Considering the present political controversy within the Church of Christ over President Trump and his policies, especially that concerning immigration, it would be amiss, if Christians didn’t at least try to understand what Jesus thought about the politics of his day, and what part he may have played in that political climate. Whenever the subject comes up that concerns religion and politics, I can’t help remembering an incident that occurred in a beloved church I used to attend (I moved away). The incident involved my younger daughter in Sunday school, which was one created for the young adults, vis-à-vis old enough to graduate from school, but still too young to vote. My party affiliation is Republican, but my daughter held more liberal views, and, if permitted to vote at the time, she would have voted as a Democrat. I was surprised that, in the course of a discussion in her class, one of the young men, concerning whom I had great respect, told her that he couldn’t understand how she could think she was Christian and be a Democrat, or hold liberal political views.
Is this where we are in Christ? While I can understand rebuking or being rebuke over taking a political stand—liberal or conservative, I find it hard to believe that taking such a stand would bring my Christianity into question.
The political factions of Jesus’ day were Pharisees and Sadducees, in Judea and Herod Antipas in Galilee,[1] although both the Pharisees and the Sadducees had some influence in Jewish behavior in Galilee, as well. However, in Judea, the Sadducees and Pharisees also governed the Jews under Rome. The governing body was the Sanhedrin, and the Sadducees had more seats in that body, but the Pharisees had greater influence with the people. Some cooperation was need between all three factions, and it would be wrong to say that politics had no effect on Jesus’ ministry. How he delt with that is another matter.
Jesus came preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, which could be misunderstood as a call for insurrection. In fact, this is exactly what Jesus was accused of doing, when the Jewish authorities handed him over to Pilate for crucifixion (Luke 23:1-2). Earlier in his ministry, Jesus sent his disciples on a mission to preach the Gospel throughout Galilee (Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-6), and they created such a stir that Herod began to wonder about him and desired to see Jesus (Luke 9:7-9). Now, Herod had beheaded John the Baptizer about this same time, and John’s disciples took his body, buried it and went to Jesus and told him with occurred (Matthew 14:12).
Immediately after the return of the Twelve, Jesus took them to a deserted place out of the realm of Herod Antipas to Bethsaida just over the border to Herod Philip’s realm of authority (Luke 9:10), thus avoiding any political backlash that might occur. Bethsaida is where Jesus fed the 5000 plus women and children with not much more than young boy’s lunch (John 6:1-9). When the multitude was fed and realized what Jesus had done, they immediately tried to make him king, but Jesus didn’t allow it and fled into the mountain after sending his disciples away in a boat to go to the other side of the lake (John 6:14-17; cp. Mark 6:45). Thus, Jesus avoided getting involved in another political event, and this one could have, indeed, escalated into a violent insurrection, if he didn’t act quickly.
Notice, when Pilate first began questioning Jesus, he asked him, if he were a king (John 18:33). Jesus replied with a question, which should have given Pilate his answer, as far as seeking to create an insurrection is concerned. Jesus asked him, if his question was, because Pilate had heard of Jesus, vis-à-vis do his records show Jesus was a troublemaker, or had others told Pilate about him, by way of an accusation (John 18:34). Pilate seemed to be insulted with the question, and probably misunderstood, so Jesus told him his Kingdom wasn’t of this world, vis-à-vis he wasn’t a political threat to Caesar. If he were a threat, his disciples would have fought to prevent the Jewish authorities from arresting him.
Thus, wherever we look in Jesus’ ministry, although his ministry was affected by the politics of his day, he didn’t play the part of a political mover and shaker independently or by currying the favor of any of the political factions of his day. He avoided confrontation wherever possible, and he refused to participate in politics, even when events ended in bloodshed (cp. Luke 13:1-3).
Knowing this, how is it that white Evangelical Christianity has curried the favor of the Republican party, specifically that of Donald Trump, to help it bring about the end of abortion in America? Where in the word of God could anyone find and show evidence that Jesus would have done such a thing. Evangelical Christianity has only corrupted their Christian witness in the eyes of their political opponents. Thus, for the sake of a political/moral issue, which should be decided by the Gospel anyway, and not the state, the Evangelical Church, has seriously damaged everyone’s Christian witness.
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[1] See my earlier study, Beware of the Leaven of Donald Trump!
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