What is it that attracted people to Jesus Christ in the first century? What compelled them to become Christians? Was it His sinless life? Was it His gracious words (Luke 4:22)? Was it the power by which He spoke (Matt. 7:28-29)? Was it how He spoke, as well as what He spoke? Was it His word by which He expelled the demons or stilled the storm or healed the sick? Was it how He silenced His critics who tried to trap Him with His words (Matt. 22)? Was it His hot reproach of the hypocrites of His day (Matt. 23)? Or was it the multitudes’s having eaten the loaves and fishes which he multiplied that caused them to be drawn to him? Were the miracles a magnetic draw to see and hear Him? Could it have been the promise that the great Sin-Bearer would lift their sin burdens? Just what was it that attracted people to Jesus? There was nothing in His physical characteristics that were appealing (Isa. 53:2). He was merely a carpenter and a carpenter’s son, so they thought. He had not been to their rabbinical schools, yet people were attracted to Him. Was it His great love which surpasses knowledge that drew people to Him? You know He said, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” (John 12:32.)

I suggest to you, my dear reader, that it was our Master’s great love that prompted Him to be and do all of the above. It was the Savior’s great love which was and is higher than the heavens, broader than the deserts and deeper than the oceans that brought about all of the preceding action. All were wrapped up in the last; all were compelled by the foremost. He lived a sinless life, because of His great love for His heavenly Father. He spoke gracious words, because He loved the souls of men. He spoke with power to influence storms, spirits and souls, because of His great love for man. He silenced his critics with impelling and ad hominem arguments, because of His love for truth and righteousness. He did great wonders to confirm His words and to convince others of His Sonship that they might inherit eternal life (John 20:30-31).

Do we by our preaching or teaching give a warped view of Jesus? Do we preach a warped view of love and compassion? Do we preach that Jesus’ life was all love, and never a cross or argumentative word or controversial conversation with anyone? Does an argument, disagreement mean that love is absent from the one who argues or disagrees? Jesus Christ was the most loving person who ever walked upon this earth, yet he was and remains the most controversial figure in history. Think with me for a few moments about His great love for others, even when rebukes were in order.

After Jesus announced that He would build His church, he began to publicly tell his disciples that He had to go to Jerusalem, suffer many things and be killed and raised again the third day (Matt. 16:13-21). However, Peter took Jesus aside privately to rebuke him. Matthew records, “Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.” (Matt. 16:22.) The words “Be it far” translate a Greek word which means, “gracious, merciful, ‘may God be gracious to you,’ that is, ‘may God in His mercy spare you this.’” (Reinecker and Rogers, Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament, 1980, p.49.) The marginal note in my Bible says, “Gk. Pity thyself.” However, Jesus turned and said to Peter: “Get thee behind me, Satan; thou art an offence unto me; for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” (Matt. 16:23.) Whoa! someone might say. Strong words to someone who loved Him and who was loved by Him. How could Jesus, the loving Savior, speak so harshly to one? However, it was because Jesus loved the Father and loved Peter that caused Him to mince no words with him. Jesus knew that Satan was using Peter, the Savior’s friend, to get to Him. Nothing was going to stand in our Lord’s way of going to the cross to die for sinful man. Love compelled the Savior to harshly rebuke Peter. Suppose Jesus had listened to Peter’s advice? Suppose Jesus had not gone to the cross?

The hottest chapter with the most scathing rebukes of our Lord is the twenty-third chapter of Matthew. He spoke these words to the multitudes after He had silenced the Pharisees and the Sadducees, as recorded in Matthew 22. What did Jesus say of the scribes and Pharisees? As one reads the chapter the rebukes are so hot that one may need gloves on to hold his Bible. Jesus said what the scribes and Pharisees bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not after their works: for they say and do not (Matt. 23: 3-4). All that they do, they do to be seen of men. They love the praises of men. They love the chief seats, and to be honored by men (Matt. 23:5-12). At least seven times Jesus calls them hypocrites. Seven times he said, “Woe unto you.” He called them “blind,” “blind guides,” “fools and blind,” and “a generation of vipers.” These words came from Jesus, our loving Savior.

I wonder why God saw fit to put this chapter in the Bible? Why tell of the fighting style of Jesus? It has been in Holy Writ now since the first century, and if God allows, shall be there as the ages roll on (Matt. 24:35). Did God not know, did He not care that such a style would repel rather than attract people to Jesus? And why such scorching words? It was love that compelled him. It was love for His heavenly Father, it was His love of His Father’s will, and it was His love for the souls of men that caused Him to so speak. As Jesus concluded His strong denunciation of the religious leaders of His day he says, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! (Matt. 23:37.) It was our Lord’s passion that caused Him to scathingly rebuke the scribes and Pharisees, and it was His compassion that desired to save Jerusalem, but the Jews would not listen.

People who love the truth are going to love those who preach the truth, defend the truth and live the truth. Jesus was in the loving business. He preached the truth, He defended the truth and He lived the truth.

It is highly inconsistent on the part of accusing brethren to fight the fighting style of preaching by fighting those who are fighting. Is it not contentious to be contentious toward those who are contentious? One cannot judge the motives of the heart (Matt. 7:1-5). Even the apostle Paul was thankful to those who preached Christ, even if their motives were not right (Phil. 1:15-18). So, I am thankful for brethren who contend for the faith, and I shall try to leave their motives between them and the Lord.

THE INFORMER

Vol. 68 No. 20

March 8, 2015