Jesus Was a Liberal

His comment was upsetting me on at least two fronts. First, Paul doesn't believe in Jesus, thinks Christianity to be outdated and hypocritical, that Jesus teachings are irrelevant in light of science and social mores of today.

Still, my friend had no problem pulling Jesus' name out of a hip pocket during a discussion, as if his statement was some sort of trump card. I had a brief, private conversation with him later and listened to what he knows of Jesus. Some of his understanding is accurate. But it is not enough to determine Jesus' political leanings. I gave him a copy of the gospel of John that I had available. He didn't thank me but he did take it, and I said a silent prayer he would read it.

His attempt to co-opt Christ for a political agenda ceased to bother me as I realized he was partially correct. As I examine what I know of Jesus' life and teachings I can certainly understand someone concluding Jesus was a liberal. But then....

Jesus was most certainly counter-cultural. At a time when the petty criminal by today's standards might have been put to death, Jesus risked His reputation by openly associating with them, welcoming them to a new type of faith, faith based on forgiveness. Sounds pretty liberal to me. His parables developed characters that have influenced modern cinematic themes, yet would have shocked and outraged His audiences.

One such parable concerns a certain son we call the prodigal. Most audiences of today accept the teaching of forgiveness and welcoming the appropriately recalcitrant young man back into the family. After all, who has not gotten sideways with their family once or twice. But in the context of Jesus' day a son who behaved so shabbily toward his father would have been stoned to death under Mosaic law. Ok. That makes the forgiveness all the more touching.

Near the end of the story, however, Jesus' audience would have gasped in disbelief. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son..." (Luke 15:20) To Jesus audience that was unthinkable. The patriarch NEVER ran. Period. This goes far beyond liberal forgiveness.

Jesus included women in his ministry at a time when women were mere possessions. In fact, any man of means owned several. By elevating them to positions in His ministry Jesus was making a statement about the value of women. Mary and Martha are referred to repeatedly throughout the gospels, and Jesus loved them. Yet he allowed their brother Lazarus to die, causing Mary and Martha great suffering, to accomplish His purpose. (John 11:9-12:1) I don't think that sounds liberal.

What else can I conclude about Jesus's leanings from His life and teachings? Jesus never mentioned homosexuals, and I think that is telling. I won't condemn if the Son of God doesn't. But He was firmly against divorce. "What God has joined together, let man not separate." (Matt 19:6). Jesus reached across racial borders. The parable of The Good Samaritan teaches charity across racial lines (the Samaritans, while Jews, were despised for their ethnic difference) but stops short of social welfare.

Jesus stopped the stoning of an adulterous woman (under Mosaic law a righteous kill) then commanded her to stop her misbehavior. Jesus regularly spoke out against adultery. This same Man who preached non-violence, liberal pacifism, "If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." (Matt 5::39) was provoked to anger and, "... he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area... he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables." (John 2:15) "How dare you turn my Father's house into a market" sounds conservative to me.

To return to my friend Paul's original statement, "Jesus was a liberal," I would also point out that since He rose from the dead the statement is grammatically incorrect. Jesus Is a liberal, I am convinced of that. But He has very conservative values.