The time for the political Jesus

There is not just one Jesus that is found in the Bible, but two. They stand side by side and sometimes they are intermingled. The story of the public, political Jesus begins before a synagogue gathering in Galilee as reported in both the gospel of Mark and the gospel of Luke. Jesus declares that the new day has arrived. In both accounts it is a declaration about this world, the Kingdom of God on earth. The story ends in Jerusalem when Jesus is executed on a cross by Roman officials on a charge of insurrection. His life between the two events is a record of very political preaching and storytelling with political implications.

The story of Jesus’ death for the sins of the world begins in the Matthew and Luke gospels with his virgin birth in Bethlehem and concludes with four accounts of his death and resurrection in Jerusalem and a later ascension into the heavens. What is the truest interpretation? Did Jesus die for the sins of the world, or did he die because of his political activities? Was he truly an insurrectionist? Was he a special son of God, sent into the world to die for the sins of the world? Sometimes Christians have decided to embrace both, but more often than not, they have embraced the theological Jesus and turned away from him as a highly committed social and political reformer.

Here in the United States, our founding fathers decided to try something different. Our founding documents bar government from interfering with religious organizations and religious activities. These same documents do not say a single word about barring religious institutions, organizations and persons from full participation in the affairs of government. Religious persons and churches can speak truth to the powerful without any fear of reprisal.

I am one of a minority of Christians in the United States, who believes we must recognize the political and social teachings of Jesus and speak truth to those in elected office. We Christians have been silent too long and are suffering the consequences. I have a short list of Jesus’ teachings that need to be forcefully and plainly spoken in our present age.

FIRST ON MY LIST IS THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS THAT WEALTH IS DANGEROUS AND THOSE WHO PURSUE WEALTH AS A LIFE PRIORITY ARE EVIL. He made this plain in his first speech in Galilee. He declared the arrival of the Year of Jubilee. The Year of Jubilee is deeply imbedded in the Law of Moses in the Old Testament. Old Testament Law demanded that every 50 years a complete redistribution of land be made. Property that had been acquired during the previous 50 years was to be turned over to temple priests for redistribution. The law was plain. Property was not to be owned in perpetuity. Holders of land were to be stewards, not owners.

In Jesus own day, ownership of land had become concentrated in the hands of the superrich Romans and their Jewish puppets. The result was a mass of people living in poverty. They were the neighbors of Jesus. From day one of his public ministry, Jesus challenged the wealthy and championed the poor.

The present economics of America are a replica of the evil economic system of first century Palestine. Today’s American wealthy are just as evil as those who controlled the wealth of Jesus’ day. Christians need to speak truth to power about the evils of our present economic system that further enriches the wealthy and buries the poor in poverty. Trickledown economics did not work for the common good in Jesus’ day and does not work in our own day. Christians need to speak up loud and clear!

SECOND ON MY LIST OF MORAL OUTRAGES IS OUR SOCIETY’S DENIAL OF QUALITY HEALTH CARE FOR EVERY AMERICAN CITIZEN. Health care in Jesus’ day and health care today struggle for comparisons. However, Jesus was known as a healer. Jesus’ compassion, caring and kindness knew no limitations of wealth or status. Good health practices and care need to be available to the rich and the poor alike. In the Bible justice is done when the needs of all are met. Justice for all was high on the priority list of Jesus. Quality health care for all is a demand of Christian Faith.

THIRD ON MY LIST OF CONCERNS IS A FAIR AND EFFECTIVE IMMIGRATION SYSTEM. Christian ethics do not allow for fences or racial distinctions. Welcome, inclusion, and redemption are all key words in the Jesus ethic. The current efforts in America to exclude, bar and reject is offensive to the very nature of the Kingdom of God on earth. As Christians we have no power to force our ethics on the whole nation. However, we have an obligation to witness and to speak the truth to power. Racial, ethnic or economic status have no place for followers of Jesus. Our voice needs to be heard.

FOURTH ON MY LIST IS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. The air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat is everyone’s business. As a child I learned to sing “This is my Father’s world, O let me ne’er forget.”

Four concerns….wealth disparity, affordable and available health care, a just immigration policy and care for our environment….are priorities for every Christian believer.

To neglect any of the four from our witness to the world is an offence to the good news gospel of Jesus, our Christ.

The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister, who lives in Palmer, Alaska. His email address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.