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About Jesus - Steve (Stephen) Sweetman A
Mild-Mannered Confidence As human beings we all
have a good side and a not so good side.
Each personal character trait has its upside and its downside.
I believe, then, that the Holy Spirit desires to modify these
traits to better reflect a godly character in our lives.
2 Timothy 2:24 in the CSB is an example of what I am saying. "The Lord’s
servant must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone ..." The Greek verb
"machomai" translated here as "quarrel" suggests an
ultra-aggressiveness that ranged from a fist fight to an argument.
The Jews, for example, "began to argue sharply" (machomai
- John 6:52). Instead of being
unduly argumentative, Paul instructed Timothy, and us, to be gentle.
The Greek word "epios" translated as "gentle"
suggests a mild-manneredness that I believe Jesus exhibited while being
interrogated by Pilate. With a boisterous angry
mob outside the palace door, and, before a frustrated Pilate, I believe
Jesus was mild-mannered yet confident.
Being quietly confident, He refused to answer one of Pilate's
questions (Matthew 27:14). Instead,
He asked Pilate His own question (John 18:34).
From my reading of the pertinent passages, Jesus was calm and
confident before the man who was about to approve His execution.
I see a mild-mannered
confidence in Paul when he was being questioned by the authorities.
He was willing to be executed if he had broken the law but he
hadn't, so as I believe, in a mild-mannered confidence he simply said,
"I appeal to Caesar" (Acts 25:11).
Yes, being human, on another occasion Paul did get a bit too
aggressive by calling the high priest a "whitewashed wall" (Acts
23:3) but he did appear to apologize (Acts 23:5).
The ability to
effectively argue a case is truly a positive character trait which Paul
possessed. He shrewdly raised
a divisive issue knowing it would divide his accusers, causing them to
lose control of their case by arguing among themselves (Acts 23:7).
It did just that. Nevertheless,
the ability to argue a case has its negative downside when expressed with
selfish aggression. Possessing a
mild-mannered confidence doesn't mean we are a bunch of weaklings,
doormats to be trampled upon. Neither
are we militant ministers of the gospel who clobber our critics. If
necessary, we stand up for ourselves, as Paul did before the authorities,
or remain quiet as Jesus did before Pilate.
I do believe in a
universal law stating there is an exception to every rule as seen when
Jesus aggressively over-threw the money-changer's tables.
That being so, an exception is not the nor. We are to be the mild-mannered, counter-cultural community
of Christ that stands in stark contrast to our surrounding nastily
aggressive culture. It's how
Jesus lived before Pilate and I believe it's how He wants us to live
before our present day Pilates.
Scripture
References (NIV) John
6:52 "Then the Jews
began to argue sharply among themselves, 'How can this man give us his
flesh to eat?'" Matthew 27:14 "But Jesus made no
reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the
governor." John 18:34 "'Is
that your own idea,' Jesus asked, 'or did
others talk to you about me?'" Acts 24:11 "If, however, I am
guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if
the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the
right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!" Acts 23:3 "Then Paul said to
him, 'God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me
according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that
I be struck!" Acts 23:5 "Paul replied,
'Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is
written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.'" Acts 23:7 "When he said this,
a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the
assembly was divided."
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