Jesus overcame oppression: You know that the rulers of the unbelievers lord it over them and their superiors act like tyrants over them. Matthew 20:25

The Gospel of Matthew recounts that before Jesus began his triumphal entry into the holy city of Jerusalem, a woman, along with his sons, approached him and asked the divine teacher that her sons might sit, one at his left and the other at his right, in his kingdom. This request worried many of the disciples who accompanied Jesus.
Jesus, in his wisdom, replied that they did not know what they were asking for. Then Jesus was forced to teach what this Kingdom, empire, or heavenly dominion consists of and what opposes it. And so, Jesus taught that in the Kingdom of God, the struggle for honors has no place, as had happened with the woman's request, because that is something worldly. Jesus reminded his disciples and the woman that when men strive for worldly possessions such as money, power, and honors, it leads to oppression as a form of government in society; this is why Jesus explained: "You know that the rulers of the unbelievers lord it over them and their superiors act like tyrants over them" Matthew 20:25. And then he continued, explaining that the Kingdom of God is the opposite of this situation with these wise words: "That's not the way it should be among you. Instead, whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave" Matthew 20:26-27.
Jesus, through the example of his life and his spiritual teachings, overcame oppression. Oppression is a very negative and destructive form of social organization that is based on lies, deceit, and the desire for evil. Jesus totally rejected this, which is why Jesus made mercy (compassion, kindness), humility, and forgiveness the basis of his message to Israel and all humanity. Jesus called his disciples to live in communion through righteous living and to value the hidden treasure of eternal life as the most precious thing for humankind. This is the essence of Christian spirituality, because everything else is mere deception. Jesus gave a message for spiritual change, a message that two thousand years later must still bear fruits of life.

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