Do the Rich Pay Their Fair Share? God’s Ways vs Man’s Ways

Do the rich pay their fair share of taxes? It’s not a simple question. First of all, what do you mean by rich? And how much is fair? What are the rich, whoever they are, paying now? Is there any tax rate that would be unfair? UCLA Professor of Economics, Lee Ohanian, has some fascinating and unexpected answers.

Exodus 30:14-15 (NKJV)
¹⁴  Everyone included among those who are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering to the LORD.
¹⁵  The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when you give an offering to the LORD, to make atonement for yourselves.

1 Samuel 2:7 (NLT2)
⁷  The LORD makes some poor and others rich; he brings some down and lifts others up.

Matthew 20:1-16 (NLT2)
¹  “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
²  He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work.
³  “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing.
⁴  So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day.
⁵  So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing.
⁶  “At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’
⁷  “They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’ “The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’
⁸  “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first.
⁹  When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage.
¹⁰  When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage.
¹¹  When they received their pay, they protested to the owner,
¹²  ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’
¹³  “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage?
¹⁴  Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you.
¹⁵  Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’
¹⁶  “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

1 Timothy 6:17-19 (NLT2)
¹⁷  Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.
¹⁸  Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others.
¹⁹  By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.