becoming

Recent studies on the political nature of Jesus’ ministry often begins with the Isaianic New Exodus. Rome is the new Egypt, where as Jesus, the new Moses (or the embodiment of Israel). It is further suggested that the Exodus is the principle story of the OT and as a result, God is a God who liberates. The poor and the oppressed are the ones that the Lord truly cares about, therefore the Ekklesia and Empire are constantly in opposition and competition until the New Heaven and New Earth etc…

Similar to the presupposition of Liberation theology, what fall to the background with such reading are the promise and covenant of God. Before God is a God who liberates, He is a God who keeps His word. Faithfulness precedes Liberation; Love before Justice.

Isn’t it interesting that the Jews decided to begin their story with Creation and not with Exodus? (Yes, I do understand that the Exodus is foundational to them as ONE people of God). The Lord listens to the cries of the Israelites both because they are in misery AND because that they are “my people”.

Charles Kiser wrote about The Political Nature of Christianity based on ideas taken from Shane Claiborne’s book Jesus for President. Adapted from JFP, 67-69:

1. Basilea (“empire” or “kingdom”): a term used for the Roman Empire, ruled by Caesar. It was also Jesus’ most common subject of preaching—the kingdom of God, ruled by Yahweh, the one who delivered Israel from Egypt.
2. Gospel (evangelion: “good news”): in the Empire, “an imperial pronouncement, usually accompanied by flags and political ceremony, that an heir to the empire’s throne had been born or that a distant battle had been won”; for Jesus, this was the good news of the kingdom of God.
3. Son of God: A common title for kings and emperors, like Alexander the Great and Octavian (or Augustus, in the lineage of Julius Caesar); also a name given to Jesus in the New Testament.
4. Ekklesia: “A local public assembly within the greater Roman Empire, much like a town meeting. These assemblies bestowed citizenship, discussed local political concerns, assigned ‘elders,’ and offered prayer and worship to Caesar. There was no separation of religion (cultic sacrifices, etc.) and secular political business”; also the word used for the early church (translated “church”). The early church “bestowed alternative citizenship and assigned elders. Though it discussed its own political and religious concerns, it was understood as separate from, and in contrast to, the state and the other ekklesiai, their politics, and their religion.”
5. Savior: “Caesar Augustus, as Savior, was seen as the one who healed the chaos of Rome and brought it into a new golden age”; also a common title for Jesus in the New Testament.
6. Faith: “A term used for trust in, allegiance to, and hope in the Pax Romana”; also “a term used for trust in, allegiance to, and hope in Jesus.”

Read them all here.

And for a list of books on Christianity as sociopolitical rebuttal to Caesar’s system, click here.