Jesus and the
Reign of God: A
Challenge to church
and society.
Liverpool, Jan 15th, 2012.
Palestinian life under the
Roman Empire
The context of Jesus life
and teaching
The Roman Empire
The Land
Galilee
Galilean Fishing Industry
Economic Effects of
Roman Occupation
 Taxes: Direct 25% of produce, indirect
5% from customs, tolls and VAT!
 Role of Tax-collectors
Mk. 2:13; Lk 19: 1-10
 Plus Temple Taxes, Priest’s Tithe and 2nd
Tithe for Jerusalem.
Cf Josephus, Antiquities 17, 8,4; 17, 11, 04.
Roman control through
Debt and Patronage
 Latifundia the creation of large estates
with resident Stewards and absentee
Landlords cf. Good and Bad Stewards in
Lk 12:42; 16:1-9 and greedy landowners
Lk 12: 16-21.
 Emergence of new landless daylabourers. Cf. parable of workers in the
vinyard Mth 20: 1-15
Sepphoris and Tiberius
The Jewish Leadership
 Herod Antipas in Galilee
 The Sanhedrin in Jerusalem
 The people are “sheep without
shepherds” Jn 10:11-13
 Solidarity with the masses is the only true
power. Cf the tradition of the Prophets
Jer 2;50, 5:17; Is 56:11 – “greedy dogs!”;
Ez 34:3; Psalm 53
Jesus developing practice
 Critique of the Temple – centre of sacrifice and
redemption, ideological control, bank and
marketplace. A challenge to the temple was a
challenge to massive religious and political
vested interests.
 Parable of the Good
Samaritan Lk 10:29-37
 The curses on the rich
Lk 6;24-26
Parables of the Alternative
Kingdom




To groups
to provoke,
raise awareness.
the starting point of a
process
 not the end.
 To see the point was
to see the world
differently
The filthy Rich and the dirt Poor Lk 16:19-13
Jesus reversal of the
Great Tradition
 Either something is
wrong here or something
is wrong in paradise
 Abraham who the elite
had used as the symbol
of their class and who in
a certain sense
legitimated their rule (Lk
3:7-9) in Jesus story
restores true kinship and
hospitality to the
destitute.(Lk13:28-29)
Workers in the Vineyard : Solidarity Lost
and Oppression revealed. Mth 20:1-16
 experience of the people
 a renewed perspective,
“the kingdom of God”,
 subjects of their own
history
 to provoke collective
reflection, discussion
and debate,
 starting from the
conflicted reality we find
ourselves in .

The Whistleblower and the
Talents Math 25/Lk 19
The Unjust Judge and the
Widow
Characteristics of the
Reign of Abba
 Jesus God is
 God’s Kingdom is:
 Free from convention
 Free for sharing –
shared table
 Free for the new, for
potential





Shared joy
Inclusive table fellowship
Shalom of creation
Limitless giving
Generosity expressed in
Lk 15 open banquet&
lost sheep; Mth 20 the
unemployed workers
who all get paid
Logic of the kingdom
 A movement of communion starting from the
poor. Lk 6: 38 “give and there will be gifts for
you, a full measure, pressed into your lap;
because the amount you measure out, is the
amount you will be given back.”
 A particular exercise of authority: enabling
power at the service of the masses. A basic
equality based on justice and compassion
The Big Society
 It is always a risk
when the
community of the
kingdom of God
finds common
cause with a
political great plan .
 When you sup
with the devil you
need a long
spoon!