Download The Politics of Jesus

Changing the world through
weakness, not power
Was Jesus political?

 What were the political
issues of His day?
 Poverty
 The Economy
 War
 Racism
 Competing parties
(stories)
 What’s the question
UNDER the questions?
“Political?”

 Greek “politikos”
 Means “affairs of the
city” or “common
good”
 Concerned with the
“polis” or city
 There is ALWAYS
some transcendent
claim being made
Competing Stories

 We think in stories
 Find one we think
explains life and live out
of it
 Good and bad guys
 Conservative and liberal
 Temptation to divide the
word into US and
THEM…
 But underneath it, we all
are searching for PEACE
Stories in the

st
1
Century
 1. THE DOMINATION STORY: PEACE AND
SECURITY THROUGH BEING IN CONTROL
 “If only we were in charge!”
 2. THE REVOLUTION STORY: PEACE AND
SECURITY THROUGH VIOLENT OVERTHROW OF
OPPRESSORS.
 “If only THEY weren’t in control!”
 3. THE PURIFICATION STORY: PEACE AND
SECURITY THROUGH SHAMING/BLAMING,
SCAPEGOATING, AND EXCLUDING A MINORITY.
 “If only THOSE PEOPLE would change - or disappear.”
Stories in the

st
1
Century
 4. THE VICTIMIZATION STORY: PEACE AND SECURITY
(and identity) THROUGH PRESERVING THE MEMORY OF A
PAST INJUSTICE.
 “If only our oppressors would be brought to justice.”
 5. THE ISOLATION STORY: PEACE AND SECURITY
THROUGH WITHDRAWING FROM THE CORRUPT,
DOOMED MAJORITY.
 “If only we could be left alone to be ourselves by ourselves.”
 6. THE ACCUMULATION STORY: PEACE AND SECURITY
THROUGH ACCUMULATING POSSESSIONS IN A
COMPETITIVE ECONOMY.
 “If only we could buy, enjoy, and stockpile what we desire.”
Stories in the

st
1
Century
 1. Domination story = Caesar, Pilate (with Sadducees
and Herodians)
 2. Revolution story = Zealots
 3. Purification story = Scribes and Pharisees
 4. Victimization story = Galilean farmers,
Samaritans, “sinners”
 5. Isolation story = Essenes
 6. Consumption story = rich landowners, stewards,
“Gentiles”
Stories in the

 Domination: Us over them
 Revolution: Us versus them
 Purification: Us versus some
of us
 Victimization: Us in spite of
them
 Isolation: Us away from
them
 Accumulation: Us
competing with them
 Are these stories still at
work today?
st
1
Century










Where did Jesus land?

The Kingdom of God
Part of a long story
Genesis 1 (God is King)
Genesis 3 (Man is King)
Genesis 4 (Founding of
society)
Genesis 11 (Babel)
Genesis 12 (Abe)
Exodus (“kingdom of
priests,” a “set apart”
people”)
1 Samuel 8 (Like the nations)
Prophets (Come Back!!)
The Kingdom

 Jesus comes on the scene
and starts talking about
the “kingdom” of God
 Word means “king’s
dome”
 The place where God
reigns
 Jesus came to establish
what it would look like
when God reigns over a
life or a community
 ALWAYS looks like Jesus
31 “Your
Daniel 2

Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue,
awesome in appearance. 32 The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its
belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. 34 While you
were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay
and smashed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces
and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a
trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth 36 “This was
the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king. 37 Your Majesty, you are the king of kings. The God of
heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; 38 in your hands he has placed all
mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds in the sky. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler
over them all. You are that head of gold. 39 “After you, another kingdom will arise, inferior to yours. Next,
a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. 40 Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom,
strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will
crush and break all the others. 41 Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly
of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you
saw iron mixed with clay. 42 As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly
strong and partly brittle. 43 And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a
mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay. 44 “In the time of those kings, the
God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It
will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. 45 This is the
meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the
iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces. “The great God has shown the king what will
take place in the future. The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.”
13 ”Later
Mark 12

they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to
catch him in his words. 14 They came to him and said, “Teacher, we
know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others,
because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the
way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the
imperial tax to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”
But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?”
he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 They
brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And
whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. 17 Then Jesus said to
them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is
God’s.” And they were amazed at him.”
Matthew 17

24 ”After
Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the
collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and
asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” 25 “Yes, he
does,” he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was
the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked.
“From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and
taxes—from their own children or from others?” 26 “From
others,” Peter answered. “Then the children are exempt,”
Jesus said to him. 27 “But so that we may not cause offense,
go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you
catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin.
Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”
The Kingdom

 “My kingdom is not of this
world.”—John 18:36
 Essence NOT location
 What does this mean?
 That the ways and means of
Jesus are not like the
kingdoms we have seen
 A kingdom founded on
weakness at the cross
 The HIGH POINT of the
revelation of God, of this
HIDDEN (Col. 3) kingdom
11 Put
Ephesians 6

on the full armor of God, so that you can
take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For
our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but
against the rulers, against the authorities, against
the powers of this dark world and against the
spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that
when the day of evil comes, you may be able to
stand your ground, and after you have done
everything, to stand.
11 Put
Ephesians 6

on the whole armor of God, that you may
be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,
but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the cosmic powers over this present
darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in
the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the
whole armor of God, that you may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all,
to stand firm.
Welcome to the Machine

Systems and structures
People and problems
Sin with momentum
Think Genesis 1-3 again and
again
 Think the Matrix, the
Hunger Games, etc.
 Ecclesiastes 1:9
“What has been is what will
be, and what has been done
is what will be done, and
there is nothing new under
the sun.”
 What does Jesus say?




Pagan Time

Kingdom Time

New aeon (age)
Old age marked by fallen
powers, in which violence
checks violence
Old aeon (age)
New age marked by
suffering love and the rule
of the kingdom of God,
this is what it means to
live apocalyptically
Both are happening at the
same time right now
I’m from the future

Jesus comes into
reality as the
representative of the
New Humanity
Humanity as it is
New
Humanity
11 Therefore,
Ephesians 2

remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called
“uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in
the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from
Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the
promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you
who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he
himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier,
the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its
commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity
out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God
through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached
peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him
we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. 19 Consequently, you are no longer
foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of
his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ
Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together
and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built
together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
15 For
Ephesians 1

this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and
your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and
revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your
heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which
he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,
19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the
same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the
dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above
all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is
invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And
God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over
everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills
everything in every way.
Phil 3

12 Not
that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal,
but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But
one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me
heavenward in Christ Jesus. 15 All of us, then, who are mature should take such
a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will
make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained
17 Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you
have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. 18 For, as I have
often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as
enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their
stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.
20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there,
the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring
everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will
be like his glorious body.
Matthew 5

1Now
when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His
disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.
He said: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil
against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven,
for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 5

13 “You
are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its
saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer
good for anything, except to be thrown out and
trampled underfoot. 14 “You are the light of the world.
A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do
people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead
they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in
the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before
others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify
your Father in heaven.
Salt and Light

 The claim:
 “Jesus taught that
participation in God’s reign
requires the disciplined
practices of a Christfollowing countercultural
community that obeys God
by publicly engaging in
working for justice and
refusing to trust in the
world’s powers and
authorities.”—Kingdom
Ethics, Stassen
Salt and Light

 Entire SOM is about
obedience
 Focus is not on the salt,
but on its losing its
saltiness…
 Losing distinction and
identity from the world…
 Greek for “tasteless” can
also mean “foolish”
 Foolishness begins and
ends the SOM
Salt and Light

 Salt is used in the Bible:
purity, covenant
loyalty, seasoning…
 Giving away what is
distinct about you ruins
the salt.
 “Trampled on”
 You’re a joke. You’re
not taken seriously.
 The church today?
Salt and Light

 Isaiah 2: 1-5
 This is what Jesus is doing here
in the SOM!
 “Teach us how to live!”
 The result of all these teachings
are…set apart people doing
good deeds!
 Through serving and weakness,
not through our power!
 This is how the CHURCH is
different!
 Abortion, Health Care, etc.
 People, not issues!
 Why is this so hard?
 Control.
Love your enemies?!

 Matthew 5:38-48
 “You have heard it
said…”
 Jesus as the
authoritative
interpreter of the Law
 In context, this
command is of disciples
of Jesus not
governments
Historical Context

 The hand
 In Jewish culture, the hands
had huge significance
 Right=Clean (eating, Right
hand of God)
 Left=Unclean (didn’t eat with
this hand)
 Two ways to hit: slap or hit
 Slap was to show who was
superior
 Only hit an equal
 Could slap with the LEFT or
backhand with the RIGHT
 Both DEHUMANIZE
 Turning the cheek calls out the
system, causes confusion…
Historical Context

 Tunic and Coat
 Economy is falling apart
 Families are selling land
AND working on it to pay
debt
 2 garments: Tunic and Coat
 Deuteronomy says you can
give your coat as a pledge to
pay someone back
 Nakedness=Shame
 Noah’s sons
 These actions would bring
shame on the person
suing…
Historical Context

 Referring to Roman soldiers’
packs
 A soldier traveling through
a town could force someone
to carry their pack one
mile…
 There were laws against
allowing someone to carry
the pack more than one
mile…
 Soldiers would get in HUGE
trouble
 Who has the power now?
 Turns everything upside
down
The Third Way

 These are practical,
tangible ways to call
out inhumane systems
 Not pacifism (flight)
 Not violence (fight)
 These things, this way,
unmasks worldviews
 Provokes imagination
 Offers a chance to
restore BOTH parties!
Us vs. Them

 Most pervasive
narrative in our culture
 Demonizes
 Dehumanizes
 Distances
 Look at how
PERSONAL the
language is in this
passage
 Institutions cannot love
Why we hate this.

 Fear.
 The question is NOT, “What
will happen if everyone did
this?”
 The question is, “What will
happen if I do this and
THEY don’t.”
 Again, this is not a call to
pure pacifism
 It’s a call to be a people for
the peoples of the world
 The idol of safety
 We’ve mostly turned Jesus
into someone who looks like
us, not the man who died on
the cross
The God Who Loves Enemies

 God is the ultimate enemy
lover (Romans 5:8-10)
 Jesus was slapped, stripped,
and forced to carry a burden
that was not His own!
 He gives EVERYTHING at
the cross!
 1 Peter 2:21-25
 Luke 23:24 (Imperfect tense
there suggests he KEPT
praying it)
 Doing this humanizes
people, it brings us face to
face with their humanity
 Col. 2:13-15
Love works.

 Rwanda, South Africa,
India, Civil Rights
Movement
 Call to discipleship means to
renounce every personal
right
 Especially a convenient
restriction on love
 Where are the NEW stories
to live by?
 Myth of Redemptive
Violence?! Been there.
 Hit back harder until peace
is achieved (Dark Knight
Rises)
MLK Jr.

“Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper
darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot
drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive
out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence
multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a
descending spiral of destruction. So when Jesus says “Love
your enemies,” he is setting forth a profound and ultimately
inescapable admonition. Have we not come to such an
impasse in the modern world that we must love our
enemies– or else? The chain reaction of evil–hate begetting
hate, wars producing wars–must be broken, or we shall be
plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.”
Imagination.

 We live in a culture were
people imagine for us
 Romans 12-13
 Bracketed with LOVE
 This is different from
choosing sides, it’s choosing
to love
 Whatever that means…
 People are hurting…
 1 Peter 5:8
Be alert and of sober mind.
Your enemy the devil
prowls around like a roaring
lion looking for someone to
devour.
A Community of Imagination

 This is what the church is
called to be…
 Romans 12-13
 Transform your mind!
 1 Peter 2:9-12
 Live as aliens! HONOR
EVERYONE!
 “Christians are to live in
ways that don’t make sense
without God.”
 See things differently…
 Ephesians 2
 Is there life BEFORE death?
Allegiance to King and a Kingdom

 Exodus 32
 Read and discuss.
 They didn’t quit
worshipping Yahweh
 Acts 2
 “One is either a good
German or a good
Christian. It is impossible
to be both at the same
time”—Adolph Hitler
Practices, Reminders, and The Story

 Our stories define our
words
 Love, bike, alien, kick
 Christians have stepped
into the story of Jesus
 His story gives content to
words like “love” and
“righteousness”
 We need to be
reminded…
 This is what “church”
does…
Practices, Reminders, and The Story

 Ways of remembering…
 Practices that remind and
provoke…
 And work toward and end…
 Confrontation (Matt. 18)
 Breaking Bread (1 Cor. 11,
Acts 2)
 Giving (Luke 3, Acts 2-4)
 Love (John 13:35)
 Unity (Eph. 4, John 17)
 NOT things to do, but things
we ARE
 Gal. 2:20
Scott and Cavanaugh

“How can anyone anyone change the world and society
at its roots without taking away freedom? Can it only
be that God begins in a small way, at one single place in
the world? For there MUST be a place, visible, tangible,
where the salvation of the world can begin: that is,
where the world becomes what it is supposed to be
according to God’s plan. Beginning at that place, the
new thing can spread abroad, but not through
persuasion, not through indoctrination, not through
violence. Everyone must have the opportunity to come
and see. This place is church.”
Practices, Reminders, and The Story

 Wanted to spend time on
one practice in particular…
 Baptism
 Signifies many things:
remission of sins, gift of the
Holy Spirit, Death of the old
self, appeal of a good
conscience
 Gal 3:26-29, 2 Cor. 5:16-21,
Romans 6, Col. 2:9-15
 “Baptism was and is nothing
less than a declaration of
allegiance to God’s
transcendent kingdom and a
rejection of this present
age.”—Hicks and Valentine
Sinking Sand (Matt. 7:25-29)

Alone and Together
