Astounding Strength and Boldness

This picture courtesy of Photobucket

Today I read how Jesus told off the Pharisees when they tried to get nit picky about the disciples not washing their hands before eating in compliance with rabbinic law.  The gist of what he said was along the lines of "You should talk!  You have a loophole for people not honoring the COMMANDMENT to honor one's mother and father!  THAT'S what I call messed up!"  (Obviously I'm just paraphrasing...)

I have been struck lately by the manliness (strength, courage, boldness)  of Jesus.   I read these pages where the authorities keep challenging him, and instead of backing down, or teaching secretly, Christ is out there in the open, ready to stand toe to toe with his adversaries.   I think I always understood that he was no wimp, getting scourged, carrying his cross, being nailed to the cross, and never once calling down the angels to get him out of this...  But the consistency of his boldness astounds me!  

I do remember as a teenager being horrified by that boldness, as if he could have avoided the cross by being just a bit gentler with his opponents.   But now I see that would have made him less honest.   He who IS truth could be no less!