The Jesus Man

"If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.  And if satan has risen up against himself, and s divided, he cannot stand, but has an end.  No one can enter a strong mans house and plunder his goods, unless he binds the strong man.  And the he will plunder his house."

Mark 3: 24-27 NKJV 

Once again, Jesus delivered the perfect response.  The Jewish Pharisees had once again challanged Him, this time by accusing Him of being possesed by satan.  This was their response to the miracles of Jesus.  Not once did they consider the ones who had experienced the miracles of Christ, they couldn't have cared less.  No, the focus of their anger  laid squarely with Jesus.  For He challanged their authority and exposed their own hypocracy.  In my opinion, by confronting the corrupt Jewish authorities, Jesus had proven Himself more of man than they had ever been.  The Pharisees tried every trick in the book to discredit Jesus, but he rebuffed them at every turn.  Certainly something to behold for anyone who ever dreamed of "Sticking it to the man!"  I look at the life of Jesus and have asked myself, is this the essence of a man?  For Jesus, being fully God and flesh, was certainly capable of exhibiting these traits.  We in America certainly have had our own role models of manhood in the past, from George Washington to John Wayne.  Of course, each generation had their own idea of who exhibited the perfect traits of manhood.  Along with that came just as many ideas of what it really takes to be a man in our own society.

Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.  Let all that you do be done with love.

1 Corinthians 16: 13-14 NKJV 

Some years ago, there was a book written by John Eldredge titled "Wild at heart."  This book is still looked upon by many as one of the best pieces of christian literature about becoming a man.  The man, as Eldredge put it, needed adventure, a woman to save and to feel important.  My question to those who adhere to these so called requirements needed by men is this, did Jesus need all of this to be a man?  Did Jesus need adventure?  Did He need a woman to save?   Moreover, did Jesus require the adoration of others to stroke His ego?  No?  Keep in mind that our Jesus was not only fully God, but fully man as well.  Did Jesus desire the adventuresin life that Mr. Eldredge penned in his book?  Perhaps, but we are left with very little information on this from the scriptures.  One thing that I've always longed for in the bible was more details of the early life of Jesus.  In the hollywoood version of  the early life of our Lord in the film Young Messiah, we see a young Jesus who struggles with His deity as He grows.  While I liked this film, I found the rendition of the young Jesus to be a bit timid.  For there was far too little of the rough and tumble play that boys will do portrayed in this film.  Did Jesus play and spar with His brothers and friends?  I'm pretty sure that He did, being fully human that He was.  So, we ask ourselves, what is the true essence of a man?  Is it the hard, tough exterior stereotype we've admired for years?  Or is it the compassionate, soft hearted model that Jesus exhibited so often to those He came across?  Of course, people will say that Jesus exhibited this by trashing the temple.  Yes, but I see that as righteous anger directed at those who were desecrating His Fathers house.  Did the boy Jesus do all the things young boys do, including rough play and adventures?  I tend to believe He did.  I believe He loved to exhibit the exploits of the men of Jewish faith.  The adventures of men such as Joshua, Abraham and King David.  Fully God, yet fully human.  The man Jesus.

~Scott~