Unlikely Christmas Carols: The Rebel Jesus
Sometimes it takes an outsider to remind you of who you are and what you should be about.
It helps, of course, if that outsider is keenly observant, a generous critic, and gifted with words and, in this case, musical notes. Such is the case with this week’s Unlikely Christmas Carol, “The Rebel Jesus,” by Jackson Browne.
Let’s start with Browne as keen observer. A day after describing Mary’s Magnificat as a “rebel song,” I can’t help but appreciate Browne’s perception that her son came to question the status quo, challenge the authorities and customs of the day, and generally turn things upside down.
But Browne isn’t an acute observer of the biblical story only, but also of what we’ve done with it. And so when he suggests that we have in our displays of devotion and petitions for favor actually fallen prey to Jesus’ own accusations, you can’t help feel the sting. Moreover, there is an ominous but, I think, historically accurate warning in his observation that while it may be fine at Christmas to give a bit to the poor, “if any one of us should interfere / In the business of why there are poor / They get the same as the rebel Jesus.”
But if he is a critic, he is a generous one, making allowance for our failings by granting that “In a life of hardship and of earthly toil / There’s a need for anything that frees us.”
What I like best, however, might be the way in which he uses language and melody so deftly to both stake his claim for being an outsider – naming himself “a heathen and a pagan” – and simultaneously to identify himself powerfully with Jesus’ cause. A cause, I suspect, Jesus wishes many of us who take his name as our own would also pick up.
Jackson Browne wrote “The Rebel Jesus” for The Chieftains amazing Christmas album, The Bells of Dublin
I haven’t been able to find a live version of Jackson Browne singing this song, and most of the slide-show videos folks have made of it are of a later recording. So I’ll post a simple version of the recording below which, while lacking any great visual delight, is nevertheless a pretty good rendering of the original Chieftains’ version. If you want to see one with a later acoustic version by Jackson Browne and with some nice visuals, you can find that here. And, of course, I’ll put the lyrics below. Enjoy!
Notes: 1) If you are receiving this post by email, you may need to click here to watch the video.
2) I found this Advent devotion by Jeff Dunn over on Internet Monk, which starts with lyrics from “The Rebel Jesus,” powerful. If you’ve time, I hope you do, too.
“The Rebel Jesus,” by Jackson Browne
All the streets are filled with laughter and light
And the music of the season
And the merchants’ windows are all bright
With the faces of the children
And the families hurrying to their homes
While the sky darkens and freezes
Will be gathering around the hearths and tables
Giving thanks for God’s graces
And the birth of the rebel Jesus
Well they call him by ‘the Prince of Peace’
And they call him by ‘the Savior’
And they pray to him upon the seas
And in every bold endeavor
And they fill his churches with their pride and gold
As their faith in him increases
But they’ve turned the nature that I worship in
From a temple to a robber’s den
In the words of the rebel Jesus
Well we guard our world with locks and guns
And we guard our fine possessions
And once a year when Christmas comes
We give to our relations
And perhaps we give a little to the poor
If the generosity should seize us
But if any one of us should interfere
In the business of why there are poor
They get the same as the rebel Jesus
Now pardon me if I have seemed
To take the tone of judgment
For I’ve no wish to come between
This day and your enjoyment
In a life of hardship and of earthly toil
There’s a need for anything that frees us
So I bid you pleasure
And I bid you cheer
From a heathen and a pagan
On the side of the rebel Jesus
Always get some great message or inspiration from your posts. This one hits like a ton of bricks! Thanks and blessings, pj
Your words and the lyrics of “The Rebel Jesus” reflect Peter Marty’s column in the December 12 issue of the CHRISTIAN CENTURY he titles “Chrismas unvarnished”.
He writes “Christmas will always mean different things to different people. But according to Matthew’s account of Christ’s birth, there was evil knocking on the door even as Mary was inside trying to figure out the breast-feeding thing. King Herod, a thug of the first order, was determined to destroy this new born.” Marty continues “Cruelty shows no sign of evaporating. So who wants a savior with no teeth for justice, no spine for compassion and no heart for the trampled. The Lord we need to meet is the one unafraid to assist a troubled world in recalibrating its moral compass.”
My thanks to Peter and you.
I first heard that album back in the mid-nineties, and have loved “The Rebel Jesus” ever since. In fact, I think I was driving from South Dakota to Minnesota one Christmas Day when I heard “The Rebel Jesus” for the first time.
Thank you! I had not heard this song and have only a passing familiarity with the chieftains. Once again, you open a path for exploration. Very powerful lyrics!
Dear Jackson,
It sure doesn’t sound like you’re a heathen! Jesus said that prostitutes and
drunkards are closer to Heaven than prideful,
self-righteous, judgemental hypocrits. Lots of churches these days even have pastors who are full of pride! And pride is the worst
sin of all! It’s rigid & won’t forgive or give. Pride can’t even love!
The church today is still the same (or
maybe worse) than it was when Jesus walked the planet. The PROBLEM is that those outside the church judge God by the character
of those who attend church; they think God is
like that: unforgiving, & etc.! But God & his
son are not like that at all; they’re just the opposite!
You are closer to Heaven than any of these fake people! You understand what Jesus
taught: loving others, helping the poor, and
etc. I hope you’ll become a Christian & join
me & others in:
1. Exposing ‘Churchians’ who call themselves
Christians, and
2. Telling others what real Christians are
like. (We are grateful people who are in
all stages of the process of becoming more
like Jesus, and the more we get to know
Him, the more we love him, & the more we
love other people, too)!
He’s really awesome!
I hope you’ll write me back.
Sincerely,
Grace
deedeeflipper7@gmail.com
Bells of Dublin is the best Christmas album indeed , and Jackson’s inclusion of this song is outstanding. placed right in the middle … the best part of the sandwich. Here is an acoustic version from a later time no doubt… strictly Browne and his piano.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7K1waSlzgc
From another heathen and pagan on the side of the RJ.
I love his song. I have heard 100 times and it does not get old.
Need not be Christmastime to enjoy, or feel convicted by this great song. Just this morning, I slipped Jackson Browne’s Greatest Hits CD into my car’s player, and cried all the way to work. Will be attending the funeral of a dear friend’s 19 year old daughter tonight, and she, and her beautiful daughter are faithful followers of that “rebel” Jesus. Her daughter, now, in His presence in Eternity. That song just hits home, every time, in its beautiful and poignant simplicity. I’ve loved it for a long time, today, the first day I’ve ever felt compelled to search Google about it…
For all my love of Jackson Browne and the he validity of most of the critique of some Christians in this song, Christianity nor Jesus himself identified true following of Jesus as doing works of mercy. Nor did he advocate rebellion. Instead it was the somewhat mysterious kingdom of God we should seek. For example he says that Mary (not his mother) has the “better part” when al she did was contemplate him when he visited instead of helping like her sister Martha. and approving Mary Magdalene anointing him with precious oil instead of using that money for the poor. There are many cases of his putting spirituality at least on par with works. It is the spirituality of the different religions, expressed and nurtured through the ritual Browne disdains, seeking something beyond this world that gives rise to their emphasis on and dedication to helping the poor. Not that it is necessarily better than this song but I prefer Jackson’s spiritual and mysterious For Everyman where some type of possibly supernatural being (I realize this is not the only interpretation) will come someday to save us.