Did Jesus believe in equality, and if so, what would that mean? It obviously means different things to different people in different contexts (we don’t equally mean the same thing…).
Our (the U.S.) declaration of national independence insisted that “all men are created equal,” but it really did mean “men” (not women) and none of the Founders thought that their incomes and possessions should be equal to those of hoi polloi they saw in the streets.
So too, the apostle Paul said that “There is neither New nor Greek, neither slave nor free, nor male and female; you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). But he also told women that the head of a “man” was Christ, the head of a “woman” was her husband, and women were therefore to show due deference by wearing a head covering in public (1 Corinthians 11:3-10).
What about Jesus? Did he believe everyone was “equal,” or more important, that they should be? Was it part of his ethical teaching that we should strive for social, political, and economic equality?
Arguments that Jesus believed in economic equality for all are
Get access to Dr. Ehrman's library of 4,000+ articles plus five new articles per week about the New Testament and early Christianity. It costs as little as $2.99/mth and every cent goes to charity!
Unlock 4,000+ Articles Like This!
Leave A Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.