When we think of Jesus, we think of gentleness. He welcomes children. He touches the leper. He forgives the adulteress.
And all of that is true. But it is not the whole truth.
The Gospels contain some deeply uncomfortable moments. Moments when Jesus was not gentle. Moments when Jesus killed.
The Fig Tree
Mark chapter eleven. Jesus is walking along and He sees a fig tree. It has leaves, but no fruit. And Jesus curses it.
"Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing, only leaves. Then he said to it, 'May you never bear fruit again!' Immediately the tree withered."
Mark 11:14Immediately the tree withered. That is not a gentle healing. That is a killing. Jesus killed a tree because it did not produce fruit.
And the disciples saw it. They remembered it. They asked about it later. This was not a quiet moment. This was a public execution of a plant.
The Demons Into the Pigs
In Mark chapter five, Jesus encounters a man possessed by many demons. The demons beg Jesus to let them go into a herd of pigs. And Jesus permits it.
"Then he gave them permission. And the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned."
Mark 5:13The herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. Two thousand pigs. Killed. Because Jesus permitted it.
Now, you could argue the demons were the ones who did the killing. But Jesus allowed it. He could have said no. He did not.
His Own Disciples
Then there is what Jesus says to His own disciples. In Luke, He tells them that He did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
"Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one household divided, three against two and two against three."
Luke 12:51-52That is a violent metaphor. Division. Not peace. And then He goes even further:
"If anyone loves their father or mother more than me they are not worthy of me. If anyone loves their son or daughter more than me they are not worthy of me. If anyone does not take up their cross and follow me, they are not worthy of me."
Matthew 10:37-38Taking up your cross was not a metaphor in Jesus day. It was a death sentence. He was telling His followers they might die. And He was telling them it was worth it.
What This Means
Now, I want to be careful here. I am not saying Jesus was violent. I am not saying He was bloodthirsty. But I am saying our comfortable image of Him as a harmless baby in a manger is incomplete.
Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The same Jesus who killed the fig tree is the same Jesus who will return. And when He returns, He will not be gentle.
Try This Today
We cannot only take the comfortable parts of Jesus. We cannot only take the gentle Jesus. The whole Christ includes the fig tree killer. The whole Christ includes the one who permits destruction. We must take all of Him, or we take none of Him.
The Judgment to Come
And Jesus spoke about judgment more than anyone in the Gospels. He talked about hell more than He talked about heaven. He talked about destruction more than He talked about comfort.
This is the Prince of Peace. But He is also the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And one day, every knee will bow. One way or another.
"For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done."
Matthew 16:27He will reward each person according to what they have done. That is not gentle. That is not comfortable. That is judgment.
And that is who Jesus is. The whole Jesus. Not just the parts we like.
Lord, help me to see the whole Christ, not just the comfortable parts. Give me the courage to receive You as You are, not just as I want You to be. You are gentle and You are fierce. You are love and You are judgment. Teach me to follow the whole Jesus, not just the version that feels safe. In Jesus Name, Amen.
With honesty and hope,
Claire