Lesson 10: The Prophet Jesus

The one thing all religious people can agree upon about Jesus is that he was a prophet. Even Muslims believe he spoke on behalf of God.

Like the Old Testament prophets, Jesus insisted that worship is useless if one does not live according to God’s ways. He went so far that his picture of the Last Judgment is based on whether you care for the needy, not whether you worship the true God. And his best-known parable features a foreigner taking care of a needy man while those going to worship pass by.

I have been using the Old Testament prophets to critique the present political administration. I am not sure I have come up with anything you did not already know, but I feel compelled to repeatedly point to texts that confirm our evaluation, given that so many Christians endorse our president as God’s choice.

It surely is not hard to find these texts in the gospels. Just about every paragraph contains ideas that oppose the programs of our current government.

Jesus began by using Isaiah 61 to describe his mission, promising he would bring good news to the poor, heal the broken-hearted, free the captives, and extend forgiveness to all.

In Luke 6, he summarized his message with “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

His other very familiar parable is about forgiving a prodigal, and his model prayer tells us to forgive as we are forgiven.

He explained his cleansing of the temple citing Isaiah’s claim that the temple was meant to be a house of prayer that welcomed foreigners and eunuchs.

And as his life ended, he forgave a criminal as well as those who killed him.

There is no need to explain how these are in opposition to the current government’s positions. Even a child can see the difference.

That also goes for the words and actions of our current president. Jesus said not to judge or call anyone a fool. He said to do good works quietly. Donald Trump’s persona is built around mockery and boasting. He often openly admits he hates his opponents and wishes them harm.

It only gets worse if you apply Isaiah’s picture of the prophet as a suffering servant to Jesus. Donald Trump repeatedly says that those who practice sacrificial love are losers.

I have felt very uncomfortable bad mouthing the president of our nation and the administration he has gathered around him. However, we have to remind ourselves and teach our children constantly that our present leader and those around him are in no way models of the Christian life.

Tags: Biblical Prophets and Our Political Administration, Jesus as a Critique of Donald Trump, Jesus as a Critique of the Federal Administration, Jesus as a Prophet