Joachim Jeremias in his valuable...
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Joachim Jeremias in his valuable book, Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus, told of the ostentation of the wealthy in those days. In the temple there was a chamber of secrets where the rich could give anonymously. Evidently many preferred public display as a way of self-commendation and this is probably behind the words of Jesus on the giving of alms. Retrieve from your shelves or the public library J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, and search out the incident where two self-effacing nuns collecting for charity draw Holden Caulfield's thoughts to the way his girlfriend's aunt goes about her service at the charity bazaar. It is a devastating commentary on the way self interest and ego can get mixed into our giving and service. -- Kolsti
