Usury : $b a scriptural, ethical and economic viewElliott, Calvin
Religion
Usury : $b a scriptural, ethical and economic view
Elliott, Calvin
Usury
Again, the year of Jubilee was a kind of legal time limit to debts.
All obligations were then cancelled. No debt could be collected. The
selfish Hebrew feared to make a loan shortly before Jubilee lest it
should not be repaid promptly and his claim would become worthless.
Deut. 15:9: "Beware that there be no thought in thy wicked heart,
saying, The seventh year, the year of release is at hand; and thine
eye be evil toward thy poor brother, and thou givest him naught; and
he cry unto the Lord against thee and it be sin unto thee." In his
heart the old Hebrew might have a desire to press his claim but the
law protected the debtor. This law for the release of the debtor from
the payment of principal without interest is completed so as to
require sincere and hearty forgiveness.
Our Lord taught his disciples to ask for forgiveness of God only as
they forgave their debtors, Matt. 6:12: "And forgive us our debts, as
we forgive our debtors." The commercial terms here used show this to
be the completion of the law as touching the creditor and his released
debtor.
3. Again, he broke down the artificial barriers, the distinction of
Hebrew and Gentile, Greek and Barbarian, bond and free.
The love and sympathy and helpfulness among men was no longer to be
limited to such narrow bounds, but must be wide as the race. "Who is
my neighbor?" is so answered that every man must be neighbor to every
other man, and the object of his care and help. All are of one blood,
and all God's children. He gave one law for all classes and conditions
in all times. He so expounded the old commandments and so condensed
them, that they became the one law of love. Whosoever is governed by
supreme love to God, and loves his neighbor as himself, has fulfilled
the law. He would thus bind all men together, and all to the throne of
God, by the one bond of love.
But he further intensified the obligations of love, by his own special
command. John 15:12: "This is my commandment, that ye love one
another, as I have loved you." And he adds it to the decalogue, John
13:34: "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another as
I have loved you that ye also love one another." This new command
requires that men shall love their brethren above themselves and be
ready to sacrifice for their welfare. As he gave his life, so also he
commanded that men should sacrifice for their fellows.
Those who hear his voice and have the spirit of obedience go to the
ends of the earth, and make any sacrifice that may be required for the
uplifting of fallen men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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