What Would Jesus Really Do?

One of the things that “amuses” me about the Christian in-fighting following in the wake of the Charlie Kirk assassination is everyone’s certainty that it is they and not others who understand what Jesus would do… what believers should do and be, how they should vote in imitation of Him.

It does not surprise me when “Progressive” “Christians” do it… the grape nuts of the Christian faith… ain’t grapes, ain’t nuts.  They have always believed that it is they and not the Scriptures or 2000 years of redeemed intelligentsia that are the true voice of Jesus in the modern world.  

But it does take me aback a bit when otherwise faithful and devout believers seem ready to rumble over different understandings of what an imitation of the Spirit of Christ should look like in the day to day engagement of a world on fire.

Impressions vs. Knowledge

It shouldn’t surprise me, however, because I’ve known for a long time that most believers operate theologically in the realm of “impressions” more than “knowledge” when it comes to who Jesus was, what Jesus wanted, and what Jesus expected the Church to do and be in a messy world.

Personality, fear, confusion and laziness all play too great a role in these “impressions,” leading many to cherry pick their favorite verse or story and to build their entire practical theology around that. Some go no further than using a favorite picture of Jesus snuggling sheep or children to anchor their impressions of Jesus.

Balancing the Portrait of Jesus

So just to even things out for those who think men like Charlie Kirk are “mean” overly aggressive, or too involved in political discussion, I thought I’d provide the other side of the Shepherd. The one that kills wolves and lions and bears. The one that rises up in righteous wrath against a wayward world who refuses to repent and find the mercy that could be theirs.

When someone strives to ask the question, “What would Jesus do?” they must remember that some of the answers that could be on the table would shock and repulse many a modern American softie.  

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

“What did that tree ever do to him” some say, “It’s not the tree’s fault if it’s broken and promised figs when it had none to offer. How intolerant.” Ummmm… it promised fruit… faked it… and didn’t deliver…. Just like that generation of Jewish “believers.” (Mark 11:12–14, 20–21; Matthew 21:18–19)

Jesus Weeps While Condemning

Jesus both weeps over the coming plight of Jerusalem and roars at their ongoing defiance of God and their routine murder of God’s prophets. (Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 19:41-44)

Jesus Calls Us to Judge

Jesus promises a special presence to back up Christian leaders when they take up the necessary duty of judgement in the house of God. (Matthew 18)

No Pearls Before Swine

Jesus teaches in parables to keep from casting pearls before swine and from giving what is Holy to dogs (Matthew 7:6) as a mixed crowd of faithful and faithless and antagonistic people follow him about. (Mark 4:1-25) He abandons those who seek His help desperately to “go elsewhere to preach.” (Mark 1:35-39) He gets in a boat so they can’t touch Him and rows away without healing them after a long day of parable teaching. (Mark 4:1 & 35-36) He walks into a place of sickness, rough handles a single sick person, heals him alone and leaves. Later he comes back to threaten this man for betraying Him to the religious leaders. (John 5)

Cleansing the Temple

Jesus cleanses the temple from those buying and selling in that sacred space. He kicks over tables, whips people with sacrificial thongs, openly chastises them. It is all called zeal for the house of God. (John 2:13–17; Matthew 21:12–13; Mark 11:15–17; Luke 19:45–46)

Tweaking Troubled Souls

Jesus tweaks those who seek help from him. Consider the Syrophoenician woman, whom Jesus calls a “dog.” (Matthew 15:21–28; Mark 7:24–30) He groans over the boy with the demonic presence and his disciples’ attempt to cast it out saying, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?” He scolds the desperate man for including “If you can” in the request for his boy’s deliverance. (Mark 9:17–29; Matthew 17:14–20; Luke 9:37–43) When a nobleman comes to get help for his dying son, Jesus scolds, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.” (John 4:46-53) He openly criticizes 9 of the 10 lepers that He heals for failing to come back and thank Him. (Luke 17:11-19)

Heartless Jesus

Jesus makes a “heartless” retort to a man who says he must bury his father before coming to follow Jesus. He scorns, “let the dead bury their own dead.” (Matthew 8:21–22; Luke 9:59–60)

Let Them Go

Jesus lets the “rich young ruler” “whom he loved,” walk away into oblivion when the man will not give all that Jesus asks of him. (Matthew 19:16–22; Mark 10:17–22; Luke 18:18–23)

What’s a Little Bullying?

Jesus allows the crowd to rough-handle the blind beggars on the road to Jerusalem, ignoring their cries for help for a time. He draws them on through a gauntlet to prove their determination and faith. (Matthew 20:29–34; Mark 10:46–52; Luke 18:35–43)

Better to Kill Yourself

Jesus disdains those who despise or harm “little ones,” luring them into sin, saying “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around him and he were cast into the sea.” (Matthew 18:6; Mark 9:42; Luke 17:2)

My Followers are Idiots!

Jesus openly rebukes His disciples… with insults. “Get thee behind me Satan.” (Mark 8:33 ) “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe.” (Luke 24:25). “Are you also without understanding?” (Matthew 15:16; Mark 7:18) “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4:40; Matthew 8:26; Luke 8:25) “O’ Ye of little faith!” (Matthew 6:30, 8:26, 14:31, 16:18) “Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear?” (Mark 8:17-21) “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know Me, Philip?” (John 14:9) “Could you not watch with Me one hour?” (Luke 22:46; Matthew 26:40)

Come Stand in Front of the Class

Jesus forces the woman with the issue of blood to come forward and expose her actions to the crowds, and uses this delay to give time for the synagogue officials daughter to die. (Mark 5:25–34; Matthew 9:20–22; Luke 8:43–48) He also delays so as to allow Lazarus to die. He weeps over the pain of it all but does it just the same. (John 11)

“Verbal Abuse”

Jesus is “verbally abusive” to those in government and religious leadership. This includes, but is not limited to, “You brood of vipers.” “Hypocrites” “Whitewashed tombs full of dead men’s bones.” “Blind guides!” “You blind Fools!” He referenced them as washed cups full of filth… greed and self-indulgence. (Matthew 12:34; 23:13–33; Luke 11:37–52; John 8:44) He delivers quite a speech in John 8:44-47, saying “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. …The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” Jesus later calls them a “synagogue of Satan” (Revelation 2:9) “Jesus said to them, ‘Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?’” (Mark 12:24; Matthew 22:29) Jesus holds them out for scorn saying, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets” and Luke throws in “they devour widow’s houses.” (Matthew 23:5–7; Mark 12:38–40; Luke 20:45–47)

Exposing Sin

Jesus boldly exposes sin.  “You have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband.” (John 4:16-18). “Why do you think evil in your hearts?” (Matthew 9:4) He calls out the rudeness of His host, saying, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.” (Luke 7:44–46) He chastises the crowds, in Matthew 6:1-8, even saying, “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others.” And “when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others.” He even holds up the heathen for public scorn, saying, “ “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them.”

Repent Ye SINNERS!!!

Jesus preaches open condemnations like, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you?” (Matthew 17:17; Mark 9:19; Luke 9:41) or “This generation is an evil generation.” (Luke 11:29–32) or even “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children.” (Matthew 7:11; Luke 11:13) We have, “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.” (Matthew 11:21-22).  And let’s not forget, “And He said, ‘What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.’” (Mark 7:20-23).

Talk to the Soon to Be Nail Scarred Hand

Jesus refuses to even speak to the evil leader Herod who was hoping to see a magic trick. (Luke 23:8-9).

Edward Scissor Hands Has Nothing on Jesus

Jesus, with a sword for a tongue, speaks direct curses to the churches (Revelation 2:22-23) calling out their sin and at times openly condemning them. “I have this against you!” (Revelation 1-3.) “I will spew you out of My mouth.” (Revelation 3:16) “You are dead.” (Revelation 3:1) He even calls out specific false teachings. (Revelation 2:14-15, 20)

A Violent and Bloody Return

The depiction of Jesus’ activity upon His return is violent and threatening. He uses the Flood and Sodom as Models of Judgment. “Just as it was in the days of Noah… the flood came and destroyed them all… so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.” (Luke 17:26–30; Matthew 24:37–39) The end of the age He presents as cosmic upheaval (Matthew 24:29–31; Mark 13:24–27; Luke 21:25–27) and the final judgement as weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:11-2, 13:41-42, 49-50, 22:11-13, 24:48-51, 25:30; Luke 13:27-28). “The powers of the heavens will be shaken.” Apocalyptic violence envelops creation itself as the Son of Man returns. Jesus while on earth forewarns of this, with the separation of the sheep and goats “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31–46), the cutting into pieces of the wicked servant in Matthew 24:50–51, discussing the vine and the winepress of God’s wrath (Revelation 14:17–20; 19:11–16), gathering up pruned branches to cast into the fire. He promises that in His return “The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin… and throw them into the fiery furnace.” (Matthew 13:41–42)

Let Me Tell Ya About My Jesus!

Jesus is not just the blesser of Children, nor merely the seeker of lost sheep. Jesus is also the Lord of Glory, riding upon the clouds of heaven, His holy angels with him. He is the caster of demon hordes, the commander of storms, He who walks upon the back of the sea and wields the power of life and death, raising some and killing others. Jesus is the defender of Torah, who both condemns the wicked to eternal damnation and raises a family of repentant sinners to glory.

~Andrew D. Sargent,  PhD