 

It's interesting to note that the tithe, the portion set aside for God, could be held back, if you gave a fifth of its value in its place. I.e. you wouldn't have to tithe that goat, sheep, mint, or grain if you were willing to pay the price. Leviticus 27:30-34, a tithe of everything from the land, grain, fruit from the soil or from the trees, belongs to the Lord. If anyone would ever want to redeem part of their tithe you must add a fifth to its value.

This is why we need to look at Israel's policies pertaining to distribution to conclude the legitimacy of interpreting the Bible as more capitalistic or socialistic in nature. 

Distribution: God directs us on the proper distribution of a portion of our resources. Particularly, in acts of charity and things pertaining to the house of God. Some of which are free will offerings. This can be seen in the construction of the ark of God. People were invited to give for it’s construction if they wanted to do so (Exodus 25:1-2). However, we are not talking about free will offerings, but laws pertaining to charity.

Government Aid Policies

Some would argue that if you don't work, you don't eat. Paul says this to other believers in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, "If someone is unwilling to work, they don't eat." I have seen these verses used to communicate that welfare and economic relief, government handouts, are not biblical regardless of the context of the verse.

For the moment, the keyword in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 is "unwilling." What of the working poor that can't afford food and medical expenses simultaneously? What about the unemployed that are willing to work but can't find jobs? Should these people be left to struggle on their own in poverty, or could something be done to help them? Should the poor be left to die on the streets?

Let's look to the bible for an answer. The below are some biblical laws of charity; they are not good ideas to consider - these are commands. 

Public Welfare and Other Provisions

Sabbatical Year: In Exodus 23:10-11 and Leviticus 25:1-7, both of which occur every seven years. The entire year, whatever is grown is for consumption alone by landowners (farms), their servants, foreign residents in Israel, the poor, and even animals. In this year, the land is given its rest.

Feast of Weeks

In Leviticus 23:22, we have the feast of weeks. God commands adherence to another of His laws during this holiday. Do not harvest all of your crops and let the edges be collected by widows, orphans, and foreigners. God tells us how to use the resources that He gives to us for those in need. 

Jubilee

The Year of Jubilee occurs every 50 years. In Leviticus 25:8-28, God declares that all debts are to be forgiven, and land must be returned to it’s original designations according to the laws and restrictions that He had given to them under the Covenant. (Leviticus 25:1-55)

Third Year Tithe

Deuteronomy 14:28-29, the third-year tithe was given as food to a few groups of people, these being Levites, widows, foreigners, and the fatherless. God literally commands Israel to give up a portion of what their land produces, not as a tax but as food to these designated people.

Harvest Practices

In Deuteronomy 24:19-21, it says that when you are harvesting in your field and overlook a sheaf, don't go back to get it. When you beat olives from the tree, do not go over the branches a second time. When you harvest grapes, do not go over the vines again. A sheaf that is missed shall remain for the foreigner, widow, and the fatherless. Olives and grapes that remain are also to be left behind for the foreigner, widow, and the fatherless.

Whether during the year of Jubilee or not, we also see the disciples walking with Jesus through produce fields, plucking and eating food, Matthew 12:1, and Luke 6:1. The field was not theirs, yet there they are, eating.

Levitical Support

Deuteronomy 18:1-2, Deuteronomy 14:28-19, the Levitical priesthood was sustained based on what God provided to the people, the other tribes of Israel. They literally thrived on the backs of their siblings. The priest ate the offerings brought to the Lord; it was given to them by God as food for them. They ate what they did not sow by God's governmental design. If socialism could be found anywhere in Israel, it would be within their relationship to the priesthood.

All of the above are policies designed by God to protect and provide for people in financially difficult situations or those in service to God Himself. 

These examples all confirm what is spoken of in Deuteronomy 15:7-11, “If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land your God gives you, don't be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. Be open-hearted and freely lend them whatever they need. In the seventh year, the year of canceling debts, do not avoid giving them anything because you know that the debt will be canceled soon...If your fellow Israelite has a need, give to him anyway; otherwise, if they cry out to me, I will call it a sin because of how you have treated them. Give generously without a grudging heart; because of this, the Lord will bless you. There will never cease to be poor in the land; therefore, I command you, saying, you shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the poor, and to the needy in the land."

In this way, the government enforces charity as the law of the land. One could argue that this is a kind of democratic socialism because God always gives us the option of following Him or not, but this answer still falls short in the same place capitalism does, that being the topic of ownership. 

So, if socialism is not the political system shown in the bible, then what is? The answer would appear to be something akin to feudalism, and more specifically, theocratic feudalism. God being the monarch that divides the land to the people, after Him, you have the bourgeoisie (landowners), the proletariats, and the king's servants. The latter class is the priests. 

Whether this is actually true warrants further study. But as you have seen in the verses above, I don’t think this conclusion should not seem so far-fetched.

Edited by my friend, Midnight Philosopher.