by Christian Education | Jun 17, 2018 | Jesus Teaches about Justice. 15 First, Jesus scrupulously avoided committing any injustice. Sex Trafficking: the Story of a Young Girl, the Problem of a Generation. Rather, they wanted a translation that would inspire reverence for those in power. Your email address will not be published. During the time of Jesus, the Temple was the religious, political, and economic center of Jerusalem. But Jesus calls us to take sides in the nonviolent pursuit of justice. Conclusion. They say that no amount of helping people will transform society and bring justice to the world, unless it is first founded upon Jesus Christ. Jesus statement put the Emperor in his place. He does not deserve your ultimate loyalty. Powered by Knownhost and the Genesis Framework. Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place. Jesus even called Herod a fox, which was not a term of endearment! Jesus lives right and makes life right with others. T he sermon on the mount has long been rightly understood as both a starting-point and a summation of Jesus ’s teaching. First, some Christians say that social justice is a perversion of the Gospel, and that rather than seek to engage in social justice issues, we should instead just preach the Gospel. So, justice in this world didn’t matter to Jesus. The people longed for a son of David to come and set things right – to bring justice to the nation. When Christians look at justice, Jesus should be our interpretive principle. The phrase “all people” is significant. Because especially in the United States, justice is associated with revenge. No Comments. 46). That word can be translated as righteousness, which has strong connotations of having a right relationship with God. Jesus indicated that the Kingdom would do away with the greatest injustice by sanctifying, or making holy, the name of Jehovah God and clearing it of all the reproach that Satan has heaped upon it since the rebellion in Eden. Jesus Teaches about Justice June 17, 2018 Background Scripture: Matthew 15:1 – 9; Mark 7:1 – 13 Lesson Passage: Matthew 15:1 – 9 Today’s lesson presents one of the many confrontations between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders recorded in the gospel accounts. In addition to the newsletter, you will receive the free "Am I Scapegoating?" PBS Teachers has a website on justice activity ideas that I found helpful. Because while the general statement is true, Jesus took sides. Jesus always had a counter for their legalistic perspectives. David made some major mistakes (Bathsheba, among others), but he also governed over one of the most prosperous times in Israel’s history. And so, this idea claims, Jesus didn’t care much about the physical realm of this world. Christians need to interpret the concept of justice through the eyes of Jesus. June 17: Jesus Teaches About Justice (Matthew 15:1-9) By Jim Eichenberger June 12, 2018 Teacher Tips. But that’s not the justice that Jesus taught. This post is part two in a series in which I "unpack" the General Rule of Discipleship. For Jesus, justice was meant to provide restoration. The “justice” for which Jesus calls his followers to thirst in the beatitudes (Matthew 5:6) speaks of life, of reconciliation, the restoration of relationships with God and with one another (same as the “justice” the Old Testament links with peace and steadfast love). Education Director, UCC pastor, husband, father of three, preaching the love of Jesus and one another, Join our weekly journey of creating peace, Aaron Rodgers: Why I Hate His Football, But Love His Theology, How Forgiveness Can Transform Our Violence and Build a World of Belonging, Toxic Christianity: 3 Things We Can Do That Will Make Jesus Cry, How to Respond to President Trump’s Blasphemy: Raven Values for Times of Crisis. Jesus said that they nullified (brought to nothing) the command of God for the sake of their tradition. But, really, I can't find many resources on the issue. Let’s look at the Sermon on the Mount. To be just is to love. It is here. He did not deserve their ultimate loyalty. What really mattered to him is that you have eternal life in the next world. God expects that justice be at the center of his covenant people. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be filled. Treat Your Parents Justly. As the biblical revelation of God makes its first climax in the Mosaic... 2. Jesus was also called “the Son of David.” David was the most important king in Israel’s history. But that is a gross misreading of Jesus. (Adapted from the Bible Expositor and Illuminator Commentary) The vested interest, or the agenda, was to translate the Bible in such a way that did not inspire the people to act with justice. 5:3-12), in which Jesus delineates the categories of people he says enjoy special favor.The Beatitudes are all familiar to us as sayings, the best known being blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. It is only because of Christ’s obedience to suffer injustice that we have an advocate before God and the forgiveness purchased by His blood. Justice is central to God’s character. It is crucial that we keep this double meaning of dikaiosune in mind. It is now. 14 Jesus did more than teach about love. "You don't have His word living in … That is, Jesus should be our interpretive principle for what justice looks like. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Jesus obeyed God unto death and became sin so that sinful men might be counted righteous. Only the authoritative voice … A life following Jesus will bring us to the most difficult corners of the world, ministering in deed and with his Word to those encountering the greatest suffering and marginalization. Furthermore, the Bible supports the notion of social justice in which concern and care are shown to the plight of the poor and afflicted (Deuteronomy 10:18; 24:17; 27:19). Thus says the Lord, “Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. In other words, Jesus cared about justice. He was concerned about every aspect of our lives – including our political, religious, and economic lives. “Scripture plus” or “Scripture minus” is no good. If you would judge Jesus Christ by some of those who profess to follow Him, you might think that Jesus would be an advocate of individuals’ expression of disdain and even hatred toward their enemies and of nations’ r… In an act reminiscent of the Jewish prophets who routinely criticized the political, economic, and religious establishments for not enacting God’s justice, Jesus went to the Temple and attempted to shut it down because it failed to enact God’s justice. Jesus’ justice was very real, but it was based on the methods of direct nonviolent action and non-retaliation. Jesus called Herod a fox because Jesus cared about the unjust political systems of his day. The Emperor thought he was a god. Jesus and social justice according to Luke Hanson and Oakman (1998) mentioned that the ruling elites during Jesus’ era sought out the backing of … Herod oversaw an unjust economy that benefited himself and his friends, while leaving the people destitute. The transition from the strict justice of the Mosaic Law to the mercy of “forgive thy enemies” in the teachings of Jesus sheds light on the glory of the Incarnation, which we are celebrating in a special way during these Christmas days, as well as on our participation in the life of Christ in the Sacrament of Penance. Jesus taught his followers that those who live good lives and follow his teachings will be rewarded with eternal life in God’s kingdom. In the original Greek, the word righteousness is dikaiosune. God’s call to holiness is based on his own... 3. And that side is always with the marginalized. For Jesus, justice was meant to provide restoration. He exposed the evil of racial prejudice by fellowshipping with Samaritans and Gentiles, and He even praised them in His teachings. As Obrey Hendricks states in his book, The Politics of Jesus, “That is why what seems to have been simply a burst of outrage against wayward merchants was in reality much, much more: it was a very public attack aimed at Israel’s center of power. Emphasizing righteousness with God, as opposed to justice for marginalized, would allow the King’s power structure to go unquestioned. Otherwise, maybe I … He only cared about the spiritual realm, or the Kingdom of God. In fact, the phrase, “Kingdom of God” is politically loaded language. Jesus was concerned about this world. Jesus emphasized restorative justice, not punitive justice. 114, emphasis in the original.). To witness to Jesus Christ in the world and to follow his teachings through acts of compassion, justice, worship, and devotion under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. But once again, that misses the whole point. e-book when you subscribe. There was no “separation of church and state” during this time. Jesus Christ and Social Justice Perhaps the most profound statement of Our Lord, linking the Incarnation with the welfare of humanity is: “I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full.”(John 10:10) Every Christian and person of good will can look to Jesus, especially because he says: „I am the light of the world; anyone who follows me will not be walking In closing, the lesson teaches us about “tradition” and “new thinking” and that our actions are to provide for humanity and not honor misconstrued laws so that we may live in the spirit of the law. Jesus enacted the Kingdom of God while living in the Kingdom of Herod and the Empire of Rome. Those were the methods of the Kingdom of Herod and the Kingdom of Rome. Luke 18:1-8: Jesus teaches His disciples to always pray and never lose heart. What Jesus stood for and the Bible teaches is justice—pursuing what is right according to what God says not what society and people say (Micah 6:8). “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Jesus taught His disciples and, through the Word of God, teaches us how to live and then how to share with others the way to become His followers. The New Testament claims that Jesus was the true king, the true Messiah. His form of justice did not involve methods of violence or war to defeat an enemy. And when we claim to follow Jesus, we are disciples of justice. The purpose of this “Christ vs. Christianity” column is to show how many churches and individuals who profess the name of Christ teach and practice things that are directly contrary to what Jesus Christ actually taught. "Justice" is a felt need in our world today and a controversial topic. Jesus also exposed the inhumanity of certain religious rules, which was a political problem in the first century because religious leaders had political power. Church Life, Practical Justice, Theology 117 Jesus was a social justice hero. But what does belong to the emperor? He sided with the poor, the weak, and the marginalized. I was doing some research this afternoon about how to teach kids about justice from a Christian perspective. But that misses the point. But what is justice, exactly, and who gets to define it? Jesus does not call us to stay above the fray in a state of neutrality. Psalm 24:1 states, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”. Rooted in both scripture and the rich tradition of our faith, Catholic Social Teaching is a guide for how to live as a people of justice and mercy. It is among you. In fact, “all his ways are justice” (Deuteronomy 32:4). The lesson explores Jesus Teachings about Justice and hypocrisy. We are not to show favouritism (James 2:8-9). Jesus [ mission on earth in his time is our mission on earth in our time. Jesus says, “For, in fact, the Kingdom of God is among you.” The Kingdom of God is not primarily an other worldly spiritual realm. The translators of the KJV translated for a king. But there is a problem. The Temple had become corrupt and unjust. The thing that mattered to Jesus more than anything else is that you repent of your sins so that you can go to heaven when you die. A fox was an unclean animal that was a second rate predator. The phrase “Kingdom of God” is problematic because it has been overly spiritualized, just like the word dikaiosune. The claim runs like this: Jesus only cared about your eternal soul. When Jesus says to give to God what is God’s he is making a political statement. As a good Jew, and as his hearers were good Jews as well, they would have known that Jesus’ teaching to give to God what belongs to God was deeply rooted in the Hebrew scriptures. Jesus Teaches about Justice. But Jesus was a different kind of King. When we refuse to take the side of the marginalized, the victims of human society, we attempt to wash our hands, just like Pilate when he sentenced Jesus to be killed. 7 Things the Bible Teaches About Justice 1. The Temple was not just about religion and spirituality. Jesus, not the Bible, is God's living and active Word that brings life. God’s Kingdom would promote true justice. That is, Jesus should be our interpretive principle for what justice looks like. The emperor used his status as a god to justify and enforce his will in unjust ways. Based on these teachings, Jews have regarded the practice of justice and the seeking of a just society as Divine imperatives. As René Girard states in his book Violence and the Sacred, Our “impartiality-at-any-price is not unfrequently simply an unsubstantiated assertion of superiority” (pg. For you can’t seek righteousness with God without seeking justice with other people. Justice. For you can’t seek righteousness with God without seeking justice with other people. We could just as easily translate Matthew 5:6 as. Following the King James Version, most English translation of the Greek text translate Matthew 5:6 as. And we realize that God’s justice is not about revenge. Catholic Social Teaching & Restorative Justice Written by Susan Sharpe, Ph.D. and adapted for Catholic Mobilizing Network. Matthew 15:1-9 ) by Jim Eichenberger june 12, 2018 Teacher Tips weak, and peace space take. God makes its first climax in the Mosaic... 2 spiritual lives next. Even called Herod a fox because Jesus cared about the unjust political systems of his days and nights his! 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