Teachings,+the+secret+message+of+Jesus+(2)

The political message of Jesus
(Kai Stormwalker)

(An) “American-born pastor was being interviewed on British television. The interviewer asked him why so many Christians in America unquestioningly supported the U.S. war in Iraq, when that foreign policy (the interviewer felt) was so clearly against the teachings of Jesus. The American pastor seemed surprised and a little offended, so the interviewer explained, “Jesus talked about peace and reconciliation, turning them other cheek, walking the second mile, that sort of thing. How do you reconcile that with your war?” The pastor hesitated a moment and then replied, “Well, the teachings of Jesus are personal. They have nothing to do with politics and foreign policy.” When I heard this story, a chill crept up my neck as I remembered saying similar things myself many years ago. Whatever you think about war in general and the Iraq war in particular, questions about the public dimensions of Jesus’ teachings are worth asking.”

- Brian D. McLaren

A. Do you think the teachings of Jesus are just personal or are they more than that? Why or why not?

Read Isaiah 9:6,7; 2:4

There were basically four political groups among the Jews of Jesus’ day. They were:

1. Zealots - believed that the status quo was unacceptable and wanted to violently overthrow Roman rule.

2. Herodians & Sadducees - believed that the only way to get by was to cooperate with Rome.

3. Essenes - believed that the only way to please God was to separate themselves from the sinful world and create an alternative society in the desert.

4. Pharisees - believed that God would send Messiah to deliver them if only they would live purer lives. They put the blame for everything on prostitutes, drunks, deviants, and other sinners.

B. Are there groups in the world today who reflect some of the same ideas as these different groups?

C. What might some of them be?

What stand did Jesus take?

1. Like the Zealots, Jesus agrees that the status quo is unacceptable. 2. Like Pharisees, Herodians and Sadducees Jesus agrees that violent overthrow of the Romans isn’t the answer, instead he calls his followers to peacemaking and meekness. 3. Unlike the Pharisees, Jesus doesn’t believe in condemning sinners. In fact, he spends quite a bit of time hanging out with them (which would appall the Essenes). He even goes so far as to tell his followers that the Pharisees won’t enter the kingdom of God and if they want to enter it, they must surpass the Pharisees in their pursuit of goodness. Even prostitutes will enter the kingdom of God before the Pharisees. 4. Unlike the Essenes, Jesus calls his followers to be in the world but not of the world. They are to let their light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. In other words Jesus’ followers are to be an example to the world around them.

Jesus challenges every existing political movement to a radical rethinking and dares everyone to imagine and consider his revolutionary alternative.

D. So how should we, as Christians, be similar to or different from the:

a. Zealots? b. Herodians & Sadducees? c. Essenes? d. Pharisees?

E. Does this differ from the way we have been taught in church?

F. How?