Jesus Christ stayed completely out of politics

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Among the strange blossoms of newly drafted gospels is the claim that Jesus Christ was politically active and even strongly rebuked the “rulers of this world” and showed them the right path. Perhaps a pipe dream of those who would like to see church and state as one again.

A Synthetic Political Proximity

During His ministry as a human being, Jesus Christ showed the “powerful of this world” the true path of love and put the rulers in their place. These and similar claims are heard and read again and again. It’s as if Jesus Christ wandered from royal house to royal house, actively involved in everyday politics. It’s a mystery what foundation these stories are supposed to be based on. This at least requires considering the accounts in the New Testament as untrue and relying on third-party accounts. For there is no indication in the Bible itself that Jesus Christ was politically active at all.

When Jesus Christ was lured into a rhetorical trap by Pharisees as to whether it was right to pay taxes to Caesar, Jesus Christ replied according to Mark 12:17:
“And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.“

That was it. Political contacts, if one can even call them that, were still present during the confrontation between Jesus Christ and Pontius Pilate. The latter questioned Jesus on various charges. A brief presentation before Herod Antipas followed. This, however, only took place in the context of Jesus’ impending condemnation and crucifixion.

When arguments run out

Citing Matthew chapter 23, in which Jesus Christ gives the Pharisees a rebuke, as evidence of Jesus’ political engagement with the rulers of this world seems rather helpless here. The Pharisees were religious leaders in Judah, not political actors. While their contacts with the occupying power, Rome, were relatively close, they were nevertheless the priestly caste. And this in an area that appears merely a small speck on the world map. Anyone who argues that the Pharisees are the “rulers of the world” has truly run out of arguments.

Church & State – The Ideal for Rome

The union between church and state, on the other hand, is a desired state of affairs for the Roman Catholic Church. A constellation explicitly undesired by God. This is further illustrated by the symbolic language, especially in the Book of Revelation. Chapter 17 speaks of a woman (whore) and an animal. This is the counterpart created by the Adversary to the union between Jesus Christ and His people. Jesus Christ the Bridegroom, and His people the Bride. Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, and His people also human. The whore, as an apostate church, enters into a union with an animal. Human and animal is a completely unfortunate constellation, completely incompatible, and also suspiciously close to what emerged as fornication in Sodom and Gomorrah.

Jesus Christ was completely apolitical.

Jesus Christ neither acted politically nor preached politics. He also had no connections to any governmental institutions. The claim that Jesus Christ was associated with political figures can therefore almost only be born out of the wishful thinking of allowing such a connection between church and state to flourish.

There are certainly writings, such as the Babylonian Talmud, in which Jesus (of Nazareth) is said to have close political connections. Today, as with other rather unflattering references to Jesus, they are smoothed over by claiming that they were entirely different people. However, ecumenism is ultimately all-encompassing and demands compromises.

Accordingly, such apologists who accuse Jesus of political engagement are also reluctant to believe Paul’s words in Romans 13 that God’s people must also submit to the authorities. For they are appointed by God and will also be deposed by Him. This reveals the unbearable state of “competition” for them, since they themselves, guided by the “prince of this earth,” want to hold the political-religious scepter in their own hands. A claim that has already become ingrained in their own minds like a delusion. Thus, the announced end of this unfortunate activity (Revelation 18:19,20) is simply ignored. Already depicted in the book of Daniel, chapter 2, as the stone not loosed by human hands that completely shattered the statue (Daniel 2:34).

Set Limits of the Apolitical

But there are also clear limits to obedience to man-made authorities, Acts 5:29:
“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.“

If a conflict arises between ecclesiastical and political laws and the law of God, the question of whose law one follows should actually be answered. The people of God will not be able to avoid politics; after all, they are completely surrounded by it, whether they want it or not. However, followers of Jesus are not called to actively participate in everyday political life. Especially not when the connection between church and state is once again in sight. Clear lines must be drawn here, for temptation does not come with a sledgehammer, but rather through the tempting creation of a supposed need that people then want to have met at their own request.

Keep dividing lines clearly visible

One only needs to read the passage in Revelation 13, about the awarding of the mark of the beast, carefully to realize that this mark will not be imposed so much as it will be placed on people’s foreheads or hands. (Info).

Anyone who takes a supposedly politically engaged Jesus Christ as their role model at this point is on the verge of blurring this clear line between God’s will and the will of His earthly adversary. The distinction becomes all the more difficult, until no differences can be recognized anymore. One has fallen straight into the trap.

Jesus Christ will assume Kingship over this (still) fallen world as well. This will be completely independent of whether His great adversary and his vassals like it or not, whether they want to accept it or simply block it out due to cognitive dissonance. It has been announced, and it will come to pass. The justice of God will be proven before the first of the last seven plagues has fallen. Thus, the final hour of the deceiver and the father of lies on earth has struck.

Bible verses from King James Version (1611)