
The Maker Versus the Takers
What Jesus Really Said About Social Justice and Economics
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $13.75
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
William Sarris
-
By:
-
Jerry Bowyer
About this listen
A close reading of the Gospels, taking history and archaeology into account, demolishes the myth of a socialist Jesus.
Theologians virtually ignore the economic commentary in the Bible. In the few cases where it gets any attention, economic commentary in the Gospels and other New Testament writings tend to lapse into simplistic class-warfare nostrums. Liberation theologians import Marxism wholesale (but they try to sell it retail) into theology. Academic historians of first-century Palestine/Judea have been pushing an account of a poor peasant Jesus leading a poor peasant's revolt based on the idea of mass displaced workers in Lower Galilee. The problem is the actual archaeological findings paint a picture of an industrious and entrepreneurial economy during Jesus' time there. Reading the Gospels in light of archaeology and history, which are now available to us, gives us a very different picture than the one you've been told regarding what Jesus taught about work and money.
©2020 Jerry Bowyer (P)2020 eChristianListeners also enjoyed...
-
Strange New World
- How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution
- By: Carl R. Trueman, Ryan T. Anderson - foreword
- Narrated by: Carl R. Trueman
- Length: 5 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How did the world arrive at its current, disorienting state of identity politics, and how should the church respond? Historian Carl R. Trueman discusses how influences ranging from traditional institutions to technology and pornography moved modern culture toward an era of "expressive individualism." Investigating philosophies from the Romantics, Nietzsche, Marx, Wilde, Freud, and the New Left, he outlines the history of Western thought to the distinctly sexual direction of present-day identity politics and explains the modern implications of these ideas.
-
-
Read and reread
- By Daniel on 04-04-22
By: Carl R. Trueman, and others
-
Letter to the American Church
- By: Eric Metaxas
- Narrated by: Eric Metaxas
- Length: 5 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Turning the other cheek does not mean standing by while the enemies of God dismantle Christian civilization and brainwash our children. Decrying the cowardice that masquerades as meekness, Eric Metaxas summons the Church to battle. An attenuated and unbiblical “faith” based on what Bonhoeffer called “cheap grace” has sapped the spiritual vitality of millions of Americans. Paying lip service to an insipid “evangelism,” they shrink from combating the evils of our time. Metaxas refutes the pernicious lie that fighting evil politicizes Christianity.
-
-
Buy a physical copy of this book
- By Kaitlin Kalkwarf on 10-05-22
By: Eric Metaxas
-
The Unseen Realm
- By: Dr. Michael S. Heiser
- Narrated by: Gordon Greenhill
- Length: 15 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Unseen Realm, Dr. Michael Heiser examines the ancient context of scripture, explaining how its supernatural worldview can help us grow in our understanding of God. He illuminates intriguing and amazing passages of the Bible that have been hiding in plain sight. You'll find yourself engaged in an enthusiastic pursuit of the truth, resulting in a new appreciation for God's word.
-
-
But the paper book.
- By garth jeffcoat on 05-26-18
-
Live Not by Lies
- A Manual for Christian Dissidents
- By: Rod Dreher
- Narrated by: Adam Verner
- Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn famously said that one of the biggest mistakes people make is assuming totalitarianism can't happen in their country. Many American Christians are making that mistake today, sleepwalking through the erosion of our freedoms. Live Not by Lies will wake them and equip them for the long resistance.
-
-
A Must Read For All Christians!
- By Chuck B. on 10-02-20
By: Rod Dreher
-
Supernatural
- What the Bible Teaches About the Unseen World and Why It Matters
- By: Dr. Michael S. Heiser
- Narrated by: Gordon Greenhill
- Length: 3 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Who were the sons of God? Who were the Nephilim? Where do angels fit into the supernatural hierarchy? Why did God find it necessary to have the Israelites destroy the populations of entire cities man, woman, and child? What relation does Jesus bear to the rest of the supernatural world? Dr. Michael S. Heiser tackles these questions and many more in his books Supernatural and The Unseen Realm.
-
-
Careful
- By Erin Underwood on 02-06-18
-
The Truth and Beauty
- How the Lives and Works of England's Greatest Poets Point the Way to a Deeper Understanding of the Words of Jesus
- By: Andrew Klavan
- Narrated by: Andrew Klavan
- Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The words of Jesus can be as mysterious as they are familiar. For those seeking greater understanding of the Gospels through storytelling and poetry comes this book by Andrew Klavan, who chronicles his own inspiring, late-in-life journey to achieve a fresh perspective and deep connection to Jesus' most well-known and complex biblical passages.
-
-
Keep writing non-fiction AK
- By The Wirths on 04-10-22
By: Andrew Klavan
-
Strange New World
- How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution
- By: Carl R. Trueman, Ryan T. Anderson - foreword
- Narrated by: Carl R. Trueman
- Length: 5 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How did the world arrive at its current, disorienting state of identity politics, and how should the church respond? Historian Carl R. Trueman discusses how influences ranging from traditional institutions to technology and pornography moved modern culture toward an era of "expressive individualism." Investigating philosophies from the Romantics, Nietzsche, Marx, Wilde, Freud, and the New Left, he outlines the history of Western thought to the distinctly sexual direction of present-day identity politics and explains the modern implications of these ideas.
-
-
Read and reread
- By Daniel on 04-04-22
By: Carl R. Trueman, and others
-
Letter to the American Church
- By: Eric Metaxas
- Narrated by: Eric Metaxas
- Length: 5 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Turning the other cheek does not mean standing by while the enemies of God dismantle Christian civilization and brainwash our children. Decrying the cowardice that masquerades as meekness, Eric Metaxas summons the Church to battle. An attenuated and unbiblical “faith” based on what Bonhoeffer called “cheap grace” has sapped the spiritual vitality of millions of Americans. Paying lip service to an insipid “evangelism,” they shrink from combating the evils of our time. Metaxas refutes the pernicious lie that fighting evil politicizes Christianity.
-
-
Buy a physical copy of this book
- By Kaitlin Kalkwarf on 10-05-22
By: Eric Metaxas
-
The Unseen Realm
- By: Dr. Michael S. Heiser
- Narrated by: Gordon Greenhill
- Length: 15 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Unseen Realm, Dr. Michael Heiser examines the ancient context of scripture, explaining how its supernatural worldview can help us grow in our understanding of God. He illuminates intriguing and amazing passages of the Bible that have been hiding in plain sight. You'll find yourself engaged in an enthusiastic pursuit of the truth, resulting in a new appreciation for God's word.
-
-
But the paper book.
- By garth jeffcoat on 05-26-18
-
Live Not by Lies
- A Manual for Christian Dissidents
- By: Rod Dreher
- Narrated by: Adam Verner
- Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn famously said that one of the biggest mistakes people make is assuming totalitarianism can't happen in their country. Many American Christians are making that mistake today, sleepwalking through the erosion of our freedoms. Live Not by Lies will wake them and equip them for the long resistance.
-
-
A Must Read For All Christians!
- By Chuck B. on 10-02-20
By: Rod Dreher
-
Supernatural
- What the Bible Teaches About the Unseen World and Why It Matters
- By: Dr. Michael S. Heiser
- Narrated by: Gordon Greenhill
- Length: 3 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Who were the sons of God? Who were the Nephilim? Where do angels fit into the supernatural hierarchy? Why did God find it necessary to have the Israelites destroy the populations of entire cities man, woman, and child? What relation does Jesus bear to the rest of the supernatural world? Dr. Michael S. Heiser tackles these questions and many more in his books Supernatural and The Unseen Realm.
-
-
Careful
- By Erin Underwood on 02-06-18
-
The Truth and Beauty
- How the Lives and Works of England's Greatest Poets Point the Way to a Deeper Understanding of the Words of Jesus
- By: Andrew Klavan
- Narrated by: Andrew Klavan
- Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The words of Jesus can be as mysterious as they are familiar. For those seeking greater understanding of the Gospels through storytelling and poetry comes this book by Andrew Klavan, who chronicles his own inspiring, late-in-life journey to achieve a fresh perspective and deep connection to Jesus' most well-known and complex biblical passages.
-
-
Keep writing non-fiction AK
- By The Wirths on 04-10-22
By: Andrew Klavan
-
The Experience of God
- Being, Consciousness, Bliss
- By: David Bentley Hart
- Narrated by: Tom Pile
- Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Despite the recent ferocious public debate about belief, the concept most central to the discussion "God" frequently remains vaguely and obscurely described. Are those engaged in these arguments even talking about the same thing? In a wide-ranging response to this confusion, esteemed scholar David Bentley Hart pursues a clarification of how the word "God” functions in the world’s great theistic faiths.
-
-
The clearest thinking I have heard in ages.
- By Carlos Miranda on 06-17-15
-
Religion of the Apostles: Orthodox Christianity in the First Century
- By: Stephen De Young
- Narrated by: Stephen De Young
- Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rev. Dr. Stephen De Young, creator of the popular The Whole Counsel of God blog and podcast, traces the lineage of Orthodox Christianity back to the faith and witness of the apostles, which was rooted in a first-century Jewish worldview. The Religion of the Apostles presents the Orthodox Christian Church of today as a continuation of the religious life of the apostles, which in turn was a continuation of the life of the people of God since the beginning of creation.
-
-
The first Christians did not “invent” anything
- By Petar Jovanovic on 06-24-21
By: Stephen De Young
-
Seven Men
- And the Secret of Their Greatness
- By: Eric Metaxas
- Narrated by: Tom Parks
- Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Written in a beautiful and engaging style, Seven Men addresses what it means (or should mean) to be a man today, at a time when media and popular culture present images of masculinity that are not the picture presented in Scripture and historic civil life. What does it take to be a true exemplar as a father, brother, husband, leader, coach, counselor, change agent, and wise man? What does it mean to stand for honesty, courage, and charity, especially at times when the culture and the world run counter to those values?
-
-
Wow this is spectacular
- By Cameron Gerken on 04-06-20
By: Eric Metaxas
-
The Age of Entitlement
- America Since the Sixties
- By: Christopher Caldwell
- Narrated by: Christopher Caldwell
- Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A major American intellectual makes the historical case that the reforms of the 1960s, reforms intended to make the nation more just and humane, instead left many Americans feeling alienated, despised, misled - and ready to put an adventurer in the White House. Christopher Caldwell has spent years studying the liberal uprising of the 1960s and its unforeseen consequences. Even the reforms that Americans love best have come with costs that are staggeringly high - in wealth, freedom, and social stability - and that have been spread unevenly among classes and generations.
-
-
Do laudable ends justify unconstitutional means?
- By LBJ on 02-08-20
-
The Autobiography of George Müller
- By: George Müller
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 15 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Through faith in the Lord Jesus alone can we obtain forgiveness of our sins and be at peace with God; but, believing in Jesus, we become, through this very faith, the children of God; have God as our Father; and may come to him for all the temporal and spiritual blessings we need. When he trusted in an extraordinary God, George Müller discovered endless possibilities and helped thousands of people throughout his lifetime.
-
-
Impactful book
- By Justin Hamacher on 06-23-16
By: George Müller
-
Mysteries of the Messiah: Audio Bible Studies
- Unveiling Divine Connections from Genesis to Today
- By: Rabbi Jason Sobel
- Narrated by: Jason Sobel
- Length: 2 hrs and 15 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this six-session Audio Bible Study, Rabbi Jason Sobel uncovers connections between the Old Testament and New Testament that are vital in giving us a complete picture of God's plan for sending Jesus into the world as the Messiah. In the Gospel of Luke, we read how Jesus revealed this connection to two disciples on the road to Emmaus.
-
-
Love this audio book❣️❣️❣️
- By 4whirledpeas2 on 05-13-21
-
The Word of Promise Audio Bible—New King James Version, NKJV: Complete Bible
- By: Thomas Nelson Inc.
- Narrated by: Jason Alexander, Joan Allen, Richard Dreyfuss, and others
- Length: 98 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With an original music score by composer Stefano Mainetti (Abba Pater), feature-film quality sound effects, and compelling narration by Michael York and the work of over 500 actors, the The Word of Promise Audio Bible will immerse listeners in the dramatic reality of the scriptures as never before. Each beloved book of the Bible comes to life with outstanding performances by Jim Caviezel as Jesus, Richard Dreyfuss as Moses, Gary Sinise as David, Jason Alexander as Joseph, Marisa Tomei as Mary Magdalene, Stacy Keach as Paul, Louis Gossett, Jr. as John...
-
-
Lovely...needs a section guide. I made one
- By A. Lee on 08-29-16
-
The Right Side of History
- How Reason and Moral Purpose Made the West Great
- By: Ben Shapiro
- Narrated by: Ben Shapiro
- Length: 6 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
America has a God-shaped hole in its heart, argues New York Times best-selling author Ben Shapiro, and we shouldn't fill it with politics and hate.
-
-
As an atheist
- By Benjamin on 03-27-19
By: Ben Shapiro
-
Jesus
- Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium
- By: Bart D. Ehrman
- Narrated by: Tom Parks
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this highly accessible discussion, Bart Ehrman examines the most recent textual and archaeological sources for the life of Jesus, along with the history of first-century Palestine, drawing a fascinating portrait of the man and his teachings. Ehrman shows us what historians have long known about the Gospels and the man who stands behind them. Through a careful evaluation of the New Testament (and other surviving sources, including the more recently discovered Gospels of Thomas and Peter), Ehrman proposes that Jesus can be best understood as an apocalyptic prophet.
-
-
I must read for those whose wanting to expand their insight from a single perspective (devotional) to include historical
- By RGO on 11-25-19
By: Bart D. Ehrman
-
The New Testament
- By: Bart D. Ehrman, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Bart D. Ehrman
- Length: 12 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Whether taken as a book of faith or a cultural artifact, the New Testament is among the most significant writings the world has ever known, its web of meaning relied upon by virtually every major writer in the last 2,000 years. Yet the New Testament is not only one of Western civilization’s most believed books, but also one of its most widely disputed, often maligned, and least clearly understood, with a vast number of people unaware of how it was written and transmitted.
-
-
If you want a balanced overview this is not it
- By Amazon Customer on 02-27-16
By: Bart D. Ehrman, and others
-
Debt - Updated and Expanded
- The First 5,000 Years
- By: David Graeber
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 17 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here, anthropologist David Graeber presents a stunning reversal of conventional wisdom: He shows that before there was money, there was debt. For more than 5,000 years, since the beginnings of the first agrarian empires, humans have used elaborate credit systems to buy and sell goods - that is, long before the invention of coins or cash. It is in this era, Graeber argues, that we also first encounter a society divided into debtors and creditors.
-
-
Transformative to the point of being revolutionary
- By James C. Samans on 08-14-16
By: David Graeber
-
The Jewish Gospel of John
- Discovering Jesus, King of All Israel
- By: Eli Lizorkin-Eyzenberg
- Narrated by: Dr. Eli Lizorkin-Eyzenberg
- Length: 10 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Jewish Gospel of John is not, by any standard, another book on Jesus of Nazareth written from a Jewish perspective. It is an invitation to the listener to put aside their traditional understanding of the Gospel of John and to replace it with another one more faithful to the original text perspective. The Jesus that will emerge will provoke you to rethink most of what you knew about this gospel.
-
-
A timely revisiting of John's gospel of grace
- By Dr. Tim on 06-13-16
What listeners say about The Maker Versus the Takers
Highly rated for:
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Richard
- 02-24-22
Great research; interesting presentation
I heard Mr. Bowyer interviewed on a podcast and was intrigued by his thoughts and the obvious research into biblical records and customs. As I read the book, I was impressed with the author's respect for the Scriptures and his skill in letting one Scripture interpret other Scripture. This book is one I've already recommended. I will continue to reread this book as I use it for reference in teaching the Bible.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 09-15-20
Very thought provoking
Absolutely loved it. Gave me new eyes on reading the Bible. Can't help but use the temporal analyses to help see our political situation today in new light. What would Jesus say and do in our time? This book is a keeper. Worth re-reading again and again. It also is inspiring me to re-read the gospel accounts in full with my new eyes. 👀
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- The Romans
- 03-14-22
Very insightful, instructive and relevant
The author provides a very strong case for the free enterprise system from a biblical perspective by providing strong combination of historical and scriptural references. Very instructive.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Andrew
- 01-19-21
Great Read!
This book has helped shaped how I as a Christian should view economics and justice and understand what Jesus was saying about these issues during His time.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Daniel Hyde
- 06-02-22
Fascinating!
What a fantastic opportunity to dig into an under-observed perspective. Yes, Jesus and the OT talk about wealth and poverty plenty, but did we ever stop to think about who the audience is? Where (and to which class) does he say what, and what does that teach us about His true message? The hearers at the time did not have the problem we have today…they had context. This looks at the historical world through the lens of the biblical authors along with some background historical events from other historians of the time. Great read, will challenge you in a good way. Disagree with the author’s position? Great! Go chase down the same passages and see for yourself, nothing here is hidden.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 03-21-22
Good thoughts on the biblical economy
I enjoyed it, I'm going to have to read it again. There's a lot in there
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Haley Waldrop
- 08-02-23
Awesome
I had this book on my wish list for a while. When I got it I regretted not getting it sooner.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 05-20-21
The Makers Versus The Makers
I Loved the whole book. It was fascinating to get a Christian economic perspective, of Jesus and the cities he went to. I would recommend this book to all, especially Christian. We need to see that Jesus is all and that includes an economic perspective of Jesus thoughts compared to the ruling classes. This should be a best seller.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Teresa Whitaker
- 02-04-22
Interesting approach
I learned so amazing things reading this book nothing I’ve ever heard from the pulpit nor my fellow Christian friends. It is helpful to expand one’s understanding of the day and life of those in the first century. I love this
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 01-13-24
Wonderful unveiling of 1st century economics
Enlightening historical look at 1st century socio-political dynamics that brings to light the teachings of Jesus on wealth.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!