Jesus' Teaching on Politics and Social Justice in America
Jesus' Teachings on Politics and Social Justice
Jesus' teachings on politics and social justice are rooted in his broader message of the Kingdom of God. As recorded in Matthew 9:35, Jesus went about teaching in synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing the sick [1]. This Kingdom message is central to understanding Jesus' views on politics and social justice.
Biblical Foundations
Jesus' teachings on social justice are grounded in the biblical tradition. The law given through Moses emphasized justice, with commands to act justly in various aspects of life, including judgment, commerce, and treatment of the poor and vulnerable [2]. Jesus' teachings built upon this foundation. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus presented a vision of righteousness that goes beyond mere legalism, emphasizing reconciliation, forgiveness, and love for enemies (Matthew 5:23-26, 38-42) [3, 4].
Reconciliation and Non-Retaliation
Jesus taught his followers to prioritize reconciliation and to forgo personal retaliation. In Matthew 5:38-42, Jesus instructs his disciples not to resist evil but to turn the other cheek, give to those who ask, and go the extra mile [4]. This teaching is not necessarily a guide for all of life, including politics, but rather a call to forgive and forgo personal rights as God has forgiven.
Allegiance to Jesus
Jesus' teachings also emphasize the priority of allegiance to him over allegiance to family or other earthly authorities. In Matthew 10:34, Jesus says he came not to bring peace but a sword, indicating that his message would bring division [5]. This division is not about promoting violence but about the priority of one's relationship with Jesus.
Justice and Righteousness
The concept of justice is central to Jesus' teachings. In Matthew 7:12, Jesus teaches the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," which is a principle of righteousness towards others [6]. This principle is an essential branch of true religion and is linked to the concept of justice.
Patristic Interpretation
Early Christian interpreters saw Jesus' teachings as promoting a different kind of activism, one focused on peace, justice, righteousness, and mercy. The beatitude "Blessed are the peacemakers" (Matthew 5:9) is understood as calling for a non-violent activism that works for justice and reconciliation [9].
Implications for Politics and Social Justice
Jesus' teachings have implications for how his followers engage with politics and social justice. While some have taken Jesus' teachings as a guide for all of life, others understand them as primarily relevant to personal relationships and the community of believers [4]. The principle that a higher obligation can absolve from a lower one is relevant here, suggesting that obligations to promote the good of the community or the Church can sometimes supersede other obligations [7].
Judgment and Accountability
Jesus also taught about the future judgment, where all nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the sheep from the goats based on their treatment of the least of his brothers and sisters (Matthew 25:31-46) [8]. This teaching emphasizes the importance of justice and compassion in the lives of his followers.
Sources
- Matthew “Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. -- Matthew 9:35”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Justice — Commanded -- De 16:20; Isa 56:1. Christ, an example of -- Ps 98:9; Isa 11:4; Jer 23:5. Specially required in rulers -- 2Sa 23:3; Eze 45:9. To be done In executing judgment. -- De 16:18; Jer 21:12. In buying and selling. -- Le 19:36; De 25:15. To the poor. -- Pr 29:14; 31:9. To the fatherless and widows. -- Isa 1:17. To servants. -- Col 4:1. Gifts impede -- Ex 23:8. God Requires. -- Mic 6:8. Sets the highest value on. -- Pr 2:13. Delights in. -- Pr 11:1. Gives wisdom to execute. -- 1Ki 3:11,12; Pr 2:6,9. Displeased with the want of. -- Ec 5:8. Brings its own”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 5:23: 5:23-26 Jesus gives two illustrations of reconciliation in community and society.”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 5:38: 5:38-42 The Old Testament permitted proportionate retribution (Exod 21:24-25; Deut 19:16-21), which was to prevent punishments from far exceeding the severity of the offense. Jesus, however, does not permit personal retaliation at all among his followers. Jesus’ way is not to insist on justice but to find victory through suffering and the cross (1 Pet 2:23). Some have taken this passage as a guide for all of life (including politics). Others understand it merely as the willingness to forgo one’s personal rights and to forgive as God has forgiven (see Matt 5:48; 1”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 10:34: 10:34-39 Allegiance to Jesus has priority over allegiance to family. 10:34 Jesus did bring peace (John 14:27), but not of a social and political kind. Instead, Jesus calls humans to make a decision about him, which brings a sword—i.e., division (see Matt 8:21-22; 12:46-50; Luke 12:51).”
- Matthew (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Matthew 7:12: Our Lord Jesus here presses upon us that righteousness towards men which is an essential branch of true religion, and that religion towards God which is an essential branch of universal righteousness. I. We must make righteousness our rule, and be ruled by it, Mat 7:12. Therefore, lay this down for your principle, to do as you would be done by; therefore, that you may conform to the foregoing precepts, which are particular, that you may not judge and censure others, go by this rule in general; (you would not be censured, therefore do not censure), Or that you may”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 51: is not invalidated by its possible or actual abuse. It has been greatly abused. Jesuits taught that the obligations to promote the good of the Church absorbed or superseded every other obligation. And, therefore, in their system not only falsehood and mental reservation, but perjury, robbery, and assassination became lawful if committed with the design of promoting the interests of the Church. Notwithstanding this liability to abuse, the principle that a higher obligation absolves from a lower stands firm. It is a dictate even of the natu”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 92: his works.” Matthew xxiv. 29-35 , teaches that when the sign of the Son of Man appears in the heavens, all the tribes of the earth shall mourn, and the elect shall be gathered in 848 Matthew xxv. 31-46 sets forth the whole process of the judgment. When the Son of Man shall come in his glory, all nations shall be gathered before Him, and He shall separate them as a shepherd divideth the sheep from the goats; and then shall He say to those on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father; and to those on the left, Depart from me, ye cursed.”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 5:9: 5:9 This beatitude probably targeted zealots—Jewish revolutionaries who advocated the overthrow of Roman domination through violent resistance. The Messiah’s Kingdom would be established by other means. • those who work for peace: Jesus is not calling for pacifism per se, but rather a different kind of activism. • Peace is the absence of enmity and the presence of God’s salvation (Lev 26:6; 1 Sam 16:4-5; Isa 9:5-6; Zech 8:16; Eph 2:14; Col 1:20). Jesus’ disciples are to work for justice, righteousness, reconciliation, and mercy as the effects of God’s salvation th”