Jesus and Socialism

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 28, 1908

Jesus and Socialism

SOME professed teachers of the gospel of Christ are now declaring that John the Baptist and Jesus were socialists, and that if they were among men to-day they would be champions of socialistic doctrines. A writer in the Interior states his reasons for thinking that Jesus was not a socialist:—

His principal teaching business was to spread a doctrine of life that made a man’s economic condition a secondary matter.

Here Jesus differs from socialism the whole length of the diameter. The thorough-going socialist thinks poverty the worst thing that can happen to a man. His great plea is to abolish poverty. Jesus didn’t think being poor mattered much—not at all if the man was the right sort. He was poor himself, and didn’t care in the least.

Modern social philosophers say it is the poor who don’t have a fair chance at fine character, but Jesus thought differently—he considered the rich the most handicapped.

When with his marvelous inlook into the heart the Master understood that the rich young ruler thought so much about his wealth that he couldn’t think much about his neighbors, the prescription for cure was instantaneous and unsparing: “Sell that thou hast, and give to the

poor.” Jesus didn’t speak so out of hate for the property, but out of yearning for the man. If he could in this way give the youth a big heart full of spontaneous impulse to help people, he knew it would be worth the price.

But where he didn’t find worldly possessions hindering the growth of a man’s noble character, he simply ignored them. Giving half delivered Zaccheus from the bondage of avarice, and Jesus asked no more.

According to Christ’s gospel a change of heart was of more importance than a change in outward conditions, and the spiritual life was to receive first attention, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, . . . and all these things shall be added unto you.” Any scheme of living which reverses this order can not rightly claim Jesus as one of its advocates.