In light of the History channel’s presentation of Jesus last night I came away with conflicted feelings. On the positive end, I loved the depictions of Joseph and John the Baptist as common and even rough men. With some minor discrepancies such as Joseph throwing stuff around the house when he hears about Mary being with child I was on board with the picture of these.

But, since the entire series is titled “Jesus – His Life” I was both disappointed and frankly miffed that their “Jesus” was depicted as pretty wimpy looking for a carpenter’s son. He also looked almost ten years younger than John and seemed reliant of John’s help and teaching. Please guys, we have seen this kind of Jesus since our Sunday school coloring book days. He looks like a computer geek more than a laborer and seems in need of iron supplements. The Biblical Jesus fasted forty days in the desert then confronted Satan personally. At the beginning of His ministry he forgave sinners but openly rebuked  the hypocritical and powerful  religious leaders. Where oh where is the real Jesus on the History Channel? His neighbors certainly knew him as a common man.

And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” John 6:42

The account of Jesus’ childhood in Luke tells us he went home and was obedient to His parents. That would have included helping haul stone, mix mortar and saw wood for Joseph. At home he also had plenty of younger brothers and sisters to help with. The Bible lists three brothers and at least two sisters making Jesus just one of at least six (I’ll bet there were some wrestling matches around that house)! The real Jesus didn’t just float above the street, he got dirty feet as he walked (A fact overlooked by his wealthy host Simon; but noticed by a woman who washed them with her tears.) The real Jesus caught fish and had them cleaned and already baking on the fire by the time the disciples came to shore. The real Jesus walked all the way from Jerusalem to Galilee without complaint and no matter his weariness still rose early in the morning to pray. The real Jesus withstood a beating a whipping and six hours nailed to a cross till He gave His life into His Father’s hands. The real Jesus was confident, courageous and determined and yet loving, gentle and forgiving. The real Jesus is both fully a real man and fully a real God. Whatever you think about the History Channel segments still to come I ask: “Please no more wimpy Jesus for me.” We serve a real Jesus, known as the Lion of Judah and the King of Kings. Let’s keep our eyes on Him!

But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”       Revelation 5:5

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