Part of the way John the Baptist prepared people for Jesus Christ was repentance from financial sin. The rich was to now give directly to the poor.
This is very foreign to our sinful nature, especially our religious nature. Religious people are trained to think completely contrary to this (most Americans). And so we overlook this aspect of Johns ministry.
We think John the Baptist just preached about gross blatant sin. But money sin was a big part of his preparation of the people.
We are taught that tithes are the virtuous way to manage our money, but it is not.
Some of these Pharisees were probably professional tithers yet snubbed the poor, probably took from them in various ways, perhaps “employed” them with lousy wages, then they decided that their poorness was their own fault, they were cursed. Or at least they were not good enough to be blessed by God…like them.
“And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do? And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise. “Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.””
Luke 3:10-14 ESV
John has much to say about money and the kingdom that he was ushering into the earth. This new kingdom has an entirely new and righteous way to think of manage money. In summary that new kingdom way is sharing (the opposite of hoarding), it is working so we have something to give rather than stealing, and contentment with our pay.
