,”Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” John 19:10-11
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, so that they may worship me.” Exodus The Old Testament is political. There are the people of God kings, Saul, David and Solomon among many others . There are the Babylonian kings and queens. There are the Egyptian Pharaohs. The prophets rant and rail against the leaders of Israel and other nations. But, we often go to the Old Testament for verses that tell us how to live. What if the Hebrew Bible was meant for us to engage with the politics of this world. How would that change how we worship, work and act as Christians ?
The New Testament is more subtle about politics. But Jesus was killed by the Empire, the politicians. When Paul, the early church leader and theologian says ” Lord ” as a reference to Jesus, he is being political . The Emperor thought he was Lord of heaven and earth. And when John says in “Revelation” of the great Babylon whore, he is talking about the Empire. Jesus is Lord and Saviour of this world.
So, we have to be aware of the politics of our day. Who are the prophets of faith that we need to listen to today ? We cannot blindly follow a political party, and say we are following Jesus. We must be wise as a church. We must be discerning as a church. If we say nothing, we are being political, and if we say everything we are being political. But, it is our calling as the faithful people of God.
Peace and Grace.
Fred
Chaos in the winds Scattering my troubled thoughts to land soft clouds Monika Pieper Landoni 2022
