Woke originally meant being aware of social injustices, especially racial discrimination, and comes from African American Vernacular English (AAVE). It gained prominence through activism, particularly in the 2010s, associated with movements for racial, gender, and social equality. In recent years, it has become politically charged—some view it as a positive term for social awareness, while others use it negatively to criticize progressive activism. Its meaning varies based on context and perspective.
Brace yourselves, because I’m about to say something that might ruffle some feathers: Jesus was woke.
Flipping Tables Like a True Revolutionary
Remember that time Jesus walked into the Temple and saw people turning God’s house into Jerusalem’s hottest marketplace? Instead of shaking his head and muttering about “the way things are,” he flipped the tables, made a whip, and drove out the money changers (Matthew 21:12-13). That’s right—he literally fought against commercial exploitation and corruption in religious spaces.
If that happened today, you know someone on Facebook would be like: Jesus is getting too political. This isn’t the place for activism!
Challenging the Social Hierarchy
Jesus didn’t just shake things up—he turned them upside down. The first shall be last, the meek shall inherit the earth, and the outcasts (tax collectors, prostitutes, the sick) were the VIPs in his Kingdom. He dined with sinners, spoke to women in public (scandalous for the time), and openly rebuked religious leaders who used their status to oppress people.
The Parable of the Good Samaritan? That was an anti-prejudice message in a time when Samaritans and Jews were basically sworn enemies.
This is the kind of thing that today’s crowd might call “woke propaganda”—but back then, it was just the gospel.
Calling Out Exploitation of Power
Let’s not forget that Jesus regularly called out the power-hungry elites. In the gospel of Matthew, the character of Jesus roasted the Pharisees for making religion into a system of oppression.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces!” – Matthew 23:13
In other words: “You’re gatekeeping God, and it’s not a good look.”
Jesus wasn’t about religious leaders sitting on golden thrones while the poor starved in the streets. He preached a radical, redistribution-style generosity—“sell your possessions and give to the poor” (Luke 12:33). That’s not just charity—that’s economic justice.
The Early Church: First-Century Activists
If you think this woke movement stopped at Jesus, think again. The Didache, an early Christian document, instructed believers to share everything they had and not turn away the poor. The early church was basically a grassroots movement of social justice warriors, feeding the hungry, sheltering strangers, and rejecting power-hungry leadership.
Tertullian, an early Christian writer, observed that non-Christians were often struck by the deep sense of love and generosity among believers. He famously wrote, “See how they love one another!” This wasn’t just admiration—it was a recognition that Christian communities prioritized caring for the poor, welcoming strangers, and living out a radical sense of compassion that stood in contrast to the self-interest and social divisions of the time.
Translation? “Those Christians are out here actually caring for people. What’s up with that?”
If we define woke as an awareness of social injustice and a call for equality, the Bible is full of verses that align with this idea.
Socio Economic equality
The Bible consistently advocates for socioeconomic equality, warning against the dangers of wealth hoarding and the oppression of the poor. Scripture emphasizes that material wealth should not be a tool for exploitation but rather a resource to uplift others. Jesus himself taught that riches can be a spiritual obstacle when they foster greed and inequality, calling for generosity and economic justice within communities. The early church modeled this by sharing resources so that “there were no needy persons among them” (Acts 4:34). The biblical vision of justice extends beyond charity—it calls for a restructuring of priorities to ensure that wealth is used for the common good rather than concentrated in the hands of a few.
Wealth and the Rich:
- Luke 6:24 – “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.”
- A stark warning that wealth in itself is not security, especially if it comes at the expense of justice.
- A stark warning that wealth in itself is not security, especially if it comes at the expense of justice.
- James 5:1-5 – “Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you.”
- A direct condemnation of exploitative wealth and economic injustice.
- A direct condemnation of exploitative wealth and economic injustice.
- 1 Timothy 6:17-18 – “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.”
- Wealth should be used for generosity and service, not selfish gain.
- Wealth should be used for generosity and service, not selfish gain.
- Proverbs 22:16 – “Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.”
- A warning against economic systems that exploit the poor while benefiting the wealthy.
- A warning against economic systems that exploit the poor while benefiting the wealthy.
- Mark 10:25 – “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
- Jesus’ powerful statement on the spiritual challenges of wealth and the need for humility and generosity.
These verses reinforce the idea that biblical justice involves challenging economic inequality, advocating for fair treatment of workers, and ensuring that wealth is not a means of oppression but a tool for collective flourishing.
Racial Equality
Galatians 3:28
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
This verse emphasizes that in Christ, all divisions—racial, social, and gender-based—are erased, promoting true equality.
Acts 17:26
“From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.”
This shows that all people come from the same human family, created by God, with no race superior to another.
Revelation 7:9
“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.”
This vision of heaven includes people from every race and nation, highlighting God’s inclusive kingdom.
Colossians 3:11
“Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.”
Paul teaches that human-made racial and social distinctions are irrelevant in Christ.
James 2:1
“My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.”
This verse warns against prejudice and partiality, which includes racial discrimination.
Justice for the Oppressed
- Isaiah 1:17 – “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”
- A direct call to fight for the vulnerable and ensure justice is upheld.
- Proverbs 31:8-9 – “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
- This verse calls for advocacy for those who are powerless.
Challenging Social and Economic Inequality
- Luke 4:18-19 – “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
- Jesus explicitly states his mission: bringing hope and liberation to the marginalized.
- James 2:1-4 – “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, ‘Here’s a good seat for you,’ but say to the poor man, ‘You stand there’ or ‘Sit on the floor by my feet,’ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”
- This passage warns against economic discrimination and favoritism in the church.
Love as the Foundation for Social Justice
- Micah 6:8 – “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
- Justice, mercy, and humility are central to living out faith.
- Justice, mercy, and humility are central to living out faith.
- Matthew 25:35-40 – “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
- Jesus equates caring for the marginalized with serving him directly.
So is woke in the Bible?
The Bible presents a radical vision of socioeconomic justice, where wealth is shared, the oppressed are lifted, and power structures that exploit the vulnerable are challenged. Jesus’ teachings and the early church’s practices demonstrate a model of activism that directly confronts inequality, calling for systemic change rather than passive charity. His ministry broke racial, social, and economic barriers, showing that God’s kingdom is for all—regardless of status, ethnicity, or wealth. The prophetic tradition and New Testament writings consistently denounce greed, call for the fair treatment of workers, and emphasize that faith without justice is empty. In this light, biblical principles align with modern movements for economic justice, racial equality, and activism, making it clear that faith is not just a personal belief but a call to action for a more just world.
if “woke” means fighting for justice, rejecting corruption, challenging social norms, and prioritizing love over power, then yes—it’s been there the whole time.
Maybe the real question isn’t whether Jesus was woke.
Maybe it’s whether we are.