Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’ And the disciples were perplexed at these words. (Mark 10: 23-24)
The Greek translated as wealth is chrema. Given the context, this may be precisely the meaning that Jesus intended.
But chrema can have a very broad scope. It more literally means "a practical thing." In some Greek texts it implies necessity.
In Aristotle chrema is something that is consumed or used up. The philosopher distinquishes chrema from the more essential and persistent ousia.
A Greek reading an original manuscript of Mark's gospel might understand Jesus as referring to those preoccupied with consumables or those busy with practical affairs.
Both Jesus and Aristotle warned that we should not confuse doing and being: once our practical needs are fulfilled, we should focus on more essential and fulfilling goals.
The Greek translated as wealth is chrema. Given the context, this may be precisely the meaning that Jesus intended.
But chrema can have a very broad scope. It more literally means "a practical thing." In some Greek texts it implies necessity.
In Aristotle chrema is something that is consumed or used up. The philosopher distinquishes chrema from the more essential and persistent ousia.
A Greek reading an original manuscript of Mark's gospel might understand Jesus as referring to those preoccupied with consumables or those busy with practical affairs.
Both Jesus and Aristotle warned that we should not confuse doing and being: once our practical needs are fulfilled, we should focus on more essential and fulfilling goals.
posted by Didymus | 4:33 AM
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