Jesus Wasn’t a Hippie
It is notoriously difficult to try to define who Jesus was. He just seems to defy description and expectation; he isn’t any one sort of person.
Some suggest he was a wandering sage, preaching wisdom as he went. And this is certainly true, to a point. But he is much more than a wandering guru. He said things that are confronting, things shocking, things offensive. People walked. If you were trying to win friends and influence people you would not say what Jesus said.
Some suggest he was a revolutionary who failed to ignite the people’s ardor against their oppressors, and consequently was tragically crucified. But this is only possible if we strip him of his Messiahship, relegating him to just, in the end, a hopeful but deceived leader. Scripture presents nothing like this; it is the forlorn hope of those who are devoid of faith and wish to de-sacralize scripture.
Others see him as divine - merely clothed with humanity. In essence we are being deceived by appearances. This is an upper story spirituality, disconnected to blood, sweat and tears. It uncouples Jesus from our humanity, which of course makes him unable to save us by his death.
When I first came to faith in Jesus, it was at the tail end of the Jesus-revolution, and because many hippies and alternates were becoming believers, Jesus was (unconsciously) portrayed as the greatest of all hippies – minus the drugs and sex. He was imagined as (surprisingly) western looking, with robes and sandals – hippie attire – piercing blue eyes, six foot tall, exuding and other-worldly calm. The fact that none of these things were likely didn’t deter us from making him in our own image. This is the fatal flaw in all the views of who Jesus was.
But as we read scripture, we see a different picture emerging - one that can’t easily box nor explain Him. But one thing is certain – he is no hippie.
His words to the poor and marginalized were welcoming, gracious, and filled with love and hope. His castigating words to the Pharisees and rulers were open rebukes.
He talked more about the terror of hell than anyone else.
He exemplified love like no one else.
He spoke in parables so that people would not understand, in line with Isaiah who stated, “Keep listening, but do not comprehend; keep looking, but do not understand.”
He gave his disciples insight into the parables so they would understand.
He left places and people clamoring for him to stay. He knew what motivated people, so he would not become their guru/priest or miracle worker. If fame was his goal he did everything thing to avoid it, not cultivate it.
He told the religious rulers they were like their father, the devil.
He called a hunch back woman bound by Satan for eighteen years a daughter of Abraham. He told a woman caught in adultery (where was the man?) that he didn’t condemn her, but that she was to sin no more (which we often omit).
Simply put: Jesus did not conform to their, nor our, preferences of being the Messiah (his death put paid to that). We would probably say he wasn’t inclusive – as he wasn’t what we want to be considered as inclusive. He was inclusive to those on the edges, to those who would repent and believe, but he was exclusive in whom he chose to be his disciples.
One thing is for certain – Jesus wasn’t a hippie.