Upon This Political Party I Will Build My Church

It is common knowledge that Jesus selected twelve disciples to follow Him. His purpose in choosing these men was to teach them about His kingdom and prepare them to serve as apostles after His death, burial, and resurrection (except for Judas Iscariot, of course). What few realize is that Scripture reveals considerable information regarding the political leanings of two of the disciples, as well as a handful of evidence about the others. Here is what we know:

  • Matthew the tax collector gathered “tolls for Herod Antipas from the commercial traffic traveling through th[e] area” of Capernaum.[1] Because Herod answered to Caesar, Matthew in turn was an employee of the Roman government. Most Jews despised their kinsmen who operated as tax collectors because of their cooperation with the empire that oppressed their homeland.
  • Simon the Zealot appears to have involved himself “in revolutionary activity before becoming Jesus’ follower,”[2] meaning he almost certainly held anti-Roman sentiments and was willing to use violence to achieve his goals. In other words, Matthew and Simon’s approaches to government were diametrically opposed.
  • Concerning the remaining disciples, we know less regarding their political leanings. It is reasonable to assume, however, they held positions somewhere between those of Matthew and Simon. As Jews who longed for an Israelite king, they hoped that Jesus would restore the Davidic throne in the near future. They were shocked when Jesus was crucified because this act did not fit their political understanding of what was to come. They had no idea that Jesus must suffer and die before demonstrating His deity and kingship by rising again.

Although several of the disciples had strong political opinions before they met Christ, none of them allowed their leanings to overshadow their commitment to their Lord. Furthermore, they did not allow politics to divide them. They realized that politics certainly has its place, but that place does not supersede the Christian message. Jesus did not say, “Upon politics I will build My church,” but “On this rock [the confession that Christ is Lord] I will build my church.”

As Christians, may we not let temporal politics dilute Christ’s message, divide us into factions when we should be enjoying harmony, or distract us from seeking first His kingdom. Jesus is greater than any political party.


[1] Joel B. Green and Scot McKnight, eds., Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1992), s.v. “Disciples,” by M. J. Wilkins.
[2] Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 1993), 72.

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