The world of politics IS our world. It is incredibly difficult to go through a typical day of interactions and online activity without being BOMBARDED with some form of political activism or opinion or outrage. With political victory comes power, and with power comes authority. With authority comes the ability to shape the lives and directions of the masses. Because of where we are in the stream of time, the grip of politics is not likely to let up at all. On the contrary, it is likely to grow and dominate. So, what is our role as Christians? Should we apply ourselves to get involved so we can bring sound thinking, righteousness and integrity to the process for the greater good of all people? Or should we stay away from the whole process, knowing it is ultimately going to fall apart anyway?
Politics even back then
Israel, just as any other nation, always had to deal with political wrangling. In Jesus’ day, we find the nation was entrenched in the iron grip of Roman rule. They were allowed to govern themselves as long as they faithfully paid their taxes and didn’t cause trouble for the empire. Even under such limitations, Israel’s politics were obvious and thriving. Three of the several politically driven “ruling class” sects were: the scribes, who were experts in the Mosaic Law; the Pharisees, who were the “champions” of the written and oral Law; and the Sadducees, who strictly adhered to the five books of Moses. While these three groups, along with others, worked together, they also spent a lot of time debating over their disagreements.
What about today?
We as Christians need to know what kind of role to play in today’s political environment. The best place to start is to look at the role Jesus played in his day. This is a fascinating investigation. Not only were there political gyrations in the ruling class, but there were also other subgroups that developed as a result of Roman rule. Two of these groups - the Publicans, who were tax collectors for Rome - and the zealots, who wanted to overthrow Rome - also stirred the pot. So, what did Jesus do with all of these groups? How did they treat him, and how did he act towards them? What can we learn from all of this?
Check out our August 5, 2024 podcast, “Should Christians Be Politically Driven?” for answers. We define each of these groups and examine how they looked at Jesus. Remember, in many ways Jesus was a rebel in his day and was NOT generally well-received by those with influence. In fact, many ruling class groups ended up seeking to kill him, as they saw him as a direct threat to their positions. This one conclusion should have us pause and consider as we look at our political world today. Are the Christian principles we stand for today as strong and integrity driven as Jesus displayed? Join us for this intriguing and challenging look at Jesus, politics and our stand as modern-day Christians!
