Kevin Alan Wells

A self-serving motive can lay behind the attempt to recast Jesus as a love-gushing peace activist. In this role, Jesus stands in front of the thundering tank without any means to stop it. He holds a flower and he prays a prayer. This Jesus appeals to our better judgment and to our humanity to rethink what we’re about to do. But ultimately, he’s powerless. If we want to run him over, we can. This is a Jesus we’re comfortable with—a Jesus we can control.

But for precisely the opposite reason was Christ nailed to a cross. The authorities that knew him conspired to arrange his execution because he was an uncontrollable revolutionary. He denounced the leading pastors of the day as a brood of vipers and white-washed tombs. He assaulted businessmen in their place of business, and by violence imposed upon everyone his own opinion about how God should be worshiped at the temple. He was a man who lived on the streets and kept company with the homeless and hookers, whom those from civilized society called an over-eating pig and a drunk; and who responded to all this by teaching,

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. I came to set a son against his father, a daughter against her mother, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. A man’s enemies will be the members of his household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10.34-39)

This man? This is your peace activist who strums a guitar in the park and bawls from his bosom, “Kumbaya, my Lord, kumbaya!”?

Nonsense.

Jesus Christ is the most divisive figure in human history, and this after only his first appearance on Earth when he came as a lamb. If you have difficulty accepting the rage Christ exhibited in his first visit to Earth, you had better find somewhere else to stay the next time he drops in.

Behold! Coming from heaven, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, on his head are many crowns, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. The armies of heaven arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, follow him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh a name is written: King of kings and Lord of lords. (Rev 19.11-16)

One day our eyes shall see this sight. Our skin will sting from the heat of fire, and our nostrils choke on the stench of blood. As the Messiah’s horse stamps past our bowed heads, what will we think of him then? Let us try to think so of him now.

Photo by: wili_hybrid.