Today's post is by guest writer Lucas Ward.
When examining how Jesus spoke to people, there seems to be two reactions, neither of which promote growth. The first follows this pattern: "I know that Jesus spoke bluntly, but you aren't Jesus so you can't speak to people that way!" This seems wrong on the face of it because of passages like 1 Cor. 11:1 "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ" and 1 Thess. 1:6 "And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit". No, none of us are Jesus, but we are told in multiple passages to imitate Him, so I should speak as He did, even if that means being curt. However, some *ahem* plain spoken men like to declare that Jesus was often brusque to justify blasting away with no regard for the situation, the hearer, or anything else. This also seems wrong because of passges like Col. 4:6 "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person" and 2 Tim. 4:2 "preach the word . . . reprove, rebuke, and exhort" Colossians teaches us to "know how you ought to answer" which surely implies that there are right and wrong ways. Salt is used as a flavor enhancer in food, so words seasoned with salt means what I say is tailored to "taste" as good as possible to the hearer. Paul is telling Timothy that there are times for reproval and rebuke, but also times for exhortation. We must know the situation. So, how do we follow Jesus' example? Perhaps we should start by examining it more closely.
Jesus and the Religious Leaders.
While we might expect Jesus to try to impress these men, or win them over to His side, Jesus does the opposite. In John 3, when Nicodemus came for a private discussion, Jesus doesn't try to gain a political friend. Rather, He challenges Nicodemus: “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?" (vs. 10-12) In John 6, when the religious leaders peppered Jesus with questions, a categorization of His answers shows His claims were intended to blow up the religious paradigm they clung to. Famously, in Matthew 23, Jesus declares them all to be hypocrites. Pretty rough stuff.
Jesus and His Followers.
Was Jesus desperate to hold onto the disciples He had and to grow their numbers as quickly as possible? Not if how He spoke to them is any indication. In John 6, as many of the crowds are shocked and leaving because of the "hard saying", He turns to the Twelve and asks "“Do you want to go away as well?” (vs 67) Surely, an unequivocal challenge. Jesus uses the phrase, "O ye of little faith" four times. Twice to the twelve and twice to the crowds that came to listen. On at least two other occasions, He referred to the twelve as having "little faith". Very stern. (I betcha someone's feelings got hurt. *Gasp!!*)
Jesus and the Sinful Masses.
Surely, these were the people who needed the stern rebukes. And yet in Mark 2, Jesus eats with them and tells the Pharisees that it is the sick that need attention and He wasn't here to call the righteous. In Luke 7, He shows great compassion to the sinful woman whom the Pharisee didn't even want nearby. In John 4, in dealing with the Samaritan woman with five ex-husbands Jesus was frank, but kind. He certainly didn't blast away.
So, what can we learn from this brief examination? Jesus was often blunt, but His caustic comments were reserved for those who should have known better, and who had raised themselves up as leaders of God's people while ignoring the principles of God's law. He was stern with His followers who weren't keeping up due to lack of effort. He was kind, compassionate, and merciful to outsiders who were beginning to seek a way out of their sinful lives. As imitators of Christ, if we were to follow this example it would go along way to us being frank and kind as the situation merits.
Matt. 9:15 "And Jesus said unto them . . ."
Lucas Ward
When examining how Jesus spoke to people, there seems to be two reactions, neither of which promote growth. The first follows this pattern: "I know that Jesus spoke bluntly, but you aren't Jesus so you can't speak to people that way!" This seems wrong on the face of it because of passages like 1 Cor. 11:1 "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ" and 1 Thess. 1:6 "And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit". No, none of us are Jesus, but we are told in multiple passages to imitate Him, so I should speak as He did, even if that means being curt. However, some *ahem* plain spoken men like to declare that Jesus was often brusque to justify blasting away with no regard for the situation, the hearer, or anything else. This also seems wrong because of passges like Col. 4:6 "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person" and 2 Tim. 4:2 "preach the word . . . reprove, rebuke, and exhort" Colossians teaches us to "know how you ought to answer" which surely implies that there are right and wrong ways. Salt is used as a flavor enhancer in food, so words seasoned with salt means what I say is tailored to "taste" as good as possible to the hearer. Paul is telling Timothy that there are times for reproval and rebuke, but also times for exhortation. We must know the situation. So, how do we follow Jesus' example? Perhaps we should start by examining it more closely.
Jesus and the Religious Leaders.
While we might expect Jesus to try to impress these men, or win them over to His side, Jesus does the opposite. In John 3, when Nicodemus came for a private discussion, Jesus doesn't try to gain a political friend. Rather, He challenges Nicodemus: “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?" (vs. 10-12) In John 6, when the religious leaders peppered Jesus with questions, a categorization of His answers shows His claims were intended to blow up the religious paradigm they clung to. Famously, in Matthew 23, Jesus declares them all to be hypocrites. Pretty rough stuff.
Jesus and His Followers.
Was Jesus desperate to hold onto the disciples He had and to grow their numbers as quickly as possible? Not if how He spoke to them is any indication. In John 6, as many of the crowds are shocked and leaving because of the "hard saying", He turns to the Twelve and asks "“Do you want to go away as well?” (vs 67) Surely, an unequivocal challenge. Jesus uses the phrase, "O ye of little faith" four times. Twice to the twelve and twice to the crowds that came to listen. On at least two other occasions, He referred to the twelve as having "little faith". Very stern. (I betcha someone's feelings got hurt. *Gasp!!*)
Jesus and the Sinful Masses.
Surely, these were the people who needed the stern rebukes. And yet in Mark 2, Jesus eats with them and tells the Pharisees that it is the sick that need attention and He wasn't here to call the righteous. In Luke 7, He shows great compassion to the sinful woman whom the Pharisee didn't even want nearby. In John 4, in dealing with the Samaritan woman with five ex-husbands Jesus was frank, but kind. He certainly didn't blast away.
So, what can we learn from this brief examination? Jesus was often blunt, but His caustic comments were reserved for those who should have known better, and who had raised themselves up as leaders of God's people while ignoring the principles of God's law. He was stern with His followers who weren't keeping up due to lack of effort. He was kind, compassionate, and merciful to outsiders who were beginning to seek a way out of their sinful lives. As imitators of Christ, if we were to follow this example it would go along way to us being frank and kind as the situation merits.
Matt. 9:15 "And Jesus said unto them . . ."
Lucas Ward
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