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Comunismo en la Biblia
El presente estudio ahonda la investigación de dos libros exegéticos anteriores del mismo autor: Marx y la Biblia y El ser y el Mesías, pero no los presupone lógicamente porque se ha cuidado de que se tenga en pie por sí solo. Más aún: a pesar de las dimensiones tipográficas reducidas, que obedecen al deseo de mayor difusión, se pretende aquí precisar con mucho mayor filo varios de los análisis que esos dos libros mayores habían iniciado. En particular el de los profetas, el de los salmos y el de las palabras genuinas y hechos históricos de Jesús de Nazaret. Aunque es una obra concisa, es el fruto de muchos años de investigación. El alcance político no necesita palabras de encarcelamiento; el título mismo lo pone de relieve. Es un manifiesto. Y quisiera hacerse oír de todos los pobres de la tierra.
88 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
9 people are currently reading
256 people want to read
About the author
José Porfirio Miranda
16 books9 followersCatholic clergyman and Jesuit, philosopher, theologian and economist, author and professor at the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana of the Metropolitan Region of Mexico City, and at the Jesuit College in Guadalajara. Miranda wrote basic works of liberation theological exegesis and theory formation.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 22, 2016
Summary of the main biblical arguments for communism:
1 - God prefers the poor and the opressed (Lc 1, 53/ Lc 4, 18)
2 - Jesus condemns wealth (Mt 6, 24 / Mt 19,24)
3 - Wealth comes from injustice (Am 3, 19 / Jer 5, 27)
4 - Jesus comands His followers to renounce property (Mc 10, 21)
5 - Jesus and His friends had everything in common (Jo 13, 6)
6 - Early Christians had everything in common ( Act 2, 44 / Act 4, 32)
1 - God prefers the poor and the opressed (Lc 1, 53/ Lc 4, 18)
2 - Jesus condemns wealth (Mt 6, 24 / Mt 19,24)
3 - Wealth comes from injustice (Am 3, 19 / Jer 5, 27)
4 - Jesus comands His followers to renounce property (Mc 10, 21)
5 - Jesus and His friends had everything in common (Jo 13, 6)
6 - Early Christians had everything in common ( Act 2, 44 / Act 4, 32)
January 22, 2013
It would be no stretch at all to say that this is one of the most fascinating and informative books I've had the pleasure of devouring. And all that in less than 100 pages (78 to be precise)!!
Senor Miranda lays out an extremely solid case that, not only does the Bible calls us to help the poor, but that the Bible condemns wealth and that almsgiving is not some charitable obligation, it is reparation for what was stolen from the poor in the first place! Not only that, but the author makes it clear that every single prophet, and of course Jesus Christ Himself, condemns the accumulation of wealth and declares profit nothing less than the exploitation of the less fortunate.
Christian apologists for the rich explain away biblical condemnations of differentiating wealth as though Christ and the prophets aimed their words at only a particular sort of rich person. Balderdash! Miranda brilliantly tears this excuse apart, saying: "It is as if the biblical condemnations of lechery and adultery could be nullified by postulating that they refer to certain particular individuals who have committed lecheries and adulteries that were especially perverse." If Christian readers of this book don't agree that accumulation of wealth and property is not only harmful, but criminal, they are being either obtuse or absolutely dishonest with themselves.
The author includes an exhaustive array of Bible passages and historical context to make his argument. After reading this book I can assure you, you'll never read the Bible in the same light again. And that is a beautiful thing.
Senor Miranda lays out an extremely solid case that, not only does the Bible calls us to help the poor, but that the Bible condemns wealth and that almsgiving is not some charitable obligation, it is reparation for what was stolen from the poor in the first place! Not only that, but the author makes it clear that every single prophet, and of course Jesus Christ Himself, condemns the accumulation of wealth and declares profit nothing less than the exploitation of the less fortunate.
Christian apologists for the rich explain away biblical condemnations of differentiating wealth as though Christ and the prophets aimed their words at only a particular sort of rich person. Balderdash! Miranda brilliantly tears this excuse apart, saying: "It is as if the biblical condemnations of lechery and adultery could be nullified by postulating that they refer to certain particular individuals who have committed lecheries and adulteries that were especially perverse." If Christian readers of this book don't agree that accumulation of wealth and property is not only harmful, but criminal, they are being either obtuse or absolutely dishonest with themselves.
The author includes an exhaustive array of Bible passages and historical context to make his argument. After reading this book I can assure you, you'll never read the Bible in the same light again. And that is a beautiful thing.
April 25, 2024
"Derribó a los potentados de sus tronos y ensalzó a los humildes. A los hambrientos llenó de bienes, y a los ricos despidió vacíos".
Lc 1: 52-53
Lc 1: 52-53
November 27, 2016
As the author indicates in his foreword, this book is a biblical manifesto. And what a sharp, engaging book it is!
Miranda offers here an excellent, concise, and highly perceptive commentary on the threads of communism in the Bible. He develops his case with a steady, clear logic that cuts through exegetical sleight-of-hand that represent "irrational reactions, the spasms of an uncontrollable visceral revulsion" to the message of the Bible. His writing is passionate, humorous, and displays a confident command of the material. His argument does seems forced and less convincing towards the end, but regardless there is rich food for thought here.
Over the years of my Christian journey, I have made many of the same observations in my own readings and studies, but Miranda brings together things that I missed altogether and presents a united, compelling case whereas I had merely found strong hints. Reading this book made me eager to re-read the Bible.
I highly recommend this book to both Christians and communists.
Miranda offers here an excellent, concise, and highly perceptive commentary on the threads of communism in the Bible. He develops his case with a steady, clear logic that cuts through exegetical sleight-of-hand that represent "irrational reactions, the spasms of an uncontrollable visceral revulsion" to the message of the Bible. His writing is passionate, humorous, and displays a confident command of the material. His argument does seems forced and less convincing towards the end, but regardless there is rich food for thought here.
Over the years of my Christian journey, I have made many of the same observations in my own readings and studies, but Miranda brings together things that I missed altogether and presents a united, compelling case whereas I had merely found strong hints. Reading this book made me eager to re-read the Bible.
I highly recommend this book to both Christians and communists.
April 17, 2024
Pff més cristianisme així, se basó
December 7, 2024
No me lo acabé pero es el libro que más he citado en conversaciones en mi vida, solo por eso le doy ya las 5 estrellas.
November 4, 2020
Through a radical and biblically consistent exegesis, José Porfirio Miranda has produced a revolutionary clarion call: that what the God of the Bible demands is the dismantling of Capitalism and the foundation of a Kingdom of God that looks very much like Communism (or as he admits, more like an anarchic version thereof). Miranda does none of this with the aid of Marx, Engels, Lenin, or anyone in that tradition. Instead, he enlists a laundry list of conservative commentators, theologians, Church fathers, and most importantly and centrally: the Bible itself.
Miranda argues concisely and cleanly, presenting the facts and dismantling biblical distortions in a matter-of-fact tone that is refreshing and compelling.
This book is short and packs a punch: Christians who claim to be students of the Word will have a lot to contend with if they take that commitment seriously and they read this book.
Miranda argues concisely and cleanly, presenting the facts and dismantling biblical distortions in a matter-of-fact tone that is refreshing and compelling.
This book is short and packs a punch: Christians who claim to be students of the Word will have a lot to contend with if they take that commitment seriously and they read this book.
May 17, 2025
So much of this was amazing, which made the VERY end where he had Jesus endorsing and participating in revolutionary violence so unfortunate. Still, he takes Jesus seriously and rebukes the notion that Jesus has nothing to say about our political structures. He uses "communism" here to mean communal ownership and the abolition of profit, not necessarily Marxism or materialism. Compelling argument for why the Bible is anti-profit in every instance, from the prophets to the Psalms to Jesus himself, and reflected in the early church practices and Church Fathers teachings. Consider St. Basil: "It is the hungry one's bread you keep, the naked one's footwear putrifying in your power, the needy one's money that you have buried." Or Ambrose: "You are not giving the poor person the gift of a part of what is yours; you are returning to him something of what is his."
According to Miranda (and the Bible), there is no such thing as a just rich person when there are poor people. It is not wealth itself that Jesus condemns, but rather differentiating wealth, because there is no just way to acquire this wealth. We have ignored the harshness of the Gospel on wealth for convenience sake, and Miranda knocks down each objection one by one with solid exegesis and logic argument for why capitalism and Christ are incompatible. Convicting and cutting in a concise little book.
His last little section of Jesus on violence, however, just sounded like a rightist militaristic argument flipped on its head. He pulled instances of violence from the Old Testament, but instead of the "wicked" being gay people, he made them rich people. Then he somehow twisted Jesus's words to make him endorse and encourage violence against rich people. It's the kind of "cleansing violence" argument that conservatives who wish to stamp out Islam or homosexuality use, just turned into a leftist critique of capitalism. Again, it sucks, because this was the very last couple pages he decided to throw this in.
"The struggle for a society in which there will be no rich or poor is not a 'preferential option for the poor'... it is not an option, it is an obligation."
According to Miranda (and the Bible), there is no such thing as a just rich person when there are poor people. It is not wealth itself that Jesus condemns, but rather differentiating wealth, because there is no just way to acquire this wealth. We have ignored the harshness of the Gospel on wealth for convenience sake, and Miranda knocks down each objection one by one with solid exegesis and logic argument for why capitalism and Christ are incompatible. Convicting and cutting in a concise little book.
His last little section of Jesus on violence, however, just sounded like a rightist militaristic argument flipped on its head. He pulled instances of violence from the Old Testament, but instead of the "wicked" being gay people, he made them rich people. Then he somehow twisted Jesus's words to make him endorse and encourage violence against rich people. It's the kind of "cleansing violence" argument that conservatives who wish to stamp out Islam or homosexuality use, just turned into a leftist critique of capitalism. Again, it sucks, because this was the very last couple pages he decided to throw this in.
"The struggle for a society in which there will be no rich or poor is not a 'preferential option for the poor'... it is not an option, it is an obligation."
December 28, 2024
Don’t let the evangelicals see this!
In all seriousness, an interesting read that is contrary to everything I ever learned in the church in America. The author states that it is a manifesto, and at times it does read like one (especially the last section on violence). It is an excellent reminder how far the church has moved away from the teachings of the Gospel (and Old Testament), even if you do not agree with the thesis that Christianity is communism
In all seriousness, an interesting read that is contrary to everything I ever learned in the church in America. The author states that it is a manifesto, and at times it does read like one (especially the last section on violence). It is an excellent reminder how far the church has moved away from the teachings of the Gospel (and Old Testament), even if you do not agree with the thesis that Christianity is communism
February 12, 2024
I have never agreed more with a book, theologically—Miranda articulates many of my own beliefs, but far more eloquently.
Highly recommend reading this in tandem with Dorothy Day's The Long Loneliness: The Autobiography of the Legendary Catholic Social Activist and Fr. Gustavo Gutiérrez's Gustavo Gutiérrez: Essential Writings to glean a more expanded understanding of both liberation theology and CST.
I have not read José Porfirio Miranda before, but this has certainly put him on my radar.
Highly recommend reading this in tandem with Dorothy Day's The Long Loneliness: The Autobiography of the Legendary Catholic Social Activist and Fr. Gustavo Gutiérrez's Gustavo Gutiérrez: Essential Writings to glean a more expanded understanding of both liberation theology and CST.
I have not read José Porfirio Miranda before, but this has certainly put him on my radar.
September 19, 2025
Very interesting, also nice and short.
One of Dostoevsky's characters says that Christian socialists are more of a threat to the established order than atheist socialists. The powers-that-be have long realised this and have constantly attempted to drive a wedge between Christianity and socialism, between religion and left-wing politics more generally. They've often been successful, not least because the religious and left-wing should-be allies have done much of this work for them. But it's when the two are allied – as in liberation theology – that they're at their most authentic and most successful.
That's my view, and Miranda backs me up by saying that "for a Christian to be anticommunist ... without doubt constitutes the greatest scandal of our [that is, the twentieth] century." It may seem an unusual and even preposterous argument to many, especially given the rise of the religious right, but I find his argument compelling and almost watertight.
I say "almost", because the last section, on revolutionary violence, seems rushed and not so well argued. That doesn't negate the point he is making, however, namely that pacifism for the poor and militarism for the rich really is the worst of both worlds.
One of Dostoevsky's characters says that Christian socialists are more of a threat to the established order than atheist socialists. The powers-that-be have long realised this and have constantly attempted to drive a wedge between Christianity and socialism, between religion and left-wing politics more generally. They've often been successful, not least because the religious and left-wing should-be allies have done much of this work for them. But it's when the two are allied – as in liberation theology – that they're at their most authentic and most successful.
That's my view, and Miranda backs me up by saying that "for a Christian to be anticommunist ... without doubt constitutes the greatest scandal of our [that is, the twentieth] century." It may seem an unusual and even preposterous argument to many, especially given the rise of the religious right, but I find his argument compelling and almost watertight.
I say "almost", because the last section, on revolutionary violence, seems rushed and not so well argued. That doesn't negate the point he is making, however, namely that pacifism for the poor and militarism for the rich really is the worst of both worlds.
December 12, 2020
Según este libro "que un cristiano se diga antimaterialista, puede comprenderse (...), pero que un cristiano se diga anticomunista es el mayor escándalo de nuestro siglo". La idea del comunismo, según el autor, está claramente definida en el Nuevo Testamento, Jesucrísto era un revolucionario comunista que reprobó rotundamente la riqueza "diferenciante", y la teología oficial ha elaborado una concepción del cristianismo independiente de la Biblia, y aún contradictoria con él.
Contundente, bien expuesto y revolucionario.
Contundente, bien expuesto y revolucionario.
May 18, 2023
Surprisingly quick and easy read. The writing is well-researched, well-understood, and fairly well-expressed. The ending leaves a bit to be desired, but I'm still giving it five stars because I genuinely believe every seminarian ought to read it. I think it would make for great classroom discussion in that context, and I could even see it working well for certain lay church groups.
November 12, 2025
An electrifying manifesto, seeking to set the record straight on the true teachings of Christ. Jesus was the first commie!
It’s been a while since an argumentative text has felt so inspiring and crystal-clear to me. I’m not a Christian, but seeing how modern evangelicals and nationalistic fascists distort the word of their savior to such a degree is infuriating.
It’s been a while since an argumentative text has felt so inspiring and crystal-clear to me. I’m not a Christian, but seeing how modern evangelicals and nationalistic fascists distort the word of their savior to such a degree is infuriating.
April 22, 2021
I've never encountered such a straightforward reading of the Bible, unconcerned with the consequences that might follow.
January 27, 2025
Um livro tão chato quanto a missa. Várias vezes anota erros de tradução da Bíblia suspeitos, o que entretém. De resto, repetitivo e chato.
December 29, 2025
Com a Manifest funciona (i molt) però tot lo interessant del tema no es respon amb manifests
July 25, 2024
The first chapter is titled “Christianity is Communism” and I think that’s pretty cool.
Read
October 9, 2020Great book all the way just up until the last couple pages where Miranda makes a brief (and unsatifactory) argument that Jesus was an advocate of violent revolution. But other than that abrupt, tail end tangent, this book is an excellent and uncompromising testimony to how the Bible calls for a society of economic and social egalitarianism.
As Miranda demonstrates throughout this book, the biblical writings are not neutral about economics and people's lived lives "on earth." It was the church organizations throughout history who allied themselves with the wealthy and the powerful who twisted what was written in the Bible into interpretations favoring the powers-that-be. The churches "spiritualized" the Bible, turning it's plain language about community and societal justice into mystical, otherworldly teachings about a heaven in the afterlife, and matters of narrow, private, personal, individualistic morality.
Communism in the Bible shows the reader how radicalism, social protest against the oppressive wealthy and powerful, and a vision of an egalitarian society are inherent to message of the biblical authors.
As Miranda demonstrates throughout this book, the biblical writings are not neutral about economics and people's lived lives "on earth." It was the church organizations throughout history who allied themselves with the wealthy and the powerful who twisted what was written in the Bible into interpretations favoring the powers-that-be. The churches "spiritualized" the Bible, turning it's plain language about community and societal justice into mystical, otherworldly teachings about a heaven in the afterlife, and matters of narrow, private, personal, individualistic morality.
Communism in the Bible shows the reader how radicalism, social protest against the oppressive wealthy and powerful, and a vision of an egalitarian society are inherent to message of the biblical authors.
February 15, 2009
Just awful.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews