Culture of JusticeSample

Throughout the gospels, Jesus critiques the behavior of various power-holding groups in society. We see this when he rebukes the teachers of the law on account of their treatment of the marginalized, and again with the Pharisees and for their love of power. Jesus also admonishes these groups for their hypocrisy, as we read in Matthew 23:29-32:

29“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!”

Jesus’ words were spoken in a specific context and addressed to a specific group of people, nevertheless, they can still speak into our situation today. Jesus reminds us that communal sin is a reality, and we are entangled in the sin of our societies. His words also speak of our generational interconnectedness – our past matters and is part of our identity. Finally, Jesus’ words highlight the need for greater awareness of the ways in which we continue in the sin of previous generations.

In the Old Testament, prophets were sent by God to groups of people to rebuke them for the sin in their societies and to call them to repentance. Similarly, in the passage above, Jesus rebukes the teachers of the law and the Pharisees for their communal sin. He highlights their hypocrisy and alludes to the fact that they will eventually kill him, as their ancestors had killed the prophets that came before him. 

Like Cain who defied God’s warning, the religious leaders ignored Jesus’ rebuke and responded in pride and hatred...an act that led to Jesus’ undeserved death.

The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.

God longs for freedom and justice for the oppressed, it’s why He sent Jesus. The hope of the cross is that all would be reconciled to God and that all would flourish. 

We long to see God’s people everywhere, as expressions of individual and corporate worship, be bold, loving, and faithful as they speak the truth about racial injustice. We do this as an act of reverence and love for Jesus, in whom we place our hope for the redemption of sin, freedom for captives, and the restoration of all creation.

Reflection:

Turning to our situation today and the racial inequality in our societies, what might Jesus and the prophets say to us? How should we choose to respond?