Will Malson AT: Socialism not in the Bible Page 1 of 1

AT: Socialism not in the Bible

One gets the impression that the Bible is some sort of treatise on capitalism and Jesus an early venture
capitalist. The fact that just the opposite appears to be true is thus very surprising. The book of Acts has
two explicit passages depicting the very communistic nature of the early Christian community:

“All that believed were together, and had all things in common; And sold their possessions and goods,
and parted them to all men, as every man had need.” (Acts 2:44-45)

“There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and
brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each
as any had need. There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name
Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”). He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought
the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” (Acts 4:34-37)

These passages both pertain to one of the major events in the NT, the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on
the Day of Pentecost following Jesus' resurrection. Jews of the Diaspora came from all over the
Roman Empire to Jerusalem on this feast day, and on this occasion were able to hear Peter's speech
after the tongues of fire fell upon the 120 in the upper room. Many thousands were converted in a few
days, and stayed longer than they had expected in Jerusalem, to receive more information and be
discipled by the 12 apostles and others who had been with Jesus personally. To provide for these out-
of-towners, the local believers pooled their money and possessions, as the verses described.

However, there had not been a general abolition of private property, as the words of Peter to Ananias
and Sapphira in Acts 5:4 shows: “While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it
not in your own control?...”

There were extensive restrictions and regulations placed on private property and business in the Law of
Moses, but there was really no community property in Isreal, except perhaps the Tabernacle and later
the Temple and its grounds, but even those were the responsibility and care of a particular tribe, the
Levites. In the NT, the exhortations to generosity are meaningless if what is given is not one's own,
because to give away what one does not own is not costly, and so does not reflect the generosity of God
in giving His most precious possession, His Son.