This study demonstrates, by the application of a selection of social science models on a selection of gospel passages, the usefulness of those models for better understanding the teachings of the Jesus movement on wealth and poverty and what Jesus hoped to achieve by these teachings. It shows that sociological models are generally useful for approaching the gospels because they facilitate understanding by formulating new questions about ancient material and highlighting perhaps previously unnoticed themes or concerns. It further offers the opinion that the Virtuoso Religion model is the most useful for doing this and as such will be the most useful for providing an understanding of what Jesus envisioned for the future of society in anticipation of the imminent Kingdom. The model supports Jesus’ preaching on wealth and day-to-day expressions of those opinions as methods by which he might influence the attitudes of others, especially the rich and powerful, adjusting their focus from love of wealth to love for God and neighbour.

Until recently, very little had been written directly on the problem of the New Testament kergyma. Works designed solely for the purpose of setting forth the nature of the message of the primitive preaching of the church, and the forms of the preaching of the primitive message of the church, were woefully lacking. However, in recent years there has been a return to a discussion of this problem. This thesis seeks to provide a survey of some of the literature of this recent investigation of the kergyma of the New Testament.