7 Times Believers Called Out Politicians in Scripture

CV NEWS FEED // Throughout Sacred Scripture, believers often choose the noble but risky route of calling out politicians and authorities for corruption and injustice. Our Lord is the greatest example. From rebuking the Pharisees as a “brood of vipers” to telling Pontius Pilate he had “no power over Me,” Jesus proclaimed that the law of God comes before all earthly powers.

Here are seven examples of God’s people standing for truth without counting the cost.

St. John the Baptist

St. John the Baptist unabashedly called for repentance during his ministry. John eventually denounced the adulterous marriage of the ruler Herod Antipas. Herod had married his half-brother’s wife Herodias. While Herod imprisoned John for his rebuke, he remained intrigued by the prophet’s honesty and staunch defense of morality. Herodias, however, fostered a grudge against John – which eventually led to his beheading.  

Read more in Luke, Chapter 6: 17–29 

Esther

After becoming queen of Persia through her marriage to King Xerxes, Esther hid her Jewish heritage for her own safety as a foreigner in the land. This changed when she discovered a political plot forged by the King’s advisor, Haman, to massacre all Jews in the kingdom. Through much prayer and fasting, Esther overcame her fears and risked her life to call out Haman. By appealing successfully to her husband against the plot, she saved her people from genocide. 

Read more in Esther, Chapter 7:1–10 

St. Paul 

St. Paul was a master at knowing his audience. However, he also did not hesitate to call out leadership when it was failing. When arrested by the Roman procurator Felix, Paul spoke of the Christian’s call to live a life of virtue. This frustrated Felix, who was in an adulterous marriage. He continued to converse with Paul, but kept him imprisoned for two years to appease the Jews. While we don’t know if Paul explicitly called Felix out for his marriage, Scripture says that it was specifically his highlighting of the importance of self-restraint that upset Felix. 

Read more in Acts of the Apostles Chapter 24: 24–27 

Daniel

Daniel is best known for his miraculous rescue from death in the Lion’s Den when he refused to follow the Babylonian King Darius’ edict against praying to the true God. However, when Daniel was only a teenager, he boldly stood up for a woman named Susana who had been falsely accused of adultery by two perverted elders. The elders were judges for the Jewish community, well-respected leaders who, as Daniel later reveals, used their influence to cover up their vile practice of preying on vulnerable women. Daniel singlehandedly convinced the community to revoke Susana’s death sentence and condemn the guilty elders instead. 

Read more in Daniel, Chapter 13:1–64

Mother and 7 Brothers In Maccabees

This unnamed family heroically stood against King Antiochus when he pressured them to renounce their faith. Along with their mother, seven young brothers were forced to watch each other be brutally martyred but continued to stand firm and loudly proclaim their commitment to God. The last brother standing was only a child, yet he refused Antiochus’ offer of power and riches and delivered a compelling speech before he also was killed.  

Read more in Second Maccabees Chapter 7:1–42

Elijah

The prophet Elijah confronted Israel’s King Ahab and his wife Jezebel for their rejection of God, for their establishment of pagan worship, and for having God’s prophets put to death. Elijah arranged a massive showdown between himself and the 450 priests of the pagan deity Baal to prove to the Israelites that the Lord is truly the only God. Miracles ensued, and the pagan priests were executed.

Read more in First Kings, Chapter 18

Nathan 

After King David’s infamous act of adultery with Bathsheba, God sent the prophet Nathan to confront him. Nathan shared a parable with David to chastise him for his crime not only of taking another man’s wife but of then arranging for him to be killed to hide his own sin. David is moved to repentance but suffers the loss of his first child with Bathsheba.  

Read more in Second Samuel, Chapter 12: 1–12