Ch 2
The Jesus Paradox
The paradox is this: It would be impossible to separate the descriptions of true manhood from the behavior of Jesus as seen in the Bible. Some of you may recognize the “Corinthians” quote in the Introduction to be from the Bible. Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, commands us to act like men. And Jesus did just that.
I reference several old sources of wisdom, but the Bible is my primary source. It is because I have lived long enough to be able to test it, and have come to trust in its relevance, even in the modern world.
Think about this. The Bible records that Jesus never ran from a fight. In fact, it seems like He intentionally provoked the most powerful, corrupt leaders of His time. Then He usually walked straight through his mobs of attackers.
At His trial, Pilate, a Roman military commander and Governor of that region, (meaning he was also a judge), “interviewed” Jesus, who was accused of sacrilege by the Jewish power elites, because He claimed to be the Son of God. Pilate, in spite of his political power and military excellence, showed respect, and perhaps fear, once he pressed Jesus for specifics of his accusers’ claims. Jesus, in chains, and bloody from His treatment while in custody, still managed to intimidate this formidable man.
Pilate tried to get Jesus exonerated, but it was not to be. The Jewish leaders wanted Jesus dead, and they basically used the Roman law against Pilate to coerce him to give permission for the death penalty.
(John 18:28-19:22).
Jesus was unjustly nailed to a wooden cross beam with thick, nine inch nails, through His wrists and ankles or arches. And during this six hour, excruciating ordeal, the Roman soldiers who nailed Him to the cross beam, (the most professionally trained and elite soldiers of that century), were awe-struck at Jesus’ capacity, His strength, His poise, and His presence… as a man.
Mary’s husband Joseph, and her son Jesus, were not just carpenters. They built homes and other buildings. Today we call them General Contractors. Jesus was consequently quite fit. I wonder if He ever thought,
“Why did I create wood to be so heavy?”
He ran the family business, likely with his brothers and sisters, after His earthly father Joseph was no longer in the picture, sometime between the ages of 12 and 30. He had responsibility thrust upon him, and he carried it well. He was originally well-known in the community, not by His religious credentials, but by His reputation as a builder. His ministry was three and a half years, but before that, His vocation could have been as many as 18 years.
My point here is, Jesus was a man’s man. To be Christ-like, is to be a complete male, confident (not cocky), kind (not passive), meek (power in control, meaning yes, you know how to put that bully in the hospital, but you restrain yourself for a higher reason), secure in His own skin (not needy), not always much to look at (but captivating). He sought peace through courage, displayed violence that was prayerfully planned (rarely and not impulsively), and He always waited for the Heavenly Father to direct His path (a very difficult process when reputation is on the line).
Jesus Christ was the most courageous man
that ever lived.
Crucifixion is said by some medical experts to be among the most brutal and painful ways to die. And the day before that, He willingly suffered through what was called the “half death”, a form of punishment deployed by a Roman soldier or two. The tool was a leather whip embedded with shards of pottery and metal and bone pieces, and dipped in blood to make it “sticky”, so that it deeply tore flesh when the soldier pulled it off, making the victim’s back look like rows of plowed ground! (Watch, “The Passion of the Christ”.)
In all of the hatred others brought to Him during His life, He never ceased to be thoughtful of others when He had every right to be vengeful. He even forgave those who crucified Him!
This doesn’t mean He was passive. He merely knew where the real battlefield was, a spiritual dimension, the realm of angels and demons.
And He violently and aggressively assaulted the strongholds of Satan every moment He walked this earth. Jesus is our Warrior-King, and He succeeded in His mission; to open a way that leads humankind out of Hell and into Paradise.
I can say without a doubt, He was the perfect example of a true man.
This way of responding to and engaging those around us, this code of conduct, is what I believe what most women, Christian or not, are looking for in their men. This unique way of thinking affects every area of life, because we can feel truly in control wherever we go. We will not be easily intimidated by the strong men or beautiful women of society because we will have something greater in us, a mystery, a knowing. And we can tailor this technique to fit any situation.
We can also experience freedom because we tend to assume responsibilities as the boyfriend, husband and father, that are not ours to bear.
The Truth will free up room in your mind to pay better attention to the needs of those around you. The world needs more of this. Good Listening and well-planned responses disarm even the most toxic situations.
The best definition of manhood could only come from the manufacturer, God. The best operator’s manual is the Bible. So armed with this wisdom, let us continue to explore the expanse of divinely human manhood as it was meant to be.