He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Colossians 1:15 (NIV)
I like to read mystery stories. Not the spooky kind that has ghosts and zombies, but the kind that has a mystery to be solved, like a murder or a lost item, and a detective who has to solve the case. I currently have three mystery series that I am reading through. One takes place in the 1800’s, one takes place around 1919-21, and the third is modern. Each series has a main character who is the “hero” of the story. Each of these characters lives in a different time period. Two live in England and one lives in Quebec, Canada. In addition to the main character there are secondary characters that continue from book to book.
In each of these series, the author has given the reader a basic description of the main characters. From these basic descriptions I have formed a mental image of each of the characters. My image is vague and incomplete, but it has grown and matured with each new story. Now, if the author were to make their story into a movie, they would cast a person who they feel best portrays the character they have created. I can guarantee that that person will not be the image I have in my head. I’m sure that in most cases, I would be disappointed with how the movie depicts these characters that I have come to know and admire.
If you grew up in the church, you probably have an image in your head of Jesus. It has most likely been shaped by children’s Bible stories and artists’ depictions of Jesus. Most of them portray Jesus as rather European with long, light colored hair. If you did not grow up in the church, you too will have an image in your mind about who Jesus is, although it will probably be very different from the standard “church” image. In our modern age, many different groups have created an image of Jesus that fits into their agenda. Surprisingly for a blatantly non-religious world, everyone seems to want to enlist Jesus for their cause.
Interestingly, the Bible never gives us a physical description of Jesus. The closest the Bible comes to describing Jesus’ physical appearance is found in Isaiah 53:2. He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. All that we know for sure is that Jesus was Jewish and grew up in Palestine. Therefore, most of our “church” images of Jesus are probably wrong. Instead of giving us a physical description of Jesus, the Bible gives us an image of Jesus’ character and demeanor.
One of the dangers we face in putting together our image of Jesus is that we are prone to impose our current culture and values onto the picture. In other words, we tend to create a Jesus in our own image. If we are going to get an accurate image of Jesus, we need to set aside our preconceived ideas and look carefully at what the Bible really says.
When we look at the biblical account of Jesus’ life, as recorded in the Gospels, we see that Jesus was a man of contrasts. He is depicted as having great compassion but also one who demanded justice. Jesus invited the little children to come to him and he blessed them. He reached out his hand and healed the leper, the lame, the blind, and the sick. He also violently cleared the Temple, possibly twice; once at the beginning of his ministry as recorded by John and once at the end of his ministry as recorded by the synoptic Gospels. Jesus held people to a high standard, yet was quick to forgive. Jesus openly engaged with “sinners” and openly rebuked the religious elite. Jesus grew up in Nazareth and was trained as a carpenter. Yet he was well-versed in the Hebrew Scriptures and amazed even his enemies with his insight and wisdom. Jesus demonstrated his power over death by resurrecting Lazarus from the grave, yet he allowed himself to be nailed to a cross and to die an agonizing death. Jesus had the authority to confound both the people and the religious authorities of his day, yet at his own trial he refused to defend himself. As he himself stated, he had the authority to call down legions of angels to protect him, yet he chose to be arrested and mistreated.
Many people today want to reduce Jesus to the embodiment of some kind of sentimental love, like an indulgent grandparent who grants every wish for their grandchildren. That image is far from accurate. Jesus was hard on sin and gentle with sinners. Jesus refused to be a legalist, yet he perfectly upheld the law. Jesus faithfully engaged in worship, yet he refused to conform to the religious systems of his day. Jesus was the most complex person who has ever walked the earth. All of our attempts to pigeonhole him into a particular mold will fall. We cannot put Jesus in a box. He will not allow us to.
The most important thing to understand about Jesus is not that he was the perfect man, but that he was the incarnation of God in human form. Jesus said, I and the Father are one. It was that statement that nailed him to a cross. It was the one image that people refused to even entertain. Many people still do. Yet the Bible makes it clear that Jesus is the very author and sustainer of all that we know and experience. He is the creator of all things, and he chose to enter his creation in bodily form in order to restore what was twisted and broken by sin.
Colossians 1:15-20 (NIV)
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and
invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were
created by him and for him.
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the
firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the
supremacy.
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to
reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,
by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
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