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Justice Work is Communal

Justice Work is Communal

Last updated on: June 16, 2026 at 12:26 pm by Herb Montgomery

Justice Work is Communal 2026-06-16T12:26:21-04:00 Herb Montgomery

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The list of disciples itself also carries important political meaning. Among the twelve are Simon the Zealot and Matthew the tax collector. These two figures represented opposite ends of a debate within Jesus’ community on how social change was to be brought about. Tax collectors collaborated with the Roman Empire and were often viewed as traitors by their fellow Jews. Zealots, on the other hand, resisted Roman occupation and sometimes advocated for violent revolution. In most societies, these two men would have viewed each other as antagonists, yet Jesus calls them into the same community.

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This reveals a radical social vision. Jesus doesn’t build movements based on initial differences or methodological purity. Instead he forms a community where former antagonists learn to work together for healing and justice. We don’t build the kingdom of God by destroying one another but by transforming one another through the patience that relationship demands. In a modern context marked by polarization, racial division, and ideological hostility, this passage challenges communities to move toward change by learning to listen to one another and possible being affected by our proximity to each other.

Another important lesson is found in the symbolic number twelve. The twelve disciples represent the renewal of the twelve tribes of Israel. Jesus is forming an renewed social order, a renewed people shaped not by domination but by compassion and justice. Rome ruled through violence, exploitation, and fear. The socio-religious elite often reinforced systems that burdened the poor and excluded the vulnerable through collusion with Rome. Against this backdrop, Jesus creates, within the symbolism and meaning of his Jewish community, a movement centered on restoration, compassion, and justice.

Our reading this week emphasizes that justice work is communal. Jesus does not send isolated heroes to change the world alone. He forms a collective. Social transformation requires communities committed to shared purpose, mutual accountability, and collective action. The disciples are flawed people with conflicting backgrounds and imperfect understandings, yet Jesus still calls them, with their differences, to benefit from the change that will result in each of them from their interaction with him and with each other. Meaningful justice movements do not require perfect people or even homogeny. They require people who are willing to not only work toward change but also work toward being changed themselves.

Jesus’ movement in our reading this week involves healing bodies, restoring dignity, breaking down barriers between antagonists, and forming communities rooted in justice, love and compassion above all. The kingdom Jesus announces is not merely about personal salvation after death; it is about the transformation of human relationships and society here and now.

Lastly, rather than calling these disciples to seek power, wealth, or domination, Jesus sends them to serve the vulnerable and restore human dignity. The instructions Jesus gives challenge systems of exclusion and invite communities into practices of compassion, healing, and solidarity. The disciples are told to proclaim that “the kingdom of heaven has come near.” The kingdom of heaven is not about the afterlife; it is a social reality where the poor, sick, marginalized, and oppressed are restored to community. The kingdom stands against systems that exploit people and instead promotes justice, mercy, and shared humanity.

Jesus commands the disciples to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and cast out demons. Each of these acts carries social meaning. Lepers were excluded from society, the sick were often viewed as cursed, and those suffering mentally or spiritually were frequently isolated. Jesus sends his followers directly toward those society pushed away, so following the Jesus of this passage means refusing to abandon those suffering injustice and working instead for restoration, inclusion, and liberation.

Jesus says to his disciples, “Freely you have received; freely give.” This challenges Christian systems built on greed and exploitation. The disciples are not to commodify healing or turn compassion into profit. Justice requires generosity and mutual care rather than treating people as opportunities for gain. Ultimately, our reading reminds us that faithfulness is measured by how communities care for the vulnerable. It presents a vision of discipleship rooted in individual and social healing, rooted in solidarity, and rooted in the restoration of the human dignity of whomever our society is pushing to the margins. And it calls Jesus followers to embody a world shaped by that compassion.

Begin each day being inspired toward love, compassion, justice and action. Free.

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About Herb Montgomery

Herb Montgomery, director of Renewed Heart Ministries, is an author and adult religious educator helping Christians explore the intersection of their faith with love, compassion, action, and societal justice. You can read more about the author here.

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When Compassion Leads to Action

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June 16, 2026 When Advocates for Justice are Characterized as Dangerous

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