1/3 of the “horizontal” commandments are about respecting private property. And here are some NT quotes - clearly God is conservative and not a socialist:
2 Thes 3:6-12
6In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching[a] you received from us. 7For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. 10For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”
11We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat.
Eph 4:28
Those who are stealing must stop stealing and start working. They should earn an honest living for themselves. Then they will have something to share with those who are poor.
2 Corinthians 9:7
7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Good references.
In the parables, Jesus several times uses examples involving “contract law”; for example, between workers and landlords. I think that sometimes these are misinterpreted, as if they were instructions for doing such matters differently. After some thought, one realizes that it most cases Jesus is pointing out that the principle he is illustrating is simply NOT like the familiar relationship. He is making a contrast. But nowhere does he say that the traditional economic relationships themselves are wrong. He uses economic things as illustrations, because of their familiaty to his listeners; but economics is plainly not his focus.
Jesus also said many things in the form of hyperbole. This is a very simple, obvious turn of speech, and yet many Christians (even pastors) don’t seem to see what a simple matter this is, and get all tangled up in a literalism which betrays an inability to read with intelligence. There are two main rhetorical forms used in the Sermon on the Mount: paradox, and hyperbole. If you understand those, everything falls into place. Why does Jesus say that the meek shall inherit the Earth? Because it is a paradox, and a paradox does three things: it gets your attention; it makes you think; and it causes you to remember. In this case, he is saying that his way is not the way of force or compulsion (and the Roman soldiers standing around were a constant reminder of that principle). He was not saying that the meek literally would or should take over secular society in some sort of mass-movement, as called for in the first line of the Internationale.
One last point: in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus several times makes it clear that his expectations are very modest. That is, he does not expect very many people to understand and follow his Way; we might say, to “get it.” He predicts that if you try to explain his teachings to people who are not receptive, they will viciously attack you. Too true! He specifically says that the traditional Jewish law should be followed (which we do not do).
Would a revolutionary say that “not a jot or tittle” should be changed? No way!
Would a revolutionary say that his true followers will always be a very small minority? No way! (Revolutionaries always imagine that their approach will soon be universal, made so by force, if necessary.)
So those who try to call Jesus a revolutionary are merely projecting their own, modern attitude. Oddly, they sometimes view their ideas as a great discovery, and themselves as experts in theology, “professing themselves wise ...”
We should be careful not to try to impress our own ideas on Jesus. Let him speak for Himself, and let us listen.
And that also means that we are on our own in fields not addressed by the Bible, such as geology, biology, economics, medicine, Chinese cooking, computer technology, auto mechanics, &c. Surely we are supposed to figure out some things for ourselves!