Sullivan church of Christ – Sullivan, MO
Date: November 6, 2005
In Light of Matthew 25:27 and Luke 19:23, Would It Be Right To
Accept Interest On Our Bank Account?
Ben Justice
Matthew 25:27 and Luke 19:23 are parallel verses, although the context of these
verses is different. Matt. 25:27 was spoken in connection with the parable of the
talents and Luke 19:23 was spoken in connection with the parable of the
pounds. Sometimes people confuse these two parables. However, they differ in
a number of particulars.
Matt. 25:27 reads, “Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers,
and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.”
Luke 19:23 reads, “Wherefore then gavest not thou my money in the bank, that at my
coming I might have required mine own with usury?”
Jesus condemned the one talent man in Matt. 25:27 for having hid his talent in
the earth (Matt. 25:25). The term “usury” simply means “interest.” The one
talent man could have at least put his talent in the bank and let it draw
interest. Now, the question is, “Is it permissible for churches to draw interest
on their bank account?” I can’t see how such would be wrong, since the church
has not went into business to make a profit. Don’t banks give interest?
Essentially then, receiving interest on a bank account amounts to a “free-will
offering” by the bank. The church hasn’t asked for it or solicited it in any way. It
was gladly given by the bank. Now, this point must be stressed: If a
congregation is looking to make money on their bank account then such would be
sinful, for the church is not in the money-making business. This would be an
abuse of the gift of the bank. Again, the church doesn’t ask for or solicits it; the
bank gladly gives it. The same is true when someone who is not a member of
church gives into the collection plate. The church has not asked for them to give
it, but they gladly gave it. The same is true with the bank.
WHEN DID PAUL DIE?
Ben Justice
Acts 27-28 form a unit. Chapter 27 begins Paul’s voyage to Rome. In chapter 28,
Paul arrives in Rome. Paul did not go as a free man, but as a prisoner. While in
Rome, he was incarcerated. Acts 28:16 states, “And when we came to Rome, the
centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to
dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.” The centurion was the one who was
in charge of the ship. One is impressed with the centurion’s treatment of Paul.
Paul didn’t have to stay with the criminals. However, a soldier did keep him.
While in prison, Paul was given opportunity to preach. According to v. 23, “he
expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both
out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.”
Luke, the inspired historian, stated in v. 30-31, “And Paul dwelt two whole years
in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, (31) Preaching the
kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with
all confidence, no man forbidding him.” The word “dwelt” is past tense. Implied is
this: Paul dwelt in prison two whole years, and then his imprisonment ended. In
other words, Paul was released after the two years. Evidently, the Roman Judge
found Paul to be innocent. This seems to be the natural conclusion, since all
the previous Roman judges had found nothing against Paul (see Acts 23:29; 24:
26; 25:18, 25; 26:30). If Paul was condemned, then it is certainly strange that
Luke did not mention it. The fact is, Paul was released from prison after the two
whole years had ended. This is attested from Paul’s own writings of which we
have in our possession. During Paul’s two-year imprisonment, he wrote 4
epistles, maybe 5. We call these “prison epistles.” They are: Ephesians (see 3:
1; 4:1; 6:20), Philippians (see 1:7, 12-14, 16), Colossians (see 4:3, 18), and
Philemon (see v. 1, 9-10, 13). If Paul wrote Hebrews, it would have also been
during this two-year period. As is revealed in the “prison epistles,” Paul
expected to be released from prison. According to Phil. 1:26, Paul anticipated
that he would be able to visit the Philippian church again. He said in Phil. 2:24,
“But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.” In Philemon 22, Paul
wrote, “But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I
shall be given unto you.” Paul would not have made these sorts of statements if
he did not believe that he would be released. The question is, “What did Paul do
after his release from prison and where did he go?” There is no question that
Paul did a lot of traveling after his release. Paul wrote the letters of I Timothy
and Titus sometime during his travels. We learn from I Tim. 1:3 that Paul “went
into Macedonia.” According to Titus 1:5, Paul was on the island of Crete where
he left Titus behind to “set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in
every city.” According to Titus 3:12, Paul had planned on staying in Nicopolis for
the winter.
Exactly what happened to Paul, we can’t be certain of all the details. One thing
we know for certain is that Paul was arrested again and put back in prison. It
was here that he suffered martyrdom. The book of 2 Timothy was written during
his final imprisonment. While Paul was optimistic about being released from
prison the first time, as is revealed in 2 Timothy, he was not optimistic this
time. Notice what he said in the following verses:
2 Tim. 1:8 — “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me
his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power
of God;”
2 Tim. 1:12 — “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not
ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep
that which I have committed unto him against that day.”
2 Tim. 4:6-8 — “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at
hand. (7) I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
(8) Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also
that love his appearing.”
2 Tim. 4:18 — “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve
me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
It seems from what Paul said in 2 Tim. 4:16-18 that this is in reference to his
hearings before a Roman judge, in which he defended himself, as he always had.
It has been suggested that Paul was arrested in Troas, because his personal
items were left behind. He told Timothy in 2 Tim. 4:13, “The cloak (coat) that I left
at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but
especially the parchments.” These are things that one doesn’t leave behind,
unless they are forced to leave them behind.
Paul was murdered for his unwavering faith in the Christ. This, by the way, is
one of the greatest evidences for the validity of Christianity. Even though Paul’s
body was “sown in corruption,” it will one day be “raised in incorruption” (I Cor.
15:42). Although we bid Paul a farewell, it is not a final farewell, because on that
resurrection morning, we shall meet again on the shores of eternal bliss, where
we all will be able to experience the glories of all that heaven has to offer. And
so, as brother Wayne Jackson rightly noted, “The end of the story, however, is
not in Rome, but rather in heaven” (Wayne Jackson, The Acts of The
Apostles, Pg. 398).