Jesus as Politician
By: Rev. Jesse Amiel A. Ramoso
There is a wild dilemma for Christians and we are divided or subdivided about political philosophies about our brothers and pastors running for political power in our government. Therefore, I felt burdened to write this article about politics based on the Bible and the political life of Jesus.
It is a poor Theological and Hemenuetical analysis if we detached Jesus as one of the political counterpart of the Jewish leaders; this will bring us into false conclusion about Him and his ministry that we should emulate. This paper will present the political perspective of Jesus and his active involvement in the politics as reflected in the Gospel of Luke. The prophecy of Isaiah 61: 1-2 and the personal declaration of Jesus about his intention for the ministry is highly political (Luke 4: 18-19). In my thesis; based on the arguments of 18th century scholars like Harnack, Ramsay and etc; in interpreting the book of Luke as politics, based on their research, I made a new perspective about Jesus' political controversy. The prophecy and the declaration of Jesus in the Bible cannot be detached from political dynamics during his time, because the religious leaders who managed the Temple in Jerusalem was at the same time the political or top government officers. ei; Pharisees (the expert of the law), Sadducee (the aristocrats and posses highest power and owned a majority/vast land in Jerusalem). Thus, Jesus in fulfilling the prophecy he participated in politics, by confronting the corruption of these leaders. Now before judging me as cult or what so ever, I made a thesis about this and now I am confident to published my idea because this argument was already approved in the body of Christ scholarly.
Based on the thesis submitted in our school; Jesus indeed engaged in Politics but he never wanted the position and power that was offered to him. Jesus declined and denounced the power of politics when Satan in wilderness; Luke 4:5-8 offered him. It is important to understand that before Jesus inter in the ministry, he already refused to accept any nature of greed and corruptions. Though Jesus refused to accept the power and authority (Luke 4:5-8) that was offered to Him by Satan, he never neglect his political responsibility by confronting and protesting the political abused done by Jewish leaders in the form of "LAW" (called the Sabbath law). Jesus protested about this law, because it bears the name of God, but in the nature of Satan in the form (greed and corruptions).
We noticed that very time Jesus performed healing always ended up confronting and protesting the law of the Sabbath and the Jewish leaders will always plan to kill him John 5: 17-18. The miracles of Jesus (healing) does not only for doing humane responsibility of many single sick person like in this passage (Jn 5: 1-15), but rather seeing it in a bigger picture. Thus, this form of abused of the Jewish leaders through the (law of the Sabbath) was another recipient of these miracles in form of protest and challenging the power theological knowledge of the Jewish leaders and Jews in Jerusalem. Thus, if Jesus did not used the miracle to confront the law of the Sabbath, we don't have Jesus died on the cross, rose again and ascended to heaven. (more on this on my thesis)...
Now therefore, to those pastors who run for political position, I might have a question if they are doing this in Jesus way or maybe they are just submitted to the offer of Satan to Jesus in Luke 4. (If they're after for the power in political position, this is dangerous and it will lead many souls to be stumble). As a pastor, it is a risk for us to be involved in the politics, if we're there just to be an stumbling block to others (once we fail), it is huge shame to the Body of Christ. I hope and pray that they (political Christians) will not fail, or that no body has been stumbled because of them, but rather always brings glory to God. Jesus declined the power of politics, but rather confronted the politicians who abused it's power and authority. We, as the people of God should be involve always in the political agenda of our society and governments in making sure that the people of God performing its duty and responsibility as reflected in 1 Peter 2: 4-12. The people of God should condemned evil in our government specially in legislation and in the abused of power, expressed our legal rights.
We don't know how to handle our legal rights which we as Christian should unite to counter the evil in our society. Political candidacy is just one way to influence society, but there are many ways that we can help the poor and our government and make difference for God. It is not necessary for us to be in the politics, for there is a thin line between a pure intentions as called by God or and the call in Satan in the form of greed in power and fame Luke 4: 5-8. Churches itself cannot be exempted in politics, indeed in the Bible, politics was a crystal clear common abused by priest and pastors or in any form of highest religious leaders. We also be on guard to ourselves that we will not fall into greed and power in politics even in our church that we lead. Those pastors and our brothers runs for political power and can maintain their spiritual maturity in realm of politics, (I will call this invincible and impossible) but, if they are for God's will ordained for that aspects, then the end will justify the means; always good. That means will always bring glory to God and not shame to us the people of God in our society. However, even inside our church, there is a power struggles and fightings for powers and fame. We don't need to be in the politics of the government, if in our church we handle leadership with visible corruptions and greed; shame on us, we're accepting the offer of Satan in Luke 4: 5-8. However, we can be like Jesus if we counter and oppose those who are corrupt leaders by bringing the glory of God through powers of the HOly Spirit through miracles, healing and in wisdom of the Word. For the mean time, I would always maintain to Jesus philosophy of politics; (declined to be in political power, but rather be a critics to political abuse).
To our beloved pastors and brothers run in candidacy, be sure I cannot see any form of greed and abuses once you are in the power, for God ordained me to confront those who are in political power that will bring violence and abuses using the name of God. God bless to all of us, vote with the wisdom of God.
sources:
picture: http://howardjkoepka.com/2010/11/02/christians-politics-strange-bedfellows/
There is a wild dilemma for Christians and we are divided or subdivided about political philosophies about our brothers and pastors running for political power in our government. Therefore, I felt burdened to write this article about politics based on the Bible and the political life of Jesus.
Based on the thesis submitted in our school; Jesus indeed engaged in Politics but he never wanted the position and power that was offered to him. Jesus declined and denounced the power of politics when Satan in wilderness; Luke 4:5-8 offered him. It is important to understand that before Jesus inter in the ministry, he already refused to accept any nature of greed and corruptions. Though Jesus refused to accept the power and authority (Luke 4:5-8) that was offered to Him by Satan, he never neglect his political responsibility by confronting and protesting the political abused done by Jewish leaders in the form of "LAW" (called the Sabbath law). Jesus protested about this law, because it bears the name of God, but in the nature of Satan in the form (greed and corruptions).
We noticed that very time Jesus performed healing always ended up confronting and protesting the law of the Sabbath and the Jewish leaders will always plan to kill him John 5: 17-18. The miracles of Jesus (healing) does not only for doing humane responsibility of many single sick person like in this passage (Jn 5: 1-15), but rather seeing it in a bigger picture. Thus, this form of abused of the Jewish leaders through the (law of the Sabbath) was another recipient of these miracles in form of protest and challenging the power theological knowledge of the Jewish leaders and Jews in Jerusalem. Thus, if Jesus did not used the miracle to confront the law of the Sabbath, we don't have Jesus died on the cross, rose again and ascended to heaven. (more on this on my thesis)...
Now therefore, to those pastors who run for political position, I might have a question if they are doing this in Jesus way or maybe they are just submitted to the offer of Satan to Jesus in Luke 4. (If they're after for the power in political position, this is dangerous and it will lead many souls to be stumble). As a pastor, it is a risk for us to be involved in the politics, if we're there just to be an stumbling block to others (once we fail), it is huge shame to the Body of Christ. I hope and pray that they (political Christians) will not fail, or that no body has been stumbled because of them, but rather always brings glory to God. Jesus declined the power of politics, but rather confronted the politicians who abused it's power and authority. We, as the people of God should be involve always in the political agenda of our society and governments in making sure that the people of God performing its duty and responsibility as reflected in 1 Peter 2: 4-12. The people of God should condemned evil in our government specially in legislation and in the abused of power, expressed our legal rights.
We don't know how to handle our legal rights which we as Christian should unite to counter the evil in our society. Political candidacy is just one way to influence society, but there are many ways that we can help the poor and our government and make difference for God. It is not necessary for us to be in the politics, for there is a thin line between a pure intentions as called by God or and the call in Satan in the form of greed in power and fame Luke 4: 5-8. Churches itself cannot be exempted in politics, indeed in the Bible, politics was a crystal clear common abused by priest and pastors or in any form of highest religious leaders. We also be on guard to ourselves that we will not fall into greed and power in politics even in our church that we lead. Those pastors and our brothers runs for political power and can maintain their spiritual maturity in realm of politics, (I will call this invincible and impossible) but, if they are for God's will ordained for that aspects, then the end will justify the means; always good. That means will always bring glory to God and not shame to us the people of God in our society. However, even inside our church, there is a power struggles and fightings for powers and fame. We don't need to be in the politics of the government, if in our church we handle leadership with visible corruptions and greed; shame on us, we're accepting the offer of Satan in Luke 4: 5-8. However, we can be like Jesus if we counter and oppose those who are corrupt leaders by bringing the glory of God through powers of the HOly Spirit through miracles, healing and in wisdom of the Word. For the mean time, I would always maintain to Jesus philosophy of politics; (declined to be in political power, but rather be a critics to political abuse).
To our beloved pastors and brothers run in candidacy, be sure I cannot see any form of greed and abuses once you are in the power, for God ordained me to confront those who are in political power that will bring violence and abuses using the name of God. God bless to all of us, vote with the wisdom of God.
sources:
picture: http://howardjkoepka.com/2010/11/02/christians-politics-strange-bedfellows/
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