Let’s say a few words about patriotism, nationalism… This multi-thousand crowd that followed (ran) after Jesus had (in each head individually and collectively) one dream—the political earthly Kingdom of Israel, its wealth, prosperity, and world fame and dominance! (And healing from diseases, deliverance from demons is all good, but it’s just so that they can happily enjoy an earthly (godless) life in a prosperous kingdom…, but not at all a sign and testimony that the Kingdom of Heaven has come, that It is already here among us… Jesus (God-man, in whom dwells all the fullness of Deity bodily) is the Kingdom of God!). By the way, the twelve disciples (better to say, candidates, catechumens who were preparing to become Christians, that is, were being prepared by Jesus (for three years before the Resurrection + forty days after the Resurrection) for baptism by the Holy Spirit) were no different from the crowd—they also dreamed of the kingdom of Israel, just aimed higher than the crowd: they dreamed of high positions in the kingdom (sitting on the right and left of the throne: well, Jesus is King, president, and they were eyeing the seat (cross) of prime minister, head of the upper council… and are there not enough soft high-paying seats (crosses) in the ministries…). The apostles came to their senses (understood what Kingdom Jesus preached and what Kingdom He is Lord of) only when they became Christians, that is, disciples of Jesus Christ—on Pentecost, when they were baptized by the Holy Spirit into the Mystery of the Kingdom of God, into the Life of the Holy Trinity!
Only those baptized by the Holy Spirit come to their senses—cease to be nationalists, patriots of the earthly “Israel” (homeland by flesh)—become Christians, that is, “Patriots,” “Nationalists” of the Heavenly Homeland—the Kingdom of God; and in It, “national”: one single language—Love, culture—Love, traditions, customs—Love, values—Love, identity (by which all will know the disciples of Christ)—Love, family, own—every person, the image of God, every free hypostasis (including the devil with all fallen angels)—all creation, all God’s creation (saints and sinners, God-lovers and God-fighters, righteous and God-opposers, all heavenly, earthly, and hellish)! Before knowing Jesus by the Holy Spirit, all people are capable only of being earthly patriots and singing the song: “Our father is Abraham (Bandera…), and Israel (Ukraine…) is our mother!” Do you remember when Jesus was on trial with Pilate, the nationalists, Israeli patriots begged for the patriot Barabbas, and Jesus, after being scourged by the hands of the occupiers, was handed over to be crucified… Yes, the Lord Jesus is a terror to every nationalist-patriot; especially Jesus with His revolutionary preaching of absolute Love, Love for enemies (especially when their blood boils: “Death to enemies!” “Glory to the nation!” “Glory… – Glory to heroes!”…). A nationalist-patriot, hearing about Jesus with His Gospel of the Kingdom, says: it is better to kill Jesus (and every Jesus-like, Christian), destroy His teaching, or neutralize it by heretically interpreting, distorting, making some corrections to the text-tradition (so that no one gets infected with the Truth-Freedom-Love), otherwise, enemies, occupiers (Romans, Russians, Americans…) will come and take possession of us, make us slaves (compare John 11:48-50). Paradox: slaves of egoism, malice, hatred, and all other possible passions… fear becoming slaves!? And hurry to kill the One who alone grants absolute Freedom, absolute Love, Happiness! They plug their ears, close their eyes, grab stones, anathemas, excommunications… when they hear the Truth, the Gospel of Sacrificial Cross Love! This is the patriotism-nationalism of this age. As long as Christ fulfills their will: feeds, heals, delivers, resurrects… they say: Glory to Jesus Christ! But when the Lord asks them to fulfill His will—they demand: crucify, crucify Him!
Once again, let us recall: thousands, tens of thousands followed Jesus (millions, billions follow Jesus now)—they all believed in Jesus; but each in his own Jesus (for himself): healer, miracle worker, provider, national leader, patriot-liberator… But the disciples of Christ (Christians) are those who believe in Jesus for Jesus—wholly give (or rather, gave) themselves to Jesus, and no longer live, but Christ lives in them!
Could it be that Jesus Christ was (and is) a patriot-nationalist?! Let’s answer this question with rhetorical questions. Didn’t Jesus heal the occupiers? Didn’t the Lord Jesus praise the occupiers, pagans (e.g., the Roman centurion, whose comrades in 70 AD leveled Jerusalem, leaving no stone unturned from Israel’s sanctuaries; drove the Jewish people to such a state that mothers ate their children, not just pork; and how many Jews, compatriots of Jesus by flesh, fell by the sword in this war…), being amazed that He did not find such faith even in Israel?! Didn’t Jesus set heretics (Samaritans) as an example for imitation to the orthodox (“Orthodox”) Jews (see the parable of the Good Samaritan)?! And with whom did Jesus associate: with harlots, robbers, sinners… (who repent—believe in Him and follow Him); and He issued the passport of a citizen of the Kingdom of God under number 1 to a robber (the penitent thief)? So who is Jesus, who are Jesus’, Christ’s (Christians)—patriots-nationalists? (“My Kingdom (Jesus Christ’s and Christians’, Christ’s) is not of this world!!!”, “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you!”—see John 18:36; 15:19).