--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We take it for granted that Jesus was not…" description: "\"We take it for granted that Jesus was not interested in political life: his mission was purely religious. Indeed we have witnessed . . . the 'iconizati..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdd/gustavo-gutierrez-16501_gestures_we-take-it-for-granted-that-jesus-was-no_744458.png" --- # We take it for granted that Jesus was not interested in… ![“We take it for granted that Jesus was not interested in political life: his mission was purely religious. Indeed we have witnessed . . . the 'iconization' of the life of Jesus: 'This is a Jesus of hieratic, stereotyped gestures, all representing theological themes. In this way, the life of Jesus…” quote by Gustavo Gutiérrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdd/gustavo-gutierrez-16501_gestures_we-take-it-for-granted-that-jesus-was-no_744458.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdd/gustavo-gutierrez-16501_gestures_we-take-it-for-granted-that-jesus-was-no_744458.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdd/gustavo-gutierrez-16501_gestures_we-take-it-for-granted-that-jesus-was-no_744458.png) > “We take it for granted that Jesus was not interested in political life: his mission was purely religious. Indeed we have witnessed . . . the 'iconization' of the life of Jesus: 'This is a Jesus of hieratic, stereotyped gestures, all representing theological themes. In this way, the life of Jesus is no longer a human life, submerged in history, but a theological life -- an icon.” [Gustavo Gutiérrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-gutierrez/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Jesus is portrayed as a purely spiritual figure, stripped of historical and political context, turning him into a theological symbol rather than a real person. **In simple terms:** Jesus is seen only as a religious icon, not a historical human. Key Takeaway Recognize the human, political dimensions of religious figures. Themes theology historical context iconography Mood reflective critical Type analytical theological When to use this quote - religious studies - political analysis - cultural critique - educational curricula Key Concepts liberation theology symbolism Questions to Reflect On - How does viewing Jesus as a political actor change faith practice? - What are the risks of de‑politicizing religious narratives? A Different Perspective Reducing Jesus to a symbol can erase his social teachings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gestures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gestures/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Granted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/granted/) [Human life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-life/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Iconization Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iconization-life-5804923/) [Icons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/icons/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Jesus Hieratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus-hieratic-5804924/) [Jesus Interested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus-interested-1669067/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-jesus/) [Missions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missions/) [Not interested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-interested/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-life/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Theme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theme/) [Theological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theological/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Jesus is interested in a relationship with you, not a 45 minute date every Sunday morning. Make Him first in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/jesus-is-interested-in-a-relationship-with-you-not-a-45-minute-date/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Jesus is interested in changing cultures, not just putting bodies in chairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/jesus-is-interested-in-changing-cultures-not-just-putting-bodies-in/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [“Jesus is more interested in your heart than your ministry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-a-rodriguez/jesus-is-more-interested-in-your-heart-than-your-ministry/) [Carlos A. Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-a-rodriguez/) > [Jesus is interested in marriage, not a 45 minute date every Sunday morning. Make Him first in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/jesus-is-interested-in-marriage-not-a-45-minute-date-every-sunday/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Jesus was much more interested in the quality of the people's response to him than in the quantity of the crowd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/jesus-was-much-more-interested-in-the-quality-of-the-people-s/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [I am very grateful to have Him in my life...I can't even imagine what my life would be without You, Jesus...I love You.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-very-grateful-to-have-him-in-my-life-i-can-t-even-imagine-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There was no identity crisis in the life of Jesus Christ. He knew who He was. He knew where He had come from, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/there-was-no-identity-crisis-in-the-life-of-jesus-christ-he-knew-who/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [What is a heart without a beat, what is life without JESUS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhefmaal/what-is-a-heart-without-a-beat-what-is-life-without-jesus/) [Rhefmaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhefmaal/) > [“Know who you are, hold your head up confidently, and enjoy the life that Jesus has provided for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/know-who-you-are-hold-your-head-up-confidently-and-enjoy-the-life/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“Living in the shadow feels like death, but it is a death that produces life. Because there is less of you, there is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-miller-a-loving-life-in-a-world-of-broken-relationships/living-in-the-shadow-feels-like-death-but-it-is-a-death-that-produces/) [Paul Miller; A Loving Life: In a World of Broken Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-miller-a-loving-life-in-a-world-of-broken-relationships/) > [The entire life of Jesus isn't the story of somebody climbing up a ladder; it's a picture of someone coming down-a series of demotions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-entire-life-of-jesus-isn-t-the-story-of-somebody-climbing-up-a/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [“APRIL 18 Some Things Never Happen You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/april-18-some-things-never-happen-you-will-show-me-the-path-of-life/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [I only want to write one thing over the doorpost to my heart and life: “Jesus Christ lives here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/i-only-want-to-write-one-thing-over-the-doorpost-to-my-heart-and-life/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [I live my life for Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vitor-belfort/i-live-my-life-for-jesus/) [Vitor Belfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vitor-belfort/) > [“ Bauer 's 'Criticism of the Gospel History' is worth a good dozen Lives of Jesus, because his work, as we are only now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/bauer-s-criticism-of-the-gospel-history-is-worth-a-good-dozen-lives/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) ## More by Gustavo Gutiérrez > [“The unqualified affirmation of the univeral will of salvation has radically changed the way of conceiving the mission of the Church in the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-gutierrez/the-unqualified-affirmation-of-the-univeral-will-of-salvation-has/) [Gustavo Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-gutierrez/) > [But the poor person does not exist as an inescapable fact of destiny. His or her existence is not politically neutral, and it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-gutierrez/but-the-poor-person-does-not-exist-as-an-inescapable-fact-of-destiny/) [Gustavo Gutiérrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-gutierrez/) > [The God of Exodus is the God of history and of political liberation more than he is the God of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-gutierrez/the-god-of-exodus-is-the-god-of-history-and-of-political-liberation/) [Gustavo Gutiérrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-gutierrez/) > [Liberation from every form of exploitation, the possibility of a more human and dignified life, the creation of a new humankind - all pass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-gutierrez/liberation-from-every-form-of-exploitation-the-possibility-of-a-more/) [Gustavo Gutiérrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-gutierrez/) > [The future of history belongs to the poor and exploited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-gutierrez/the-future-of-history-belongs-to-the-poor-and-exploited/) [Gustavo Gutiérrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-gutierrez/) > [The poverty of the poor is not a call to generous relief action, but a demand that we go and build a different social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-gutierrez/the-poverty-of-the-poor-is-not-a-call-to-generous-relief-action-but-a/) [Gustavo Gutiérrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-gutierrez/) > [If I define my neighbor as the one I must go out to look for, on the highways and byways, in the factories and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-gutierrez/if-i-define-my-neighbor-as-the-one-i-must-go-out-to-look-for-on-the/) [Gustavo Gutiérrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-gutierrez/) > [“An essential clue to the understanding of poverty in liberation theology is the distinction, made in the Medellín document "Poverty of the Church," between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-gutierrez/an-essential-clue-to-the-understanding-of-poverty-in-liberation/) [Gustavo Gutiérrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-gutierrez/) > [ If there is no friendship with them \[the poor\] and no sharing of the life of the poor, then there is no authentic commitment… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-gutierrez/if-there-is-no-friendship-with-them-the-poor-and-no-sharing-of-the/) [Gustavo Gutiérrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-gutierrez/) > [ \[Neighbor is\] not he whom I find in my path, but rather he in whose path I place myself, he whom I approach and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-gutierrez/neighbor-is-not-he-whom-i-find-in-my-path-but-rather-he-in-whose-path/) [Gustavo Gutiérrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-gutierrez/) > [Theology is reflection, a critical attitude. The commitment of love, of service, comes first. Theology follows; it is the second step.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-gutierrez/theology-is-reflection-a-critical-attitude-the-commitment-of-love-of/) [Gustavo Gutiérrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-gutierrez/) > [“But there is one thing that is privileged to be a paradoxical sign of God, in relation to which men are able to manifest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-gutierrez/but-there-is-one-thing-that-is-privileged-to-be-a-paradoxical-sign-of/) [Gustavo Gutiérrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-gutierrez/) > [The imbalance between developed and underdeveloped countries - caused by the relationships of dependence - becomes more acute if the cultural point of view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-gutierrez/the-imbalance-between-developed-and-underdeveloped-countries-caused/) [Gustavo Gutiérrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-gutierrez/) > [Is the Church fulfilling a purely religious role when by its silence or friendly relationships it lends legitimacy to dictatorial and oppressive government?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-gutierrez/is-the-church-fulfilling-a-purely-religious-role-when-by-its-silence/) [Gustavo Gutiérrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-gutierrez/) > [“Man is saved if he opens himself to God and to others, even if he is not clearly aware that he is doing so.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-gutierrez/man-is-saved-if-he-opens-himself-to-god-and-to-others-even-if-he-is/) [Gustavo Gutiérrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-gutierrez/) [Explore all 39 Gustavo Gutiérrez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-gutierrez/) ## More Gestures quotes > [It takes a little more time to get into the role, but not very much more. In making a record you don't have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-callas/it-takes-a-little-more-time-to-get-into-the-role-but-not-very-much/) [Maria Callas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-callas/) > [A fine lady; by which term I wish to express the result of that perfect education in taste and manner, down to every gesture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/a-fine-lady-by-which-term-i-wish-to-express-the-result-of-that/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [Poems come from ordinary experiences and objects, I think. Out of memory - a dress I lent my daughter on her way back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/poems-come-from-ordinary-experiences-and-objects-i-think-out-of/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [“Life is a series of successful gestures...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/life-is-a-series-of-successful-gestures/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [A man has only a limited number of ways in which he can express strong emotions or violent passions. He uses the same gestures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadeusz-borowski/a-man-has-only-a-limited-number-of-ways-in-which-he-can-express/) [Tadeusz Borowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadeusz-borowski/) > [Let us ask... how things work at the level of on-going subjugation, at the level of those continuous and uninterrupted processes which subject our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/let-us-ask-how-things-work-at-the-level-of-on-going-subjugation-at/) [Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/) > [When you play somebody, you pick up a lot of their gestures, his voice, the way he speaks, his body language. You don't often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-loggia/when-you-play-somebody-you-pick-up-a-lot-of-their-gestures-his-voice/) [Robert Loggia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-loggia/) > [Fanatics are picturesque, mankind would rather see gestures than listen to reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/fanatics-are-picturesque-mankind-would-rather-see-gestures-than/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Geric," she called. He turned back around. "What kind of flowers were they?" "I don't rightly know," he said. He made faltering gestures with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/geric-she-called-he-turned-back-around-what-kind-of-flowers-were-they/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [Personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/personality-is-an-unbroken-series-of-successful-gestures/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [Never raise your hand menacingly, but only in a friendly gesture!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-von-la-roche/never-raise-your-hand-menacingly-but-only-in-a-friendly-gesture/) [Sophie von La Roche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-von-la-roche/) > [This element of surprise or mystery - the detective element as it is sometimes rather emptily called - is of great importance in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/this-element-of-surprise-or-mystery-the-detective-element-as-it-is/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [As much preparation as I had made for the old man Salieri, gestures and so on, the fact is after sitting for hours, your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-murray-abraham/as-much-preparation-as-i-had-made-for-the-old-man-salieri-gestures/) [F. Murray Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-murray-abraham/) > [My art is just an effort to express the truth of my being in gesture and movement. It has taken me long years to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/my-art-is-just-an-effort-to-express-the-truth-of-my-being-in-gesture/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [“Ivy waved the wet handkerchief, as much as to say, words cannot possibly articulate my profound distress. Then, because Ivy never settled for meaningful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-carriger/ivy-waved-the-wet-handkerchief-as-much-as-to-say-words-cannot/) [Gail Carriger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-carriger/) [Browse all 800 Gestures quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gestures/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We take it for granted that Jesus was not interested in political life: his mission was purely religious. 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