When you survey both the secular and the Christian worlds, most can agree that there is much to be debated on what Jesus looked like. Every culture has a painting or portrayal of Jesus that looks like them, and even sometimes dresses like them. This is a historical norm that can be traced through the ages. Obviously there are typical cultural normalities that are involved in this, but we also know that this can impact harmful schools of thought, such as the “white Jesus narrative” in America (I realize there are probably even other cultural examples of this in other countries, but I am speaking from an American perspective) that have historically influenced many racially harmful theologies. The reality is we know where Jesus is from geographically, and we know that for most of us, Jesus didn’t look like us. If you live in Palestine, you may have an argument. But anyway, this blog post has nothing to do with what Jesus looked like, rather, it has everything to do with who He is, and how we internalize and live out who He is. Beyond the external debates, there are plenty of intense debates about the words of Jesus, the philosophies of Jesus, and the priorities of Jesus. There are whole theological systems, denominations, and church splits that are predicated on what Jesus actually said. For some people, the most important thing Jesus did was flip tables in righteous anger. For others, the most vital thing Jesus did was turn the other cheek. For some, the most important thing that Jesus said was to the woman caught in adultrey, when He said, “Go and sin no more”. For others, the most important thing He did was point out the sins of those confronting her. For some, the most important thing Jesus did was preach, and for others, the most important thing He did was heal, or wash feet. We all have our favorite action or word from the Life and person of Jesus if we are being honest.
Is this wrong?
Not necessarily. Different things resonate with people in unique ways. But where we enter dangerous waters is when we begin to treat Jesus as a selective word bank to fit our chosen narrative, rather than building our life on top of the Wholeness of who He is. The danger of this is that it causes us to detach ourselves from any of the teachings of Jesus that challenge the way we think. We become trained to follow our cravings for affirmation of self over a true submission to Christ and the Holiness He called us to throughout His life. This is not easy, because to be honest, it means that we lose our pride, and as a result, we lose our preferences. One of the passages in the Gospels that I tend to detach myself from too much is the story of the rich young ruler. I have always loved taking pride in how “not alike” I am to this man. But as we read it with fresh eyes, I believe Jesus has something to tell all of us as He converses with this young man.
“As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”
“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” Mark 10: 17-31 (NIV)
There is so much to this passage. I believe that when we read scripture, we should NEVER detach the intended audience from the words we read. The intended audience matters. This helps us both understand the intent of the words in the Bible, but it also helps us see where we can learn and become wiser through the Holy Spirit’s prompting. However, we can absolutely see ourselves in this rich young ruler. We all have pre-conceived notions on what it means for us to submit and surrender to Jesus, but only He can determine what that looks like. The rich young ruler was disappointed by the words of Jesus because he realized following Christ meant that his preferences had to take second place. In both Christian culture and secular culture, we see many examples of this. We see this littered through the focus on self care (Self care itself isn’t inherently bad) in the broad culture and a focus on theological battles in the church over things that don’t change or determine salvation. We see it in our tendency, both in the broader secular culture and in the Church, to seek power (political, familial, societal, organizational, etc.) and to freak out and grasp for straws when we feel as though it is slipping from our grip. But Jesus disappoints our preferences. Christ’s ultimate allegiance as a man on earth is to His Lord. His ultimate trust is in Him, and His Words reflect that. There is no coincidence in the fact that Jesus spends a large percentage of the Gospels discussing the “Kingdom of Heaven”, and the counter cultural ideals that are asked of us in order for us to reside in it. We see Him serve others humbly, speak truth to Power, care for the poor, forgive sins of those who had reputations as sinners (and lead them to repentance), and we see Him teach the religious leaders a new way and rail against the corruption in the temples.
Jesus was never meant to fit nicely around our worlds. He invites us into a new, and better one.
Something I challenge myself to do yearly, is to read through the Gospels, and to start my reading through the scriptures with them as the foundation. This does not neglect or diminish the rest of Scripture, rather it leads us to anchor our understanding of how we are supposed to operate in the world we live in through the life of Christ. What I find is that each time I open the Gospels, I am invited into a beautifully painful experience, where I am challenged to form my life around the Words of Jesus. This is not easy, and it is not meant to be. It is deep work. But it is the Holy work we are called to participate in. In the Old Testament timeline, we see a clear moment where the Israelites want a King. God allows them to have a King, although He knew how things would turn out. These kings were dominant and mighty men, yet even the very best ones had deep failures, and ultimately were never enough. They weren’t the Savior that Israel truly needed, even though they thought they knew what was needed. When Jesus is predicted and prophesied, and when He comes to earth as the Messiah; The King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords, God in the Flesh, I can only imagine that to see a man born in a stable, not having a roof over His head, and even coming from a place such as Bethlehem, was bizarre, disorienting, and even disappointing to the many who expected a mighty man with Gold Jewelry, and military dominance taking over. But the same difficulty we see today is the same difficulty that existed back then. We all have our idea of what a Savior should look like. Jesus turned expectations upside down.
Allow Jesus to disappoint you, and in turn, allow Him to make your life reflective of Himself.
May we, in this crazy world, live lives that are truly open to the words of Christ, even if they disappoint us.
Jeremiah Storkson 