LUKE’S VIEW ON POVERTY IN ITS ANCIENT (ROMAN) ECONOMIC CONTEXT: A CHALLENGE FOR TODAY

Abstract

After a brief sketch of the diversity of perspectives on poverty in literary corpuses of the Bible, attention is paid to the Roman economic context as backdrop for Luke’s view on poverty. This is followed by focusing on Luke’s view on poverty within this context, scrutinising the term ‘ptochos’ (poor), his attitude towards the rich (or relatively) wealthy and his view on renunciation of possessions and charity . After a brief look at some receptions or appropriations of Luke’s view throughout history (e.g. individual charity, monastic life, Marxism and liberation theology) some (preliminary) hermeneutical conclusions regarding the need for present-day poverty eradication are drawn.