Bob Schwartz

This song was written in New York City
Of rich man, preacher, and slave
If Jesus was to preach what He preached in Galilee,
They would lay poor Jesus in His grave.
–Woody Guthrie, Jesus Christ

It is Sunday, a day of worship for many Christians. It is Flag Day, established in 1912 by President Woodrow Wilson to honor the American flag. It is the birthday of President Trump, which he is honoring by holding a UFC event on the lawn of the White House.

Among these four—Jesus, the American flag, President Trump and the UFC—I’ve selected Jesus. I would hope that faithful Christians would agree with that selection, but who knows?

Woody Guthrie is one of the most significant musicians in America. He was not the first or last to use song to protest and feature many national infirmities, but he may be the best.

Many think that his song This Land is Your Land should be chosen as our new national anthem. His family has resisted this, saying that in the wrong hands, it could be used for malevolent purposes. They may have a point. Look at how the American flag and American patriotism has been misused.

Today’s song is Woody Guthrie’s Jesus Christ. When it comes to misuse and misunderstanding, some versions of that faith may be at or near the top of the list.

Jesus Christ was a man who traveled through the land
A hard-working man and brave
He said to the rich, “Give your money to the poor,”
But they laid Jesus Christ in His grave

Jesus was a man, a carpenter by hand
His followers true and brave
One dirty little coward called Judas Iscariot
Has laid Jesus Christ in His Grave

He went to the preacher, He went to the sheriff
He told them all the same
“Sell all of your jewelry and give it to the poor,”
And they laid Jesus Christ in His grave.

When Jesus come to town, all the working folks around
Believed what he did say
But the bankers and the preachers, they nailed Him on the cross,
And they laid Jesus Christ in his grave.

And the people held their breath when they heard about his death
Everybody wondered why
It was the big landlord and the soldiers that they hired
To nail Jesus Christ in the sky

This song was written in New York City
Of rich man, preacher, and slave
If Jesus was to preach what He preached in Galilee,
They would lay poor Jesus in His grave.