The Real Jesus

'Gentle Jesus, meek and mild.'

Its weird, often when people think of Jesus they picture this really weak guy with flowing brown hair and flowing robes and smooth soft skin, maybe cradling a small adorable child on his lap or cuddling a cute, fluffy lamb and just spoke about things like forgiveness and love . Go to google images and search Jesus. You'll find that guy.

BUT, thats not what Jesus was not like that at all. He was a carpenter for about 18 years of His life, he didn't have the tools of today, so he would have had to use His hands and a few simple tools, maybe a blade, a chisel. But thats all. So, lets just say he would have been ripped. He would have had massive muscular arms and calloused hands.

And yes, its true, you could find Him speaking of forgiveness and love, but the words He spoke were entirely controversial. 'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.' (found in Matthew 5:44) and claiming that He was the Jews' promised Messiah; which was SO controversial in the Jewish community that it led to His execution on the cruelest instrument of torture.

That doesn't sound like 'Gentle Jesus, meek and mild' does it? I'll let people a lot smarter then me finish this off:

'True, He was the Poet who spoke beautifully of the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. True, He was the folksy storyteller who spun yarns of women baking bread and fishermen hauling in a catch. True, He was the the gentle Nazarene who bounced little children on His lap and made them laugh. True, He was also the silent Prisoner who stood in perfect ease before kings and suffered bitter insults without uttering a word. But Jesus was nonetheless a man. A carpenter with calloused hands. An outdoorsman accustomed to long period in the wilderness. A man who courageously spoke out against the corrupt authorities of His time, calling then "white washed tombs", "blind guides" and "serpents."'

- Josh McDowell & Bob Hosteller in their book: Don't Check Your Brains At The Door: A Book of Christian Evidences