Chapter 5 - The Offending Jesus
10/20/2008 ©Charles Germany

Christ the Offender

What is it about Jesus Christ that so many people find offensive? Why does he provoke such passions among humanity? He has been adored and worshiped. He has been despised and hated. His words become a controversy everywhere they are read. They always manage to offend the listener and provoke a reaction - a choice for or against their validity.

The Scotsman Ernest Gordon wrote "Through the Valley of the Kwai". In this book he tells of his experiences on the "Death Railway" as he was a prisoner for three years in a Japanese WWII labor camp. He begins by relating the account of himself and a group of American soldiers that were captured by the Japanese in the Malay Peninsula. These soldiers were tortured and starved by the Japanese until they were reduced to the lowest form of animalistic behavior – clawing, scratching, fighting and stealing food from one another.

In the midst of this chaos and despair Gordon began to read the New Testament to the men imprisoned with him. At first, some were offended at Jesus' words. Yet ignoring their offense, Gordon continued to read them to himself and the prisoners. Over time, listening to Christ and his teachings transformed them into a caring community of believers. The prisoners began loving and sacrificing for each other in spite of their hardships. What other message but the gospel of the real Jesus has such transforming power upon the souls of men?

Jesus Offends by Claiming Exclusive Knowledge of the Truth

There are many who, when presented with the evidence, believe Jesus was a real historical person. Of those convinced of this, many believe that Jesus was a wonderful teacher. But Jesus took things a step further and offended a great number of people who might otherwise have accepted him - he claimed that he was one with God - God's son, and that he was the only way to God. This is anathema in our pluralistic culture. Let's examine a few things Christ said about himself:

"Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." (John 14:6-7)

Here Jesus is making the exclusive statement that we can only come to God through him. He is also making the claim that he is one with God, that to see him is to see God. Jesus offended Pilate and still offends many today by saying:

"Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”" (John 18:37)

The audacity of that Jesus! The nerve! Just who does he think he is? Let's look at another statement.

Jesus Offends With Strong Graphic Visualization

"No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.

He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him." From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."
(John 6:46-68)

The real Jesus never read Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People" - rather he established a pattern of offending people on purpose. He then judged their reaction to what he said, and this determined whether or not they would become his followers. Christ coldly calculated his words - he knew that saying "unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood" would cause many to turn away from him.

Jesus Admits He Offends On Purpose

In several places in the gospels Jesus consistently tested his followers with offensive statements. How individuals reacted to his offense determines whether or not they became his disciples. By their free will they could become angry and indignant and walk away, or they might choose to humble themselves, recognizing the test placed before them for what it was and relinquish their pride. Jesus himself said:

"Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed." (Matthew 21:43-44)

Here Christ says that he who falls on the stone will be broken to pieces. These are those who, once offended, humble themselves and begin to change and transform. In contrast, those on whom the stone falls cannot relinquish their pride and are crushed. Do you still find this difficult to believe? Let's look at a few more intentional offenses that Christ created.

Jesus Offends By "Working" On the Sabbath

"At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.” He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." (Matthew 12:1-8)

Jesus just couldn't give it a rest. He was always offending those pious religious folks. He wasn't done yet - on that same day he would make yet another offense - pushing the envelope:

"Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed him, and he healed all their sick, warning them not to tell who he was." (Matthew 12:9-16)

Can you believe it? He HEALED on the Sabbath! That really made the devout want to riot in the streets. Of all the nerve - doing good on the Sabbath? That was the last straw for the deeply religious folks - they then "went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus", according to Matthew. It wasn't as if Jesus was too dull to predict their reaction - he was testing them - challenging them.

Jesus Offends By Drinking Wine and Feasting Merrily

"For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and “sinners.” But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”" (Luke 7:33-35, Matthew 11:18-19)

The Pharisees and religious caste became offended because Jesus was enjoying food and good wine. He had the audacity to eat and drink! Therefore they accused Jesus of being a drunkard and a glutton.  It didn't really matter - by their self-righteous standards he couldn't win. John had came fasting from food and abstaining from wine and they accused him of being demon-possessed. Jesus told those deeply religious and pious fellows "You will condemn me if I do, and you will condemn me if I don't. Either way - I am condemned." Christ had earlier, as the first of his miracles, turned water into wine for those attending a wedding.

The master of that banquet had said "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." The term "choice wine" refers to wine that is aged and of longer fermentation and a better bouquet. The banquet master remarks that it was common practice to give guests the "choice wine" first and then once they were slightly intoxicated, so they wouldn't notice, bring out the cheap wine. He called the wine that Jesus made "choice wine" - it was the good fermented stuff. (John 2:1-10). No doubt this also had deeply offended the religious folks of that time. For that matter, it still offends the religious today.

Jesus Offends By Associating With An Outcast Woman

"Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. “Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”" (Luke 7:36-47)

Jesus was working up another offense here. He was aware of Simon's indignation, and strung Simon along until he bought it hook, line and sinker. Christ used the offense to teach Simon a hard and embarrassing lesson - that his self-righteousness and hypocrisy had blinded him and turned him into a calloused, bitter, cold and uncaring human being. Jesus illuminates not only Simon's lack of compassion for the woman, but his lack of hospitality towards Jesus. Jesus uses the offense as a bridge to communicate the mercy and forgiveness of God. Simon was left with the choice - humble repentance or indignation.

Jesus Offends the Rich and the Comfortable

"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight." (Luke 16:13-15)

Jesus spares no one's feelings here. We can be sure this sounded fairly harsh to the wealthy class and to that part of the religious caste that had been corrupted by the wealthy class. Luke reports that the Pharisees were "sneering" at Jesus. They were highly offended - his words made them feel uncomfortable. And yet there is more:

"Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” “Which ones?” the man inquired. Jesus replied, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” " (Matthew 19:16-24)

Jesus offended the rich man. At first, Christ did not ask so much of the man - but the man kept pressing. Jesus perceived that there was something more that was necessary for this man since he would not accept the first answer to his inquiry. Therefore Jesus created an offense - the ultimate test. He knew that greed and guilt were troubling this man. 

Jesus Offends With Racism, Inequality and Breaking Taboos

"A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. He replied, "It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs."  "Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table." Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour." (Matthew 15:22-28)

Here again we see Jesus is intentionally offending someone. At first he doesn't pay any attention to the woman at all. Then he insults her, calling her a dog. What is he doing? This is inconsistent with what he taught about loving our enemies, blessing those who curse us and praying for those who take advantage of us. Jesus stood against prejudice, casting his lot with the poor and downcast. So why did Christ treat this woman so harshly? It was out of character for him. It was a test.

The woman could have reacted indignantly. She could have said to herself, "I have every right to be angry! Who does this Jesus think he is, insulting me, calling me a dog? He's nothing but a prejudiced bigot who won't associate with me because I am a Canaanite and he is a Jew." She could have walked away - but she didn't. When tested and faced with Christ's offense, she humbled herself and swallowed her pride, answering "Yes, Lord - but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." She didn't give in to her feelings of indignation or storm off in anger, she released her hostilities. As a result of her humility, her daughter was healed. What did Jesus say when she passed the test? "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." Let's consider another instance of intentional offense:

Jesus Offends By Breaking Traditions and Customs

"Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!" Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’ he is not to ‘honor his father’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:

Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean.’" Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?" He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."" (Matthew 15:1-14)

Here we see Jesus willfully offending the Pharisees. He was not ignorant of their tradition - he was challenging it! The Pharisees could respond in only two ways - indignation or humility. This would decide whether or not they could be Christ's disciples. This was one of only many occasions where Jesus offended the religious caste.

Jesus Offends the Educated and Learned

"Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!

Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."

The Jews answered him, "Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?" "I am not possessed by a demon," said Jesus, "but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge." (John 8:42-50)

Jesus confronted the religious caste on more than one occasion. In fact, he made quite a habit out of it. He had told the Pharisees earlier:

"You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life."
(John 5:39-40)

Here Jesus is saying "You missed it boys." The Pharisees, scribes and teachers of the law studied their ancient prophets and sacred texts daily. Jesus is making the bold statement, "I am the one they spoke of, fulfilled before your eyes, and you do not recognize me!" Christ made no attempt to spare their feelings - he knew he was unleashing a mountain of contempt against himself and that his words had enormous shock value. For Jesus, merely existing was an offense to some of the people around him:

Jesus Offends His Family and Friends

"Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.""
(Mark 6:3-4)

We have established that Christ offends the observer on purpose. We are then left to choose our reaction to that offense - indignation or humility. Christ claimed he came from God and indicated through the symbolism of "bread" that he was life to his followers - the main staple of their lives. He promised them that if they lived by his words their lives would be transformed from death to life and he would satisfy their gnawing hunger pangs for "truth".

He told his followers that he would sacrifice himself as a down payment for mankind's redemption, ultimately proving the truth of his words and the love of God by his commitment to die for them. He then promised them that if they lived by his words they would find immortality. These teachings synchronized with other circumstances where Christ taught about death, such as where he was speaking with Martha about her dead brother:

Jesus Offends Our Concept of Death

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live: And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26)

 Martha pondered those words, as do many of us today. Later Jesus began speaking with Philip:

"Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. "
(John 14:9-12)

Here Jesus tells Philip that he came to show us the Father. In other words, Christ is saying that when you look at his life you will see the character and nature of God revealed through the way that he acts and talks and treats the people around him. He is saying that if we have seen him, we have seen God and know God's heart and mind. Through the example of Christ as he lived his life before us, we know both what pleases God and what grieves Him, and we may now understand what He wants from us, what we want from Him and how much He loves us.

Jesus makes an even more astonishing comment to Philip -  he tells him that if anyone has faith, they too can make their lives a reflection of God. These bold and audacious statements didn't go well with the Pharisees and teachers of the law, who were already upset by Jesus' "rock star" status as a prophet among the people. The poor and sick and forsaken were surrounding him in massive throngs. The Pharisees, scholars and teachers of the law were also skeptical of his miracles - the proof in the pudding of everything he was saying:

Jesus Offends the Religious

"At these words the Jews were again divided. Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?” But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." (John 10:19-24)

Here we see that Jesus greatly disturbed Israel's popular teachers and preachers and the religious caste. They were on edge and didn't quite know what to make of the pandemonium going on around them. They found it very difficult to understand just what the point was that he was trying to make. So Jesus made the point again:

"Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” “We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are gods’ ? If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken—what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world?

Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp." (John 10:25-39)

The case for Christ's divinity is made by Christ himself. According to his own words, spoken out of his own mouth, he was the son of God and one with God. By his own words, he was not just a teacher. By his own words, he was not just a philosopher. That leaves us with only two conclusions. Either he was delusional and a ranting madman, or he was who he said he was - the son of God.

Chapter 4 - The Prophetic Jesus | Chapter 6 - The Secular Jesus | Bibliography

10/20/2008 ©Charles Germany