Gold and the Two Ways -- part 3

This is part 3 in a series.  Part 1. Part 2.

In this section we'll look at references to gold and treasure in the New Testament. I'll end with the teachings of Jesus from the Gospels, so let's begin with the other books.  This is not comprehensive, it is only meant to be a sample of the type of messages about treasure which relate to the doctrine of the Two Ways. To summarize a theme I see repeated throughout scriptures: the way of life values God's hidden wisdom over any earthly treasure, whereas the way of death causes one to be willing to enter into secret combinations in order to gain earthly treasures.

James 5

1 Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you. 2 Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days. 4 Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. (James 5, NRSV)

This passage contains a really important details which I'll develop in more detail as we look at Book of Mormon passages about gold and riches. Notice how James describes the consequence of laying up earthly treasures at the expense of the poor: not only will your treasure rust, it will also stand as evidence against you (that you did not freely give it to the cause of Zion) and it will "eat your flesh like fire." This intense visual metaphor is really important in understanding Book of Mormon references to hell and damnation. 

Acts 3

3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. (Acts 3)

Acts 17

29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. (Acts 17)

Acts 20

32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
33 I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.

34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. (Acts 20)

2 Timothy 2

20 In a large house there are utensils not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for special use, some for ordinary. 21 All who cleanse themselves of the things I have mentioned will become special utensils, dedicated and useful to the owner of the house, ready for every good work. (2 Timothy 2, NRSV)

I have one additional reference to gold from the epistles of Paul which I'll save for the end of this post, because it builds on some ideas I'll develop in more detail in future parts of this series.

The Gospels

Jesus teaches about the potential perils of riches many times and in a variety of contexts:

In Matthew 2, the wise men give the Christ child a gift including gold.

Matthew 10: 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

 

Matthew 23: 16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the sanctuary is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by the oath.’ 17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that has made the gold sacred? (NRSV)

 

Mark 10: 21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. 23 ¶ And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! (See also Matthew 19:21-23.)

Luke 6: 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. (See also Matthew 12:35.)

Matthew 6: 19 ¶ Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Luke 12: 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

Conclusion and final example

It really strikes me how often Jesus' words about treasure directly connect to the doctrine of the two ways. It is clear that James 5:4 (quoted above) is a direct reference to Genesis 4:10, in which Abel's blood cries from the ground to the Lord as a testament of Cain's evil.

This connection to such an ancient, foundational Old Testament passage has me pondering about riches and treasure.  I'm starting to see these ideas in new and interesting ways. For example, in the next part we'll look at the curse described in the Book of Mormon where treasure becomes slippery.

But I think it goes even deeper than that. Part of the test of mortality involves a choice between valuing gold above God and our fellow man, thereby becoming as dross. Alternatively, we can humble ourselves and seek the things of a better world, thereby becoming as dross (cast out by the wealthy of the world), which process refines us as gold in God's eyes.  This connects pretty directly to a variety of scriptural symbols: the gulf in Lehi's dream, the lake of fire and brimstone, and the smoke that "ascendeth up forever and ever." We also see some similar teachings in the apocryphal Books of Enoch.  

Let's conclude this post with one last passage from the New Testament:

1 Corinthians 3: 10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. 14 If what has been built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If the work is burned up, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? (NRSV)

The day of judgment brings fire to test what kind of temple each of us has built on the foundation which has been laid. Will it be burned up or will it stand?

I'll develop this idea in the final two parts of this series.