Was Jesus a Socialist?

Recently, I watched a program where a panel discussed the idea of whether or not Jesus was a socialist. This notion has been hotly debated for the last few decades in religious circles. The Huffington Post, known for voicing far-left viewpoints, printed an article on Christmas Day of 2016 touting that Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 6:24 and Luke 12:15 warning about the evils of greed proves that, yes, in fact, Jesus was a socialist. See the article here.

This is not, of course, a real question because the word and practice of socialism don’t appear anywhere in scripture. Without explicitly defining the idea of socialism for comparison’s sake, it’s impossible to predict what Jesus’ official position would be.

Many Americas who discuss this hypothetical matter appear to connect the idea of socialism with generosity and benevolence. Since we are instructed to care for orphans and widows, the Bible must endorse the redistribution of wealth, right?

But, no, Jesus was not—nor would he ever be—a socialist.

In Merriam-Webster’s own words, socialism is defined as follows:

• A condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state.

• A stage in society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done.

• A system of society or group living in which there is no private property.

Christian socialism is not a sound Biblical theology, it’s a political one. It uses the teachings of Jesus to denounce capitalism. Period.

Let’s look at three reasons why the idea of helping the poor is inconsistent with this radical ideology:

1.     Generosity implies a choice.

The teachings of Jesus deal with matters of the heart. We are to give out of our abundance and because we’re grateful for the Lord’s provision in our lives. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says this,

“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (NIV).”

When we are forced to give, such as taxes, it’s not generosity. Socialism happens when the government takes over all means of production. This means that you are no longer permitted to own your own business. The state now runs your company (and not very well, might I add) and pays you whatever it decides.

Venezuela is a perfect example of this failure and how its government destroyed the wealthiest democracy in Latin America. For more information please see the chapter, “Socialism Distancing” in my book The Pursuit of Liberty available on Amazon.

Forced giving isn’t benevolence—often, it can be theft.

2.     Capitalism is the natural order.

From the beginning of time, individuals have recognized the need to hard work to provide for themselves and their families. Many small business owners will attest to the fact that they are happiest and healthiest when motivated to work hard and pursue their dreams.

In contrast, it’s not natural to work really hard so that the profit you make can be given to others who are lazy and do nothing.

The Apostle Paul understood this truth. He addressed an issue when people within his churches were trying to take advantage of those who were working hard to help others in need. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 says,

“For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.’” Read the full chapter here.

And, in 1 Timothy 5:8 Paul said,

“Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

Those who despise us and want to destroy the American way of life want us to believe that capitalism is synonymous with greed, but it’s not. Greed is a condition of our fallen human nature and can happen with any economic system—including socialism! This brings me to my final point…

3.     Socialism doesn’t help the poor, it exploits them.

In September of 2021, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, state representative for New York, wore a white dress with the words “Tax the Rich” boldly written in red. Ironically, tickets to this gala cost $33,000 according to the New York Post. See the article here.

Don’t be fooled. When the elites say to tax the rich, they don’t mean themselves—they mean us, middle-class and even lower-class American workers. Socialism is never about helping the poor; it’s always about empowering the government.

Even though the promise of socialism is a utopia where everyone is treated fairly and provided for equally, the reality is something very, very different. Socialism and communism have been used by authoritarian governments worldwide to create a wealthy upper class by plunging the lower classes in further into poverty. For more information, read the Wall Street Journal article 100 Years of Communism—and 100 Million Dead here.

The Wrap-Up

In closing, the greatest argument against the idea that Jesus could have, would have, or should have been a socialist is found in John 12.

Mary, the sister of the recently raised-from-the-dead Lazarus made the unpopular decision to anoint Jesus to prepare him for burial using a very expensive jar of perfume. This didn’t go over well with Judas. He objected and said that—instead of wasting the costly perfume on some silly ritual—the jar should be sold, and the profits given to the poor.

In reply, Jesus shut down Judas’s idea by saying, “the poor will always be around, but you won’t always have me.” Read the full story here.

Jesus understood that Judas’s true interest was NOT in helping the poor. As the treasurer of the group, Judas held the purse strings. He saw an opportunity to redistribute the wealth to himself.

I said it earlier in this post, but it bears repeating. Jesus would not subscribe to modern society’s definition of socialism. He encourages us to help the poor and needy, but willing, and out of our hard-earned income. That is how we demonstrate true faith.

Thank you for reading What in the World? today, and remember to always pursue the Truth.