Jesus Was was no “Girlie-man.” On Restoring a Truer Vision of the Biblical Jesus...

Archdiocese of Washington ^ | September 1st, 2011 | Msgr. Charles Pope

[markomalley]

When I was a teenager in the 1970s Jesus was presented in less than flattering terms, at least from my standpoint as a young man at that time. The paintings and statues of that day presented Jesus as a rather thin, willow-wisp of a man, a sort of friendly but effeminate hippie, a kind of girlyman,  who went about blessing poor people and healing the sick. It is true he did that but usually left out of the portraits was the Jesus who summoned people to obedience and an uncompromising discipleship, the Jesus who powerfully rebuked his foes.

1970s Jesus was “nice,” and I should be nice too. In my 1970s Church we had no crucifix. Rather there was a cross and a rather slender and starry eyed Jesus sort of floated there in front of the Cross. The cross, it would seem, was all too much for a kinder gentler Jesus. The cross was, how shall we say…., so “unpleasant.”

Somehow, even as a teenager, I craved a stronger, manly Jesus. My heroes then were Clint Eastwood and I loved John Wayne movies which my father called to my attention. Now those were men. (I know they were into revenge, but I’d learn about that later).

The “Jesus” I was presented with seemed soft and unimpressive compared to them and, teenager that I was, I was unmoved. Who will follow an uncertain trumpet? The basic message of Jesus 1970 was “be nice” but 1970s Catholicism (which Fr. Robert Barron calls “beige Catholicism”) stripped away the clarion call of repentance and trumpet-like command that we take up our cross, that we lose our life in order to save it.

Imagine my pleasant surprise when I actually began to study the real Jesus, the one in Scriptures. He was nothing like the thin little williow-wisp of a man I had been taught. He was a vigorous leader, a man among men. Someone who was formidable and commanding of respect. Someone I could look up to.

What follows is a portrait of Jesus Christ that I culled from a few sources and adapted. I wish I could remember the sources to credit them here, but it was over twenty years ago in seminary that, from some dusty old books written long before the 1970s, I culled this portrait on the human stature of Christ. Note that the focus here is on the humanity of Christ. It presupposes his divine nature but focuses on the human nature and, as you will see draws most of its material straight from the Scriptures. As You can see the description is longish. In case you would rather print and read it later I have put it in PDF here: On the Human Stature of Christ

The exterior appearance of Jesus seems to have been a handsome one. A woman in the crowd broke out into praise of him with the words, Blessed in the womb that bore Thee and the breasts that nursed Thee. His response to her Rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep itseems to suggest that she had bodily excellencies in mind as well as spiritual. The powerful impression which Jesus made on ordinary people certainly owed something to his attractive exterior which by its charm drew everyone to him and held them.

Even if this was due primarily to his spiritual and religious power, still, his eyes, with their burning, waking, reproving looks must have been especially striking. For example see how Mark remarks of the eyes of the Lord in the following passages: 3:5,34; 5:32; 8:33; 10:21; 23:27.

We also may cull from Scripture an impression of health, power, energy and well being in Jesus. Jesus seems to have been a thoroughly healthy man, not prone to fatigue and with a great capacity for work. We never hear that Jesus was visited by any sickness. A proof of his physical endurance is born out in Scripture. He was in the habit of rising very early (Mark 1:35). The hills and the lake were especially dear to him and after a long day he loved to climb some lonely height, or late in the evening get himself taken out on to the shimmering water of Lake Gennesareth and stayed out far into the night (cf Mk 4:35; 6:35). We also know that his public life was one of wandering through the mountain valleys of his homeland, from Galilee to Samaria and Judaea and even as far as to the district of Tyre and Sidon (Matt 15:21). Despite these arduous journeys he counseled that one should travel light, bringing nothing for the journey, neither staff, money, nor bread, neither have two coats (Luke 9:3). Hunger and thirst must therefore have frequently accompanied him.

His last journey from Jericho up to Jerusalem was an astounding feat. Under a burning sun through a desolate, rocky waste he climbed some 3500 feet in a six hour climb. Despite this, he seems not tired, since that night he takes part in a feast at the house of Lazarus and his sisters (John 12:2). By far, the greater part of Jesus’ public ministry was spent out in the open, exposed to rigors of climate, in a life filled with labor and toil, with often little time eat (Mk 3:20; Mk 6:31). He owned no home and “had nowhere to lay his head” (Matt 8:20) Hence he likely spent more than a few nights sleeping out in the elements. Only a sound body of physical stamina could have endured such as this.

And now to his mental stature itself. He faced many malevolent enemies among the Pharisees and Sadducees and dealt with them effectively, reducing them to silence (so much so that they began to plot his death). In addition there were tiring explanations to be offered to disciples who were often slow to learn. His self assurance is manifest. In the midst of a raging storm he went on peacefully sleeping till his disciples woke him. He immediately grasps the situation and rebukes the storm.

There was tremendous clarity in his thought. He had an absolute grasp of His goal which gave him an inflexibility and finality (in the good sense) of his will. Jesus knows what he wills and determinedly pursues it. This is evident even at twelve years of age in the temple.

The three temptations in the desert are turned back forcefully by the Lord. He is never deterred by opposition. There is opposition among the kindred of his own town, among his followers (cf esp. John 6:57) and even among the Apostles (cf esp. Matt 16:22). Here we have a man of clear will. He demands the same determination and certainty from his followers. No man, putting his hand to the plough and turning back is fit for the reign of God.” (Luke 9:62)

He bore so clearly the marks of the true, the upright, and the strong, that even his enemies had to declare when they came to him, Master, we know that thou art a true speaker and care not for the opinion of any man. (Mk 12:14) He shows forth a unity and purity and transcendence that reflect his interior life of union with the Father. His loyalty to the will of his Father is unwavering and clear even though it leads directly to the Cross. Jesus in every way is a heroic and epic figure in the purest sense of that word staking his life for a known truth and demanding the same of his followers.

Jesus was a born leader. When he calls his apostles, they immediately arise to follow after him. (cf esp Mk 1:16; 1:20) Again and again the Apostles note how they wondered among themselves about the marvels of his actions and even how these struck terror into them (cf esp. Mk 9:5; 6:51; 4:40; 10:24,26). At times they did not dare question him any further (Mk 9:3). The same wonderment affected the crowds.(cf Mk 5:15,33,42; 9:14). He spoke with towering authority and the people sought the loftiest images to in wondering who he could be. Is he John the Baptist? Elijah? Jeremiah or one prophets? (Matt 16:14) His spiritual power and authority discharged themselves in stern language and bold action when the powers of evil arrayed themselves against him. Demons trembled against his awesome power (Matt 4:10.) He also rebukes strongly the evil that is in men and warns them that they will not be worthy of him if they do not repent (Matt 13:41sq; 13:49sq; 25:1sq; 14sq; 33sq; 18:34; 22:7; 22:11sq.).

He is absolutely clear and unflinching in dealing with the scribes and Pharisees (Matt 23:14,24,25). As shown above, he knows himself to be the Messiah and is anything but a fair-weather Messiah but follows the model of the prophets rebuking all enemies of the truth He proclaims. He speaks of hypocrites, serpents and generations of vipers and liars (cf Matt 23:33). He calls Herod a fox (Lk 13:32). Although he was never one to tread lightly, he never forgets himself or loses control. His anger is always the expression of supreme moral freedom declaring, for this I came into the World, that I should give testimony to the truth (John 18:37). Because He was so consistently true to His Father’s will his life was only “Yes and No” and he reacted with great severity against anything that was ungodly or hateful to God. He was ready to stake his own life for the truth and die for it.

To describe Jesus psychologically would be to describe his as a man of purposeful virility, absolute genuineness, austere uprightness, and heroic in performance. He knows the truth, knows himself and, with exact clarity, executes his mission.

I realize that people are pretty particular in how they envisage Jesus. I also think men and women have a very different starting point too. Please remember that I am not pontificating here, I am starting a conversation. So have at it!

[markomalley]

Full title: Jesus Was was no “Girlie-man.” On Restoring a Truer Vision of the Biblical Jesus from the 20th Century Remake

[Beowulf9]

Yeah, I don’t think a girly man could’ve stood up to the Romans for his principles, the way Jesus did.

Imagine someone whipping you till your flesh was ripped off, and the horror of the cruxificion deaths of that time. The populace was fully aware of these things and all he had to do was basically apologize and shut up to avoid them. You’d have to be pretty courageous to stand up to that.

Crazy as it sounds once I thought of how Jesus at that time could’ve been falling in love, going to the beach in Italy, doing something else...

[jimfree]

I’m guessing that a carpenter of the 1st century would have some pretty well-developed muscles.

[MagnoliaB]

And he wasn’t a socialist as the liberals of today like to proclaim he was.

[vanilla swirl]

Before there was liberal and conservative there were followers of God’s law and everybody else.

[jacknhoo]

The atheistic attempt to display masculinity as an divisive and immoral phenomenon that exists for the purposes of injustices and inequalities. They deliberately draw parallels between being masculine and there being injustices which they claim are resultant of and justified by masculine men who insist on being real men who exhibit masculine attributes of character rather than being the same as real women who exhibit feminine attributes with subservient, passive and nurturing attributes of character.

Of course, this is all anti-Christian and anti-religious reasoning on their part - of course the atheistic and feminists would never admit this.

Jesus the Son, the Word made flesh on earth was a fighter for God the Father a very real and very divisive man. He did not come to earth to bring mankind together as one because, in truth, mankind was truly one at that time...they were one in that they were all unsaved.

Jesus came to separate. He came to salvage the faithful from Hell...to divide the saved from the unsaved...the goats from the sheep...the good from the evil...the living from the dead. Indeed, He did exactly this...He went to Hell immediately upon His death and freed the just who had died before Him. Indeed, He was offered up and He died for all of us. Indeed all of us would not and have not accepted the Word, and hence, the Redeemer. Jesus did not achieve all of this being a whimpering hollow reed blowing in the winds of society and culture. He did this standing on principles of righteousness and standing strong before Lucifer and the temptations...He is the moral grounding of all mankind.

Just as the father is supposed to be within the family unit. Too bad the feminization of the world's men has removed so much of God's intention for men as fathers of their families. Today, in our feminized world the few families that have managed to stay together, many of them have in truth two mothers, because real fathers are ostracized by society and culture for being faithful in masculine in their family unit - being a sports fan does not a man make.

[LoveUSA]

And there is also the fact that Jesus revered women, a concept that even today is foreign to the Middle East. He listened to His Mother, even though He gently rebuked her for her request that He remedy the shortage of wine at Cana. He accepted a woman into his group of disciples. And, according to scholars, while traveling with His uncle, Joseph of Arimathea, He preached about the respect that is due women for their ability to bring forth life.

Believe He was divine or believe He was merely a prophet...Jesus was the greatest and most influential man to ever walk the earth. He could not have done it if He were a girlie-man.

[killermosquito]

He was also fearless, twice removing the thieves from His temple.

[huldah1776]

It takes a very strong man to wait for the right time to avenge the innocent.

1. “Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold;
My chosen one in whom My soul delights.
I have put My Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth justice to the nations.
2 “He will not cry out or raise His voice,
Nor make His voice heard in the street.
3 “A bruised reed He will not break
And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish;
He will faithfully bring forth justice.
4 “He will not be disheartened or crushed
UNTIL [ALL caps mine] He has established justice in the earth;

When He comes to bring Peace to the earth it will be with true JUSTICE, eye for an eye, not death for an eye, or pennies for an eye.

[Lazamataz]

Jesus will mess you up if you go Heathen on Him.

[LearnsFromMistakes]

Don't forget He was a ‘trust-fund baby’. When those folks from the East came bearing gifts, don't think they made a trip that may have taken 2 years with $10 gift certs to BabyGap...Enough money to sustain His family when Joseph had to abandon his carpentry business and move to Egypt with zero notice.

Some of the gifts were symbolic, but I don't think that takes away from the value. Other places in the bible talks about the extravagance of gifts that kings gave each other - it was amazing.

[SaraJohnson]

The biggest misrepresentation I see of Jesus used by modern amoral social marxists is when Jesus rescued the whore from being stoned. He told the woman to “Go and SIN NO MORE.”

Marxists have revised Jesus’ rescue of this woman to mean “he did not judge” sin. They have transformed Him into a “free love” hippie slut. They use his words to the stoners, “He who is without sin, cast the first stone” and forget the words of judgement He spoke to the whore, “Go and sin no more.”

Anti-Christers condemn Christians who judge and reject the culture of sexual sin as stone casters. Jesus most certianly did name and judge her sin even while He judged the stoners as being sinful, too! He gave her and them a chance to examine, confess and be forgiven of their sins, too. He taught them His power of redemption.

He was no limp wristed, amoral hippie! He knew living in sexual twistedness is not free. Christians used to have it right: “love the sinner but hate the sin.”

[Salvation]

**To describe Jesus psychologically would be to describe his as a man of purposeful virility, absolute genuineness, austere uprightness, and heroic in performance. He knows the truth, knows himself and, with exact clarity, executes his mission.**

Absolutely. What a great article!

[Salvation]

I only remember one time....two accounts of the same happening. Am I mistaken?

[killermosquito]

Go here: http://www.gotquestions.org/temple-cleanse.html