Shanna Duck

This is complete opinion; I don't think the Bible really talks about this. But I think there was something about Jesus that at least some people sensed was "different." While his looks were unremarkable, when Jesus taught, He was out of their league completely. When he spoke, He spoke with authority about the Scriptures, and He described a level of righteousness that apparently few people at that time had even considered.

Jesus appears to have been precociously intelligent; even speaking with religious leaders about the Law when He was only a boy. Later, the disciples and even non-disciples seem to have had no problem acknowledging that He was a rabbi, even though He was from a poor, working family. And, of course, the disciples soon found out that He was MUCH MORE even than a rabbi. After all, Jesus healed people and walked on water. After seeing a "man" walk on water, heal the sick, multiply food, and be transfigured (glorified) in front of you, you realize He's not just a regular human being. They might not have completely understood His mission, but they knew He was the Messiah, and they called Him the Son of God.

And Jesus' goodness was not the cotton-candy, I'm-okay-you're-okay type of goodness that some people have imagined from Sunday School picture books. His "goodness" was NOT the type of goodness that His society recognized and rewarded. In the eyes of some religious leaders, Jesus was NOT a "good Jew." After all, he was accused several times of breaking the Sabbath, He talked with a Samaritan woman. He ran the money-changers out of the Temple with a whip, and He was put to death for blasphemy because He made Himself equal to God. Jesus was a real loose cannon and He didn't always follow the man-made "rules."

Jesus would NOT be any more popular in our politically correct society than he was in the 1st Century. This was a man who really called it as He saw it. He told people point blank that what they were doing was sinful, and He called them to repent and be saved. He wasn't shy about discussing Hell, either and said you'd do better to cut off your right arm or pluck out your right eye rather than go there. He told people that they were being adulterers if they practiced "easy divorce." He said that the religious leaders were "blind" and "vipers."

People like Jesus and the Prophets, who upset the status quo, are generally NOT well-liked by society. They often meet with unpleasant ends because while the World likes a soft "God loves you as you are! You don't have to change." message, it will not tolerate hearing the truth. And some of the people who get the angriest are "religious" folk who discover their "religion" hasn't made them superior to the worst public sinners.

Jesus told the truth about Himself, about his society, about religion, and about the human condition and it earned Him (not a ticker-tape parade, not an Earthly throne at the time, or even applause), but a cross "outside the city." Of course, He warned His followers that they'd be persecuted, too. All who want to live a godly life in Jesus will in some way or other be persecuted.

So I don't think "jealous" is the right word. The disciples were jealous of each other and their possible future place in the Kingdom, but I think Jesus was WAY too far beyond them for them to be jealous of His goodness.

Now, there were people jealous of Jesus. Herod was jealous when Jesus was born King of the Jews and the religious leaders were jealous of Jesus' popularity and influence. We know this from the Bible. There may have been people who were jealous of Jesus' ability to teach, heal or do miracles but I'm not sure they were ever really jealous of His unique righteousness.

But most of this is just opinion.

December 20 2013 • Report