In the various Jesus flims produced over the years, it seems that images depicting the life of Christ tend to range from weak to whacko. Two notable exceptions would be Franco Zeffirelli‘s Jesus of Nazareth and Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. Some films show him as weak and dejected during his trials, as if his entire mission on earth had failed. Others reveal a deranged, other-worldly messiah, one who would really rather be in heaven. Thanks to Dan Brown and James Cameron, we can add fornicator and father to the list of unbiblical portraits of Jesus.
In reading the closing chapters of the life of Christ in the Gospel of Matthew, I was recently struck by the juxtaposition of strength and weakness. When standing trial before the Jews, Jesus is anything but weak and dejected. When queried by the high priest concerning his claim to be the Christ, the Son of God, Jesus replies: “You have said it yourself; nevetheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” This demonstrates Jesus’ strength in several ways.
First, in front of the religious authorities and in the face of death, Jesus had the courage to claim to be the promised Jewish Messiah: “you have said it yourself.” Second, Jesus does not stop with his affirmation of the accusers’ statement, but chooses to elaborate on his identity as messiah, compounding reasons for his condemnation. Calling to mind images and prophecies from Daniel 7-9, Jesus deliberately aligns himself with YHWH by claiming the “right hand of power,” in co-regent rule with God to set right all wrongs and to deliver his people. This is no flimsy statement in the face of his accusers.
Consider the events just prior to the trial. Recall his arrest. When Peter takes his sword out to combat Jesus’ captors, Jesus flexes his muscles. We observe a confident and strong Christ, rebuking a weak and wild-eyed Peter: “do you think that I cannot appeal to my father, and he will at once put at my disposal 72,000 angels?” (26.53) Third, not only does Jesus establish his messianic kingship, he also lays claim to be the Judge of his judges, the Accuser of his accusers!
This display of courage, confidence, and strength is in the face of weakness. Peter pathetically draws the sword to make up for his weakness in prayer, just minutes prior to the arrest. The Jewish authorities resist a just trial, taking the cowardly path of paying false witnesses. Palms are paved with silver at Jesus ‘expense–he endures spitting, slapping, beating, taunting, whipping, and walking to his own death. As if this were not enough to reveal the self-sufficient strength of the messiah-king, hours after his arrest, Jesus is betrayed by a whimpering and weak Simon Peter, the one who had boldly promised to follow his teacher to the death. The weakness of those who followed Christ continued. In an act of ultimate cowardice and self-preservation, greedy Judas sells Jesus out with a kiss and then hangs himself. Cowards and weaklings, this was Jesus’ company, not because he too was weak, but because he was and is the epitome of strength.
What we see in the gospels is not frailty, but the strength of Jesus in a world of weakness, a strength that doesn’t polarize but magnetizes. He is a man to cling to for the faint-hearted, bipolar actions of his disciples–devotees one minute, defectors the next. He offers a strong salvation to his repentant enemies, shunning the disgrace of his death through the power of his resurrection. To those who confess their weakness, he offers his eternal, redeeming strength. To those who shun his strength in favor of thier thin-blooded compromise and injustice, he promises a display of strength that will bring about pride-crushing judgment that is divine and right.
Jesus is strong in his hour of greatest weakness, bloody and bruised on a cross, one with the Father. He looked to no one else for his strength to endure the abandonment and hostility of those he came to heal. He is strong, self-sufficient in the power and competence of his divine community of Father and Spirit. From such infinite resources, he offers a world of weaklings the greatest of strength. If you feel weak, don’t go it alone. Prayerfully proclaim it with cries for his strength. He will uphold you with his strong arm.