"Silver or gold I do not have"

[KingZzub]

Thomas Aquinas missed it on a lot of areas. Lamenting the lack of miracles in the church probably wasn't one of them!

 

[WileyCoyote]

Act 3:6 Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."


I'm curious to hear opinions on this passage as to why Peter had no money.

This is an easy one, and it has been answered by a couple of people in this thread already. They didn't have any money on them. But that doesn't mean they were broke.

"After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. "When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house." (Luke 10:1-7)

This was the way Jesus taught the disciples to minister. Go out two by two (Peter and John), taking nothing with them. When they were among the people, they would minister to their needs and stay at someone else's house and eat whatever the person gave them. The reason they were told to take nothing with them was because a "worker was worthy of his wages". They would work by ministering to the people in exchange for food and housing. They were not poor, however. You cannot leave gold, silver, tunics, sandals behind if you don't have it to leave behind.

Also in the previous chapter (Acts 2), the disciples performed many miracles in the temple courts and the people there ate, drank and sold their possessions and gave to anyone in need. It was a time of great fellowship and giving. Not one person was left wanting or in need. Considering the fact that not one person was left in need after all this giving, how poor could Peter and John really have been seeing as how both were present in the temple courts when all this giving was taking place?

So my conclusion is that they didn't have money because they left their money behind. Just like they probably left their extra sandals, tunics, etc etc behind as well. This is the way Jesus taught them to minister.

 

[Always in His Presence]

My guess is that the beggar did not pick and choose whom he would ask alms from. He asked alms from everyone, just like panhandlers do today. Apparently, Peter and John had nothing in a material way to give the beggar—silver and gold I do not have.

~Jim

“We were made not primarily that we may love God but that God may love us. ~C.S. Lewis​

well at least you backed up your guess with opinion.

In all my travels I have never once seen a begger asK someone for money, who was not dressed better than he was.

 

[JimB]

well at least you backed up your guess with opinion.

In all my travels I have never once seen a begger asK someone for money, who was not dressed better than he was.

You haven’t?

Well, I have. I was coming home from work at a nasty job I once had on an assembly line. I looked like a beggar: unshaven, worn out boots, filthy torn clothes, and I stopped at a convenience store in my ancient Volkswagen to get a pack of cigarettes and was approached by a panhandler who needed money to get a bus ride to Victoria TX. He was dressed better than I was (and probably smelled better) but he did not hesitate to ask for a handout.

~Jim

“We were made not primarily that we may love God but that God may love us. ~C.S. Lewis​

 

[KingZzub]

You should see some of the well dressed beggars in London!

 

[lismore]

I'm curious to hear opinions on this passage as to why Peter had no money.

Ever been to the fishermen's social club?

 

[JimB]

You should see some of the well dressed beggars in London!

In London it’s hard to tell the ranch hands from the trail boss.

London, Texas, right?

~Jim

“We were made not primarily that we may love God but that God may love us. ~C.S. Lewis​

___________________________​

 

[Always in His Presence]

You haven’t?

No, I haven't.

 

[Svt4Him]

Yes guesses abound in this thread, and so do opinions and misinterpretations of scripture, but that is what this forum is for, to discuss these things.

But you are right, it makes no difference whether Peter and John went to the temple without their wallets or not. They could have had lots of money at home or they could have been destitute—the scripture does not tell us one way or another.

~Jim

“We were made not primarily that we may love God but that God may love us. ~C.S. Lewis​

And I agree with you...for what the third time in all these years? I think if we focus on the money we miss the point of the story which was the miracle God did through them.

 

[Svt4Him]

No, I haven't.

Please Balance, be clear. Have you or haven't you?

 

[JimB]

No, I haven't.

Then I guess that proves it.

Or … maybe you just need to get out more.

~Jim

“We were made not primarily that we may love God but that God may love us. ~C.S. Lewis​

 

[Svt4Him]

I haven't either, and I do in fact spend time with the homeless/beggers. Maybe I need to get around the wealthy homeless people.

 

[Always in His Presence]

Now I've only traveled on three continents and 31 of the US states, so no, I haven't gotten around a whole lot. But in those miles and the last 30 years or so I still have never seen a poor person asking help from another person who looks poor.

 

[Frogster]

Isn't the answer obvious,instead of these silly thoughts about wallets?

There were alot of new converts and poor peoople there.So unlike todays preachers who hoard,Peter gave to those in need,and remembered the words of the Lord..

"Take no money with you."

Acts 2:44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.

 

[KM Richards]

I'm curious to hear opinions on this passage as to why Peter had no money.

Same reason I don't have money much of the time when I'm out in public...I have it in the bank, but I do carry a few debit and credit cards!

Maybe Peter had his Visa Gold card on him, but no actual cash which would have been needed since the beggar didn't accept credit cards

(just kiddin around 'bout Peter having a credit card, but they probably
had something similar in that day)

The reason Jesus told them to not take any money with them was because God was going to be meeting their every need, so they wouldn't have to pay for anything.

 

[JimB]

Hmmm. Lots of theories in this thread as to why Peter didn’t take an offering, not even a denarius, to the Temple during the hour of prayer. I love this one. It was in the First National Bank of Jerusalem.

~Jim

On Mount Moriah, it was not Isaac God wanted – it was Abraham.​

 

[probinson]

Hmmm. Lots of theories in this thread as to why Peter didn’t take an offering, not even a denarius, to the Temple during the hour of prayer.

Since all we have are theories, this is probably the only theory that finds even a smidgen of scriptural support;

Mark 6:8 (NIV)
These were his instructions: "Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts.
​

 

[Frogster]

There was alot of poverty in the first century church In Jerusalem.Peter and the rest were certain to give,rather than receive.

The money went to help people,such as widows,as recorded in Acts 6,and 1 Timothy 5.

It is highly likely,that Peter was poor too,by way of living in that location,or by giving to the other poor Christians.

 

[Always in His Presence]

Hmmm. Lots of theories in this thread as to why Peter didn’t take an offering, not even a denarius, to the Temple during the hour of prayer. I love this one. It was in the First National Bank of Jerusalem.

~Jim

On Mount Moriah, it was not Isaac God wanted – it was Abraham.​

That's what opinions are.

 

[KM Richards]

Hmmm. Lots of theories in this thread as to why Peter didn’t take an offering, not even a denarius, to the Temple during the hour of prayer. I love this one. It was in the First National Bank of Jerusalem.

~Jim

On Mount Moriah, it was not Isaac God wanted – it was Abraham.​

I never said the Temple was a bank...I said Peter doesn't walk around carrying all the money he has in life on his person.

They had what amounted to banks (it wasn't the Temple) and some simply hid any money they had for safe keeping.

Jesus didn't have any money...cause He had a treasurer to keep it for Him. I find it really strange that someone who is supposed to be poor (everyone thinks Jesus was poor) having a treasurer, don't you?

In my younger days, I was really poor and even spent about 3 years living in a camper on the back of my pickup truck (I felt quite prosperous at the time just having a vehicle cause I know other homeless guys who had nothing!)....and I had no need of having someone take care of my money, cause I had none.

People make such a big deal about money, and those are usually the ones that are having God's Word choked out of their lives by the deceitfulness of riches (see Mark 4:14-20) because they spend alot of time focusing on other people having money and are jealous (they really wish they had some!)

Money is nothing more than a tool to get things done (services) and to get things (goods). These things (including the money it takes to buy these items) in of themselves aren't evil if they are properly managed and handled as tools to do good with rather than worshipped as a god and kept in the forfront of one's thinking all day long. There's a ton of stuff money can't help you with, so true wealth isn't having a bunch of money even though having money is a small part of it.

It's much better to take a balanced approach to money instead of getting off in the ditch on one side (we should have just enough to barely get by), or get off in the ditch on the other side (we should have so much money, it's OK to lie and steal and whatever...just git me some money!)