He should've been a nice guy. I mean, a Messiah should be nice. He should be gentle mannered, careful with his words, friendly to all, refined and formal. I imagine how he should assume a modulated voice (the deeper the better) especially when he prays, and always inviting everybody to his "church."
Photo above by Stefano Pollio on Unsplash.
But they didn't find Jesus like that. According to their standards, they didn't find him so nice, contrary to what we sometimes teach in Sunday school. Often, we teach and preach that Jesus was a nice guy. But I personally saw in the Gospel how a lot of folks didn't find him as such. Especially the religious and the theology experts. Why else would they severely punish and crucify him if they had found Jesus nice?
"Are you so dull?" he once told his disciples when they failed to understand how food could not defile people. What went out from their hearts did. Another time, someone asked his help about fairly dividing an inheritance between him and his brother. I would've felt obliged, being a minister eager to help people anyway I could for the glory of God. Right?
You would've done it, too! Just to be nice.
But not Jesus.
You know what he did? He actually turned it down! I was somewhat shocked to see him do it. I mean, why refuse a very small favor being asked? And he even worded his reply somewhat smart-Aleckly: “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” And as if that wasn't enough, he accused the guy indirectly of greed. "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed."
I would expect a kinder response from Jesus if I were the guy. Something far from being judgmental, too. If he couldn't help me with my problem, at least Jesus should've said, "I'm sorry I can't do it." And no more insinuation of greed or make accusing or holier-than-thou overtones. But Jesus, in effect told the guy: "Who are you to tell me that?" Or, "Don't involve me because I have nothing to do with your problem. And anyway, that problem is for the greedy."
That wasn't something nice to say, especially if you are in ministry. More so, the Messiah. You're supposed to be the Lamb of God, remember? Would you talk like that if you were a pastor?
At another time, Jesus referred to King Herod as "that fox" and religious leaders "blind fools," "hypocrites," and "white-washed tombs." These aren't polite words said of high-ranking leaders in society. Jesus should watch his words, some people probably thought. He also told his disciples (in the hearing of the people) to stay away from the Pharisees after he had offended them, because they were not from God. Exactly, he told them,
“Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them; they are blind guides.
Today, we'd probably term this as "bad-mouthing" other people or malicious talk. And this after Jesus warned them all in Matthew 12:36 about careless use of words: "I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty (or careless) word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Why then did Jesus use fiery, insulting words?
But don't get me wrong. Jesus was gentle, compassionate and loving with people. He really was (and is) the Good Shepherd. Look at how Ezekiel saw Jesus as a gentle Shepherd:
I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.
And Matthew said Jesus was compassionate:
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
The problem is, we don't see Jesus as God the Father sees him. Our concept of "kind, compassionate, gentle, loving, understanding, peaceful, joyful, etc. is far from how God defines them. We define them as the world does. This is why often, we teach a different Jesus in Sunday school. We introduce the "Jesus" we think should be super nice. And we think we ought to follow this super nice Jesus.
But it's not the Jesus in the Gospel of the Kingdom. It's the Jesus of religions who want to subdue people and control them (often to easily ask money from them). They introduce the Jesus who is so amicable, polite, and easy to maneuver. A Mr. Nice Guy. A yes man. Actually, churches with hidden imperialist agenda preach this tame Jesus to tame church members to submission.
Submission is good, but it should be grounded on solid bible truth. And not for manipulative purposes.
If you can see in the Spirit, Jesus is in fact nice. But a different kind of "nice." The Kingdom has a different definition of "nice." It's often the exact opposite of "nice" in the world. If you are in any way different from the "nice" of the world, they'll crucify you. If Jesus were their kind of a "nice" Messiah, you think they would have crucified him?
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