Was Jesus Really Meek and Mild?

I've always heard from folks that Jesus was soft and gentle. Based on how folks presented Him, I often saw Him in my head as sitting in a church pew with His hands folded and head bowed. And when He would walk around it was slow and soft. He rarely said much and when He did He spoke very softly.

I want to tell you something: Jesus wasn't the meek and mild wimp that so many want to portray Him as being. For one thing, He was a carpenter. And in that day, carpentry took a LOT more muscle than it does today.

Carpenters then were using a variety of ways to hammer nails into wood and one of those ways was with a giant hammer like the kind you would see at old fairs to ring the bell. Very large hammers that required two hands. So He was very likely a muscle-bound, burly man simply because of His profession. Kind of like the guy on the wrapping for Brawny paper towels.

Furthermore, if you watch how He interacted with folks, He WAS in charge. He called the shots with the disciples. He told the pharisees they were "white washed tombs full of dead men's bones" which would have been unthinkable to say to such powerful and well-respected men. I don't know if you've ever noticed or not, but He ROUTINELY ordered people around. And they obeyed.

When it came time for Him to fulfill His destiny of dying for sinners, He did so with dignity. Carrying His own cross until physically He absolutely couldn't anymore (that's pretty strong willed and even stubborn if you ask me). And read how He handled Himself in the trial. He wasn't meek or mild. He responded sarcastically at times and spoke as the One in charge when He chose to speak. Sometimes He just flat out ignored their questions.

He made it a point that people knew His life wasn't taken away by anyone. He made sure we never thought He was overmanned or outmaneuvered by telling us that He GAVE His life away and that it was His choice.

And remember when He picked up the whip and ran those men out of the Temple? Doesn't sound so meek and mild to me. In fact, He was likely considered a "bad boy" in His day because He bucked the establishment. Would you want your daughter hanging out with a guy who kept company with prostitutes, thieves and drunks? Or would you think she liked bad boys for following this Jesus guy because He ran with the wrong crowd, had no respect for the religious establishment and even spoke disrespectfully to the Pharisaical priests?

As someone who majored in theology, I'd have to say that I think that calling Jesus Christ anything but strong willed is completely ignoring His biology. Jesus was an alpha male. Correction, He IS THE Alpha male. Society has attempted to feminize men and that's simply wrong.