Basically, Jesus was a-political outside of church politics. His kingdom was not of this earth. He did not preach against paying your taxes either. "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's." The main tenents he preached were about mutual respect, forgiving those who have wronged you, non-violence, hypocrisy, and over-adherence to the law. Jesus often spoke out about those who kept the laws, but not the spirit of them. They were so consumed with the letter of the law that they used them to exclude and isolate others, when in reality, the laws were a framework for a good society, not a straitjacket. Jesus believed that good works, fair treatment, ect should all come from a place of love, not compulsion, not religious decree, not executive fiat, love.

quote:
“Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.”

Matt 6:2

quote:
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.”

Matt 6:5

quote:
“And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.”

Matt 6:16

That's a lot of rebukes against hypocrisy and "compulsive" compassion. Many people fail to realize that Jesus was not making up "the golden rule" (love your neighbor as yourself) on the spot. It actually comes from Leviticus 19:18

quote:
You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

This statement also appears in the Gospels of Matthew, Luke, and Mark as well as in the Epistles of Paul. Here it is from Matthew 22:37-39

quote:
Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'

So clearly, he does not favor a compulsive welfare state, but rather compassionate giving. That does not really gel with any political force because Jesus was not a political leader, but rather a spiritual or philosophical one.