Gentle Like Jesus
Galatians 5:22-24, 2 Corinthians 10:1-3
Introduction
If you were to go back in time and see Jesus during his earthly ministry, what do you think he would be like? Yes, we have descriptions of his words and actions but imagine being able to see him in person. Consider the facial expressions, the body language, the tone of voice. Imagine watching his interactions with his disciples, with the crowds, and with his opponents. Obviously we cannot do that, but what kind of person do you think Jesus would have been like?
There are two aspects of Jesus that people are drawn to. More and more, people are attracted to the Jesus flipping over tables in the temple and the Jesus who calls Herod names. There are also those who are drawn to Jesus meek and mild. They think of Jesus holding a young child and speaking with a soft voice. Although we do not know how loud Jesus was, both of these ideas are found in the Gospels. We should not be surprised. We can present ourselves at different times. When I was in university, I was part of a campus Bible study two years in a row. The Bible study leader for my first year was roommates with the my Bible study leader from the second year. I was told that they talked about me and had trouble reconcile their two experiences. One saw me as a very quiet and shy participant. The other saw me as goofy and a bit off the wall. I still present in both those ways depending on the context. Jesus did the same thing.
Having said that, I do not think of Jesus flipping the tables and driving the moneychangers out as Jesus’ everyday mood. I believe that was a very unique event and it probably shocked his disciples. I believe that Jesus was gentle, although we may have to peel away some cultural assumptions away from that concept.
This of course is important, not just for having a better understanding of Jesus, but for knowing what gentleness looks like for us. We are to emulate Jesus and gentleness is one of the fruits of the Spirit. We are going to try and understand the concepts of gentleness and meekness, both in Jesus and the church.
Gentle Jesus
Today is Palm Sunday, the day that we reflect on what is called the triumphal entry. After a couple of years of ministering in Galilee, Jesus is now entering Jerusalem. Jerusalem is not just the historic capital but also the location of the temple. Jesus has been harassed by the religious leaders and Jerusalem is also where they are located. Everything is coming to a head and Jesus knows this will be the fulfillment of his mission. This will be a confrontation of epic proportions. There is nothing about this that you would connect with meekness or gentleness. This is like a gladiator stepping into an arena.
But instead of entering Jerusalem on a warhorse, inspiring the Jews to rise up against the Roman yoke, Jesus comes in on a donkey. Matthew is very interested in connecting what Jesus does with the Old Testament. He quotes from Zechariah by saying:
Look, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
The word translated as humble is very closely connected with the word elsewhere translated as gentle or meek. The arrival of Jesus on the donkey was designed to highlight his humility, meekness, and gentleness. This was exactly the opposite of what people expected. And then, ironically, after entering into Jerusalem, Jesus went to the temple and flipped over the tables.
The Gospels present Jesus as gentle and meek, including at the triumphal entry. But what does that mean? Not surprisingly, these qualities were not valued in men in the Roman Empire. They were equated with weakness. In many ways, we have not moved very far from this. If you heard about a man being hired by an organization that valued strength and also heard the person described as very meek, you would have certain thoughts that would come to mind. And yet in the beatitudes, Jesus says: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” What do we do with that?
The problem is that we often are still struggling with the concept of meekness as being weak. Jesus was not weak. How many of us could make the choice to enter a city knowing that within a week, we would be crucified, one of the most painful and humiliating deaths possible? That is not the mark of a weak person. The meekness and gentleness of Jesus is more about a strength that chooses to endure difficulty with humility and obedience to the Father. Think about Jesus on the cross, refusing to respond to his mockers. What could Jesus have done in response, considering his miraculous powers? That is the virtue that is offered to us as an example and inspiration.
Gentle Church
What do you think about about a meek or gentle church in today’s world? Think about the hostility to the church found in some corners of society. Think about the changes in culture and how some Christian traditions are no longer welcome. Is this a time to be gentle? Is this a time to be meek?
Again, it depends on what we mean by these terms. I want the church to be strong and not weak, but we need to avoid both the wrong kind of strength and the wrong kind of weakness.
There are Christians in the west who are advocating for Christian nationalism. This seeks to impose a very specific Christian morality onto society and to advantage Christians and disadvantage non-Christians. They seek to do this by gaining political power and using the government to enforce the teachings of the church, or a certain segment of it.
What might be a Christian response if we consider what gentleness as the fruit of the Spirit is? First I would say that the church is strong. But that strength is not meant to forcibly impose our will on others. It is good for Christians to vote and even run for office, but we should not attempt to bind the church and state together. Meekness and gentleness means that we control our strength and we use it to endure patiently, with much humility, even things that we may disagree with. That probably sounds like giving up. But did Jesus give up when he allowed himself to be nailed to the cross? No, Jesus submitted to terrible conditions for a greater purpose. The early church was at its best when it was quietly faithful, living out the way of Jesus, and not when it eventually took over the Roman Empire. Many Christian thinkers see the Empire’s adoption of Christianity as the official religion and not just a legal religion as a turning point, and not in a good way. The church thrives in gentleness and meekness, despite the ongoing temptation to take on the world’s power.
A gentle and meek Christianity would not seek to impose our will on others, while at the same time fighting for justice for the marginalized. The goal of the church is not to force a certain kind of Christian morality on non-Christians but rather to live out a life inspired by Jesus.
Conclusion
Jesus said: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29) Learn from Jesus. What was Jesus like? Gentle and humble in heart. Jesus was not weak. Jesus was strong, strong beyond our imagination. Jesus did not flaunt that strength, rather he channeled that strength for what really mattered. That is meekness and gentleness. Think about the people who flocked to Jesus. Think of the sinners, the prostitutes and tax collectors. Why did they feel safe with Jesus when they certainly did not feel safe with the religious leaders? It was not because Jesus avoided the truth but because Jesus was gentle and meek. The church needs to rediscover these qualities. Especially know when the church is so easily seduced by the world’s promises of power. Forget the flaunting of strength and the imposing of will and remember “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
