--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The market economy is deeply congruent…" description: "\"The market economy is deeply congruent with the values set out in the Hebrew Bible. Material prosperity is a divine blessing. Poverty crushes the spiri..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe4/jonathan-sacks-2788_bible_the-market-economy-is-deeply-congruent-w_92035.png" --- # The market economy is deeply congruent with the values set… ![“The market economy is deeply congruent with the values set out in the Hebrew Bible. Material prosperity is a divine blessing. Poverty crushes the spirit as well as the body, and its alleviation is a sacred task. Work is a noble calling.” quote by Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe4/jonathan-sacks-2788_bible_the-market-economy-is-deeply-congruent-w_92035.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe4/jonathan-sacks-2788_bible_the-market-economy-is-deeply-congruent-w_92035.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe4/jonathan-sacks-2788_bible_the-market-economy-is-deeply-congruent-w_92035.png) > “The market economy is deeply congruent with the values set out in the Hebrew Bible. Material prosperity is a divine blessing. Poverty crushes the spirit as well as the body, and its alleviation is a sacred task. Work is a noble calling.” [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Hebrew Bible frames economic activity as a moral endeavor, where prosperity is blessed, poverty is a spiritual wound, and work is dignified. **In simple terms:** Biblical view of economy Key Takeaway Work is sacred Themes economics religion ethics prosperity poverty Mood reflective hopeful serious Type philosophical theological When to use this quote - faith‑based NGOs - economic policy debates - community outreach Key Concepts theology social justice Practical Applications - ethical investing - social entrepreneurship Questions to Reflect On - How do religious values shape economic policy? - Can prosperity be both material and spiritual? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Blessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blessing/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Crush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crush/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Hebrew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hebrew/) [Hebrew bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hebrew-bible/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Judaism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judaism/) [Market economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/market-economy/) [Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperity/) [Sacred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacred/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [The Hebrew Bible contains multiple provisions to ensure that no one would go hungry. The corners of the field, forgotten sheaves of grain, gleanings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/the-hebrew-bible-contains-multiple-provisions-to-ensure-that-no-one/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [I have no patience for those who say that poverty is a blessing. Poverty is the greatest curse on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mcdonald/i-have-no-patience-for-those-who-say-that-poverty-is-a-blessing/) [Roger McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mcdonald/) > [“Only 8000 different words appear in the Hebrew Bible, compared to the 20,000 or more that the average adult needs to know in most languages.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lane-greene/only-8000-different-words-appear-in-the-hebrew-bible-compared-to-the/) [Robert Lane Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lane-greene/) > [Scholars of the Hebrew bible define something they call wisdom literature and I would say clearly the poetry of wisdom is something that comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/scholars-of-the-hebrew-bible-define-something-they-call-wisdom/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [Since I was 18 years old, I have taught the Bible. For the last fifteen or twenty years, I have taught every Sunday when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/since-i-was-18-years-old-i-have-taught-the-bible-for-the-last-fifteen/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > ['Walking the Bible' describes the year that I spent retracing the five books of Moses through the desert, and I was actually working on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/walking-the-bible-describes-the-year-that-i-spent-retracing-the-five/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [The Hebrew Bible defines Judaism. It's certainly true that the Talmudic interpretations become authoritative and normative, but they are interpretations of the Hebrew Bible.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/the-hebrew-bible-defines-judaism-it-s-certainly-true-that-the/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [Christianity and Judaism are united above all in their common affirmation and implementation of the moral teaching of the Hebrew Bible, or 'Old Testament,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-novak/christianity-and-judaism-are-united-above-all-in-their-common/) [David Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-novak/) > [The Hebrew Bible has long been the world's possession, and those who come to it by any means, through whatever language, are equals in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-ozick/the-hebrew-bible-has-long-been-the-world-s-possession-and-those-who/) [Cynthia Ozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-ozick/) > [The first book ever written in an alphabet was the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament. And the most important passage was the Ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-shlain/the-first-book-ever-written-in-an-alphabet-was-the-hebrew-bible-or/) [Leonard Shlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-shlain/) > [With the Hebrew Bible, you're living in an austere world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/with-the-hebrew-bible-you-re-living-in-an-austere-world/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [ You have miracles \[in the Hebrew Bible\], yes, but they're not the work, normally, of demons. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/you-have-miracles-in-the-hebrew-bible-yes-but-they-re-not-the-work/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [When you come to the New Testament you can't even swing a cat without hitting three demons and two spirits. And magic becomes something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/when-you-come-to-the-new-testament-you-can-t-even-swing-a-cat-without/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [The essence of the Hebrew Bible, transmitted by Christianity, is separation: between life and death, nature and God, good and evil, man and woman,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-essence-of-the-hebrew-bible-transmitted-by-christianity-is/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [My own interest is far more in the Hebrew Bible. My religion is more personally related to the Hebrew Bible than it is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/my-own-interest-is-far-more-in-the-hebrew-bible-my-religion-is-more/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) ## More by Jonathan Sacks > [We from every religion feel comfortable in Britain because there is a host. The Church of England is a good host, it has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/we-from-every-religion-feel-comfortable-in-britain-because-there-is-a/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [Food prices are often kept artificially high. The result is that the Millennium Development Goals set out by the United Nations at the start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/food-prices-are-often-kept-artificially-high-the-result-is-that-the/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [In her religious role, the Queen is head of the Church of England, but in her civic role she cares for all her subjects,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/in-her-religious-role-the-queen-is-head-of-the-church-of-england-but/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [Man was not made for the service of economies; economies were made to serve mankind; and men and women were made - so we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/man-was-not-made-for-the-service-of-economies-economies-were-made-to/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [A perfect storm is in the making: financial uncertainty, economic downturn, government cuts, rising unemployment and a future that looks less clear the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/a-perfect-storm-is-in-the-making-financial-uncertainty-economic/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [“To whom is an international corporation answerable? Often they do not employ workers. They outsource manufacturing to places far away. If wages rise in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/to-whom-is-an-international-corporation-answerable-often-they-do-not/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [A survey carried out across the U.S. between 2004 and 2006 showed that frequent church- or synagogue-goers are more likely to give money to charity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/a-survey-carried-out-across-the-u-s-between-2004-and-2006-showed-that/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [The Holocaust survivors are among the most inspiring people I have had the privilege to meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/the-holocaust-survivors-are-among-the-most-inspiring-people-i-have/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [Jews read the books of Moses not just as history but as divine command. The question to which they are an answer is not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/jews-read-the-books-of-moses-not-just-as-history-but-as-divine/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [What I find fascinating about Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights we celebrate at this time of the year, is the way its story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/what-i-find-fascinating-about-hanukkah-the-jewish-festival-of-lights/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [Find people not to envy but to admire. Do not the profitable but the admirable deed. Live by ideals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/find-people-not-to-envy-but-to-admire-do-not-the-profitable-but-the/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [The message of Passover remains as powerful as ever. Freedom is won not on the battlefield but in the classroom and the home. Teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/the-message-of-passover-remains-as-powerful-as-ever-freedom-is-won/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [Which European leader today would not relish the wonder-working powers of a Moses? Budget deficit? Unpopular cuts? How about just a little miracle, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/which-european-leader-today-would-not-relish-the-wonder-working/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [The twenty-first century is, and will remain, the Age of Insecurity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/the-twenty-first-century-is-and-will-remain-the-age-of-insecurity/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [Volunteering has been undervalued in Britain for a long time. Often it has been seen as a kind of cut-price, amateur version of work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/volunteering-has-been-undervalued-in-britain-for-a-long-time-often-it/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) [Explore all 150 Jonathan Sacks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) Robert A. Peterson > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) Stephen Taylor > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) Walsham How > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? Heaven is referred to in fifty-four of the Bible's sixty-six books, and the final two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/what-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-heaven-heaven-is-referred-to-in/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The market economy is deeply congruent with the values set out in the Hebrew Bible. Material prosperity is a divine blessing. Poverty crushes the spirit as well as the body, and its alleviation is a sacred task. Work is a noble calling.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jonathan Sacks" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/the-market-economy-is-deeply-congruent-with-the-values-set-out-in-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/the-market-economy-is-deeply-congruent-with-the-values-set-out-in-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe4/jonathan-sacks-2788_bible_the-market-economy-is-deeply-congruent-w_92035.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe4/jonathan-sacks-2788_bible_the-market-economy-is-deeply-congruent-w_92035.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe4/jonathan-sacks-2788_bible_the-market-economy-is-deeply-congruent-w_92035.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The market economy is deeply congruent with the values set out in the Hebrew Bible. Material prosperity is a…” — Jonathan Sacks", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jonathan Sacks", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The market economy is deeply congruent...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/the-market-economy-is-deeply-congruent-with-the-values-set-out-in-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/the-market-economy-is-deeply-congruent-with-the-values-set-out-in-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```