My "Unkind" Jesus

This is in response to a conversation that has been on going in Monday's ITL service.

I want to start this conversation with an approximation of what I THINK I heard and understand about our group leader's understanding of what Jesus was, who he was and what his purpose was while here while in the tabernacle of flesh with us. What I heard was that 'Jesus was not a very kind person', actually that was an exact quote as I wrote it down, and that he was 'following an agenda' during the span of his life. Also a quote. I didn't ever hear any clarification on those statements so I can only assume that that they are a belief held by the person speaking. I've also heard it said that "the pastor says that Jesus said many things that were unkind or Jesus said unkind things...."

Now, taking into consideration those sayings and thoughts, I must make a rebuttal. While the sayings and many teachings of Jesus were hard, I find it difficult to determine that Jesus was in and of Himself unkind. I find it more plausible to say that Jesus spoke the truth and the truth, while not unkind, can be very difficult to hear.

Some would say that he was quite often angry. Perhaps, but his anger was always directed at those who kept people away from worshiping God in the form that they knew and believed would bring them closer to God. His angry dissertation to the Pharisees and Sadducees was out of their haughty application of God's law. They lived worshiping money, seeking praise in the eyes of the congregation and using their power to allow the rich and disallow the destitute.

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

Much like the people of Sodom and Gomorrah they forgot to care for those less fortunate and the hospitality of God. They ignored Justice, Mercy and Faithfulness. Jesus was not unkind to them. He spoke the very truth he saw.

Some will point to the time when Jesus' mother and brother were waiting at the door for him and he used that moment to teach. It never said that he didn't eventually go out to them. Instead he asked the rhetorical question of, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" 49 Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." While seemingly unkind to his mother, The Blessed Mary Mother of God, his lesson was this; here is the true and eternal family. There is no marriage in 'heaven' as there are no bonds of family. The 'family', THIS family here will be an eternal connection through God. Hard to hear. Unkind? I don't think so.

He called a Gentile woman a' dog' when she l cried after him for attention and healing for her daughter. He didn't actually call her a dog. He called the Gentile nation dogs. He came to teach the Jews and this outsider wanted the blessings, meant for the "Children of God", from him. This email is already too long to explain it all....suffice it to say that her tenacious desire for mercy from Christ was an example to all who read the passage in context. He used her continuous pleas as a lesson to those who were chosen for the feast of Christ. She asked for even the crumbs of the truth he offered. He ultimately healed the daughter as we knew he would. He never turned any away.

To say outright that Jesus was not very kind slaps in the face all that I believe about Jesus. He said the most Kind and Merciful thing I have ever heard or read and likely ever will.

7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

11"No one, sir," she said.

"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

Just to clarify/define sin..That which is NOT of faith is sin. This is sin....if it is not of faith.

The most amazingly kind words I have ever heard. He was offering her GRACE. The kindness of Jesus shines so brightly in this one passage that I need no other to know that the Jesus I follow was a kind and graceful man. "NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU!" Meaning: I pass no judgement on you, although I, above all others, have the authority to do so. I want you to go now with the grace that will change the very fiber of who you are, making you into a new person, and follow a life of faith.

There are more examples that I will not go into in depth like things about children coming to him, healing the leper because of his willingness to do so.

Yes, Jesus had an agenda. Spread the truth about who God is. Spread the truth about freedom through Grace. Spread love by example. Love one another as I have loved you. These things are true, but to say that everything that Jesus did was agenda driven is making a mockery of who Jesus was as a person. It takes away any free will Jesus had. The woman with the issue of blood was not a planned step of Jesus agenda and yet she was healed by merely touching his robe.

I guess I just take umbrage at all the "Jesus wasn't very kind, Jesus was politically driven, Jesus had an agenda" view of deity. Jesus was God, the Word who was and is and always shall be. Who dwelt among us for our sakes. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. And let me add...kindness.

Am I wrong? I don't think so.