Economy in the Bible: Galilee, Polarization, and Jesus’ Economic Theology

This study explores the economic dimensions of early Christianity, with a particular focus on Galilee, which served as the central region for Jesus’ ministry. The essay is structured into three main sections. First, it reevaluates Minjung theology and its portrayal of Galilee as predominantly impoverished, a perspective originally shaped by the historical context of resistance against military dictatorship within the South Korean context. Second, it critically assesses archaeological interpretations that highlight Galilean prosperity during the early Christian period, often overlooking the underlying complexities of economic disparity within the region. Finally, this study introduces a sociological model that balances these contrasting perspectives, providing a more nuanced understanding of Galilee’s polarized economic landscape that Jesus and his followers encountered. This dual economic context underpins an interpretation of Jesus’ economic theology as a form of pastoral theology that addresses the needs of both the affluent and the marginalized, advocating for voluntary sharing as a means to achieve communal equity.