Month: September 2025

The Swashbuckler or The Surgeon – Revised

/ David Lee Tucker / 2 Comments

“Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Acts 2:37

This Post was first published on 05/07/2025. It is revised with additional words describing how Jesus spoke and identifying a second time that Jesus was described as being angry.

A major aspect of Jesus’ character that I love is His capacity to breathe life into the people He spoke with. Even with those whom He provided physical healing, there were often more powerful words that provided deeper spiritual and emotional healing. His speech was a demonstration of God’s Spirit and power, displaying God’s loving goodness, righteousness, and truth. And that is why I had to take a closer look at some Gospel episodes that seemed to show another side of how Jesus spoke.

Many of the words Jesus used to attack the Pharisees come across as insulting and filled with venom. How was this speech justified?

The Gospels mention over twenty occasions when the Pharisees conspired against Jesus and treated Him very poorly. In response, Jesus strikes back with a vengeance, yelling at them, embarrassing them in front of the crowds, and calling them “fools” and other names. He seems justified. Isn’t Jesus giving us an example of righteously defending yourself while exposing religious falsehoods, bigotry, and injustice?

On one occasion, Jesus’ words were described as being offensive, even scandalous (Matt 15:12). In another episode, his words were described as reproachful, even as hubris (Luke 11:45). Was Jesus’ speech used to embarrass, shame, and hurt others? That does not seem very nice or Christ-like. Yet, was that Jesus’ intention?

If Jesus was always displaying the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23), we know that this fruit rests upon the foundation of three things: goodness, righteousness, and truth (Ephesians 5:9). On these two occasions, Jesus is highlighting things that are good and right and true by contrasting it with things practiced by the Pharisees that are bad, wrong, and false. The fact that they were offended by the truth does not mean that Jesus was intending to be hurtful and mean.

What Were the Words Used to Describe HOW Jesus Spoke?

I firmly believe that in God’s sight, how we do things is as important as what we do. There is no indication in the descriptive language that Jesus was saying these things in any demeaning way.

For instance, in Luke 11:39, the Greek word used to describe how Jesus spoke to the Pharisees was epo, indicating that Jesus was simply speaking to them. One of the lawyers was described as responding using the word lego, which may indicate a little stronger language, that the lawyer was instructing Jesus, pointing out something, or trying to correct Jesus when he said in verse 45, “Then one of the lawyers answered and said (lego) to Him, ‘Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also.’”

When Jesus responded, it simply used the word epo again, indicating that Jesus was likely conversing calmly as he spoke. Then the description of Jesus’s language, just as the lawyer’s language, switched to lego as he began instructing the Pharisees and lawyers. But while Jesus was instructing, what were they doing? The language shows a marked difference. In verses 53-54, it says, “And as He said (lego) these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him.”

The Greek phrase for “assail Him vehemently” suggests that they likely jumped up and yelled very animatedly over one another at Jesus. Nowhere do we find this kind of descriptive language used to describe how Jesus spoke.

The Word’s Words

Let’s look more closely at the Greek words used to describe how Jesus spoke. As I see it, there are three categories of “harsh” language Jesus uses when addressing the issues with the Pharisees:

  • Descriptive language, i.e. “Whitewashed tombs full of dead men’s bones”
  • Plainly speaking, i.e. “They say, and do not do—they bind heavy burdens”
  • Name-Calling, i.e. “Fools”; “Blind leaders of the blind”; “Sons of hell”; “Serpents—brood of vipers”; “Hypocrites”

If what was being spoken holds to the foundation of the Fruit of the Spirit, then what Jesus said represents what is good and right and true. Then we ask, how is he saying it? Is it being expressed with anger and intended as insults to exact revenge?

The third category of name-calling warrants a more in-depth study, so I will reserve that for another time. But, suffice it to say that the above question remains: what was being communicated, and just as importantly, how was it communicated?

Earlier, I touched on a few words in the Greek used to describe how people spoke in the Gospels. Below is a list of the Greek words I found that are used to describe their speech. (Certainly not exhaustive)

  • Epo: Say—to speak, say, bid
  • Lego: I Tell You—to say, to speak, affirm over, maintain, to teach, to exhort, advise, to command, direct, to point out with words
  • Apanggello: Declare—to bring tidings (from a person or a thing), bring word, report, to proclaim, to make known openly, declare
  • Keleuo: Command—to command, to order
  • Diastellomai: Charge—to order, to set forth distinctly, to admonish
  • Boao/Eboēsen: Cry Out—to raise a cry of joy or pain
  • Keleuma/Keleusmati: To shout an order—an order, command, or a stimulating cry
  • Erizo: Quarrel—to wrangle, engage in strife
  • Anakrazo: Raise a cry—from the depth of the throat, with an element of fear
  • Krazo: Or Kraxas, Kraugazo, Ekraxen – Cry aloud, call out, speak with a loud voice
  • Enecho: Assail—to be held, entangled, to be engaged, quarrel
  • Deinos: Vehemently—terribly, grievously, vehemently
  • Prosphoneo: Called out—to call to, to address by calling out, to summon
  • Epiphoneo: Shouted—to call out to
  • Stenazo: a sigh—to groan (with grief, grudge)
  • Didaskōn – To teach, direct, admonish
  • Epēren – To raise, lift up
  • Phōnēn – voice. disclosure; a tone; by implication, an address, saying or language.
  • Akousate – To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing
  • Exon eipein – It is permitted for me to speak or say
  • Parrēsias – Confidence, frankness, bluntness, assurance
  • Ekraxen – Primary verb. To ‘croak’ or scream, i.e. to call aloud
  • Ekraugasen – To cry aloud, shout, exclaim

For Jesus, the words used to describe his language indicate that he said, spoke, taught, declared, warned, told, called, exhorted, advised, directed, commanded/instructed, and occasionally called out with a loud voice.

There is no record of Jesus doing any of the following – angrily shouting, yelling, cursing, swearing, screaming, quarreling, or assailing vehemently, but with these exceptions:

  • Only once did Jesus shout or cry out—eboēsen (from boao) meaning to raise a cry of joy or pain. This was recorded in Mark 15:34 when Jesus cried out in agony from the cross. He involuntarily cried out in excruciating pain, not in deliberate anger. Also, in Luke 23:46, Jesus cried out with a loud voice from the cross at the moment of His death (I think we can give Him a pass on these).
  • Jesus was described as raising his voice (Ekraxen) on several occasions while teaching in order to be heard by the people, to emphasize His identity as the Messiah, and when he “yielded up the ghost” at his death in Matthew 27:50. (Let’s give him a pass on these, too.)
  • Jesus did cry aloud (Ekraugasen) in John 11:43 when He called Lazarus out of the tomb. Perhaps not just for Lazarus to hear, but for the benefit of the crowd around Him.
  • In addition, the writer of Hebrews acknowledges that Jesus in Gethsemane offered up loud/strong cries/prayers to God the Father as he faced the wrath to come. (I’ll give Him a pass on this one, too.)
  • Jesus is never described as shouting (keleuma) an order, command, or a stimulating cry, but he will, according to 1 Thessalonians 4:16: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout (keleuma), with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” (Can’t wait to hear that one!)

We find that the Gospel description of how Jesus spoke is consistent with the prophecy in Isaiah 42:1-4 that Jesus quoted in Matthew 12:18-19: “Behold! My Servant (child) whom I have chosen, my Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will declare (apaggello) justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel (erizo) nor cry out (kraugazo), nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.” In fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, Jesus was never described as having quarreled (erizo) or as having cried out in anger.

Furthermore, in perhaps the most famous prophetic scriptures about Jesus, it says in Isaiah 53:7, “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.” It goes on in verse 9 to say, “And they made His grave with the wicked—but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.”

If these prophetic words are true, then Jesus never spoke just to defend himself; He never acted or spoke with the intention of being harsh or violent, nor did He ever say anything to bully or deceive anyone. Now, lest we all become depressed at how far we fall from Jesus, I am happy to report that according to the Gospel, Jesus did get angry. Whew! But, only twice that I could find.

Angry Jesus?

In and of itself, we know that anger is not wrong or a sin. “Be ye angry and sin not” (Ephesians 4:26). Anger is an important part of our emotional makeup. There is certainly a time and place for anger. One of the two occasions when Jesus is described as being angry is found in Mark 3:5, where it states that he looked at the Pharisees “with anger, being grieved.”

But wait you say, I thought you said Jesus never yelled or argued with anyone? That still holds true in this instance. The full description of the episode is Mark 3:1-5: “And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. So, they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. And He said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Step forward.’ Then He said to them, ‘Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?’ But they kept silent. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.”

The Greek word here translated as anger is Orgēs, which comes from the word Oregomai, meaning desire, or justifiable violent passion, abhorrence; by implication, punishment.

In this scene, the Pharisees sought to trap Jesus, intending to accuse him of sinning. However, Mark shows that Jesus turned the tables on the Pharisees by asking a question to which everyone in the synagogue knew the good and righteous and true answer: yes, it is lawful to do good, even on the Sabbath.

Here was a man with a painful deformity that, in all likelihood, came to the synagogue where Jesus was teaching hoping to be healed. Jesus called him forward. He was excited that his faith would be rewarded and his hand would be restored. There he stood, anxiously awaiting the Pharisees response so he could be healed and they said nothing, condemning him to this affliction by their silence.

It is interesting to me that of all the difficult and harsh words and those spoken to entrap and destroy Jesus by the Pharisees, it is at this time when they refused to speak that actually angered Jesus. The truth was so painfully evident that the Pharisees could not admit it, but just stayed silent.

The account also says that Jesus was angry and grieved. For me, this describes painful disappointment by Jesus. Much like parents whose children they have taught and tried to instill their values in, but then see them morally fail. The emotions are a mix of anger, disappointment and grief. We taught them better! Where did it all go so wrong?

The Greek word for grieved is sullupeo, meaning to be affected with grief together. It means a shared grief, like when people gather at a memorial to share their grief over the loss of a loved one. So, with whom is Jesus sharing his grief? Likely, everyone in the synagogue knows the right answer, but their leaders won’t say so. But more than likely, the poor man with the withered hand, standing there this whole time anxiously wondering if he would be healed. Now, fearing that he may never be healed because of the Pharisees’ hard-heartedness.

I love this particular episode in the Gospels for several reasons. Firstly, that it clearly identifies Jesus in his humanity as experiencing anger. Secondly, it only describes him as being angry this one time with the Pharisees, although they had given Jesus much reason to be angry. Thirdly, I appreciate the example He set for managing anger.

Jesus did not explode into a righteous rant to justify himself or to explicitly confront the Pharisees. He didn’t try to defend himself or fight back, but simply acted to do the right thing —to be a source of God’s healing. He said nothing but simply did the right thing. This Orgē’s anger indicates an exertion of justifiable passion leading to the infliction of some kind of punishment. How did this occur? The man was healed, but the Pharisees, rather than rejoicing, were scorned and exposed as despicable frauds. They were then only more driven to destroy Jesus.

Jesus’ Indignation

Now, in Jesus’ full humanity, there are two other occasions in the Gospels and in certain translations that describe Jesus as being Indignant; In Mark 1:41 and Mark 10:14. In Mark 1:41, it says, “Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” But the Greek word here is splanchnistheis, which means to feel compassion, have pity on, be moved. It is not that He was angry.

However, the other use in Mark 10:14 says, “When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Here, the Greek word is ēganaktēsen, which means to be angry, incensed, or to be greatly afflicted. Here, Jesus was likely very angry. Why? Because the Disciples were keeping the children from Jesus, and the children were the perfect example of who would be received by Jesus into His kingdom.

So, the two occasions when Jesus is described as angry using the words orgēs & ēganaktēsen are instances when people desire to come to Jesus for the goodness He offers, but someone is restricting them. Jesus was angry at those who would inhibit access to Him – the Pharisees and even His Disciples.

Jesus Perfectly Displayed the Fruit of the Spirit in All He Said and Did

How Jesus spoke is not only important in addressing his enemies, but it is just as critical in how he spoke to his followers. When Jesus taught his followers, he had no need to coerce and convince by yelling or theatrical histrionics. He is the living Word of God, and all He said and did was by God’s Spirit and Power.

Paul follows Jesus’ lead acknowledging this in 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 saying, “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

Speaking the word of God is more powerful than anything we could add to it. In fact, anything that is of us may detract from its raw power. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

What Kind of Sword is This We Wield – Swashbuckler or Surgeon?

Ephesians 6:17 confirms that the Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. The question is, What kind of sword is this we wield? We can wield it as a Swashbuckler or as a Surgeon.

The idea of the Swashbuckler is so appealing. Imagery of Errol Flynn moving with swagger and daring – striking and parrying with bold and dramatic acrobatics to inflict pain and win the duel. The Surgeon, though, is slow, methodical, studied, cutting with precision and with the purpose to heal and restore.

Based on Hebrews 4:12 mentioned above, I am certain that any way we choose to wield this sword, if our heart is in the right place, it will prove to be powerful and effective. However, if we desire to be imitators of Jesus and let God’s word do the battle, I would argue that it is the Surgeon who is the more accurate imitation of the Jesus I see described in Scripture.

Jesus declares in Matthew 10:34, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.” Aha! Sounds like a bit of the Swashbuckler! But, in the Greek, this is the same sword referred to as the Sword of the Spirit – the Machairan. It is more of a longer knife. The kind of knife that could have been used in the crude surgery of the day. Jesus didn’t just come to sprinkle peacenik niceties or to inflict pain, but to lovingly cut to the heart of the matter. It is the Word of God that does the cutting to heal and restore. We are merely the mouthpiece as imitators of Jesus.

We find further instruction on how to wield this Sword in 2 Timothy 2:24-25. “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition,” and in 1 Peter 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;” Certainly, what is described in these scriptures is not the image of the Swashbuckler but that of the skilled Surgeon who has been trained to cut to the heart of the matter.

In Acts 2, the fisherman, Peter, preached his first sermon. The Greek indicates that he simply lifted his voice and spoke out, calling to the crowd and asking them to listen to what he shared with great confidence. No histrionics. The response is recorded in Acts 2:37. “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?” With that, thousands gladly stepped forward, received his word, and were baptized.

Sometimes we desire the to be the daring Swashbuckler but what may be more effective is the skilled Surgeon rightly dividing the word of truth – striving to do what Jesus did.

Where’s the Beef/JOY?! – Part I

/ David Lee Tucker / 4 Comments

Where’s the Beef JOY?!

  • “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” – John 15:11
  • “And so the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;” Luke 2:10

Our Maturity in Christ

I want to make it clear that I agree with what Jesus taught in Luke 10:27, “So he answered and said, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’” Our priority as Christ-followers is the very antithesis of our “Me-first” culture.

At the same time, I don’t want to ever lose sight of the fact that in God’s eyes I am His priority. He came for me and desires to have a deep, abiding relationship with me. However, as seen in the above verse and as detailed in Isaiah 6, the ideal is that we establish our relationship with God before we can be of much heavenly use to others.

In my last two posts, I categorized four different levels of maturity among genuine Christians. When a pastor preaches from the pulpit, he looks out over perhaps hundreds of people. In that audience, I surmise that it may be comprised of a few non-believers, some new believers, others more actively engaged in their faith, those who are living and looking more like Christ, and a few who have actually abandoned much to follow Christ. All, except the non-believer, have made genuine confessions of faith, are saved, but are in different places of the “working out our faith” journey. All continue to be drawn to go deeper in knowing their Savior.

So, my question for now is: What does our maturity in Christ have to do with our JOY as Christ followers? Where’s the Beef?

As we mature in our faith and the dynamic shifts from being about me to being more about Jesus/others, where does that leave us in experiencing joy in our lives? Is that part of our sacrifice that we completely lose ourselves and become void of personal joy? Was that the intention, and was that the example Jesus provided for us to follow?

Tidings of Comfort and Joy
The traditional Christmas carol, “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen”, also known as “Tidings of Comfort and Joy,” looks to be based on Luke 2 and the Angel’s announcement of the coming of the Savior. The emphasis, though, is on “The Comforting News of Great Joy!” The question comes to mind as I look out across the Christian landscape: What do I see regarding comfort and Joy? What do I experience? What I do see in the Christian landscape are communities that are a bit lacking in one of these elements. In my opinion, the majority of the Christian experience I observe is quite good in terms of comfort, but perhaps not so much in terms of joy.

As we navigate life’s difficulties, we are there for one another – praying, consoling, and comforting each other through the pain from a fallen world. It is what we do as a community of believers. Our churches are spiritual hospitals where the damaged and hurting can find compassion and relief. Paul encourages us to comfort and edify one another, particularly emphasized in his letters to the Corinthians, as in 2 Corinthians 1:4, “who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” That is so good!

But, what about the JOY? Certainly, we know of joy. But, in my experience, it seems to be sporadic. Comfort would be an outcome of the Fruit of the Spirit, but Joy actually is the Fruit of the Spirit. Are we living lives of joy? Are we experiencing the thing Jesus referred to in Matthew 25:21, “the joy of the Lord?” The New Testament writers evoke the words “joy” and “rejoice” many more times than they do “comfort.”

Yet, my experience in the church is that many of us are still living lives of quiet desperation, much like the rest of the world. We struggle through life’s trials and tribulations and come together to comfort one another. That’s good, but how is that unique to what can be found in other communities?

Dr. David Jeremiah, in his message, The Thousand Year Reign of Christ, comments, “Joy is the one thing that seems to be missing in all the world today. There is an absence of true joy even among God’s people.”

New Covenant Joy
I have spent some time looking into the examples of Joy and Rejoicing in the New Testament. What are the sources of our Joy and the reasons for our rejoicing?

The New Testament word for “Joy” is Charan, meaning a gladness or a source of joy. It originates from the Greek verb and root word “Chairó,” meaning cheerfulness, calm delight, or rejoicing. It is some form of Charan that is mostly translated as Rejoice. So, joy and rejoicing are from the same Greek source.
Chairó conveys a sense of inner joy and delight, often in response to God’s grace and goodness. In the New Testament, it is frequently used to express the joy that believers experience through their salvation and relationship with Christ.

There are over 120 references to the experience of Joy and Rejoicing in the New Testament. That compares to 31 references to comfort, giving some indication of the emphasis the New Testament writers placed on joy.

Our Sources of Joy
I looked over the application of the words “Joy” and “rejoice” in the New Testament, taking note of the source and experience of joy that we should expect in our lives as Believers.
After reviewing the roughly 60+ New Testament scriptures that use some form of the Greek word translated as “joy,” I identified 20 categories of how Christians experience Spiritual Joy. (This certainly is not a comprehensive guide to our Christian experience, but just what I’ve found in the New Testament)

New Testament Joy Through:

  1. Entering into eternal & secure salvation – Luke 2:9-11, John 17:13, 1Peter 1:6-9
  2. Experiencing the reality of God in our lives. He is alive – Matthew 28:8, Luke 1:14, Luke 1:44, Luke 2:10, Luke 24:52, John 15:9, Acts 8:8
  3. Experiencing God’s supernatural power in our lives – Colossians 1:11, Acts 8:8
  4. Seeing our hope and prayers realized – John 3:29, John 16:24, Matthew 2:10
  5. Experiencing His presence/tangible relationship – Luke 19:5-7, Luke 24:41, John 15:9, Acts 2:28, Romans 14:17
  6. Realizing God’s unique spiritual gifts working through us – Luke 10:17
  7. Hearing/receiving God’s word – Matthew 13:20, Luke 8:13, John 15:11, John 17:13, 1Thessalonians 1:6
  8. Our faithful service leading us into the joy of our lord – Matthew 25:21 & 23, Acts 20:24
  9. Realizing God’s purpose in our lives – John 3:29, Philippians 1:4, 1:25, 2:2, 4:1
  10. Awareness of God’s future promises and eternal rewards – Hebrews 12:2, Hebrews 12:11, Matthew 13:44, Luke 6:23, Romans 15:13
  11. Leading others to God’s saving power and into a relationship with God – Luke 15:7, Luke 15:10, Acts 13:52, Acts 15:3
  12. Seeing God overcome our sorrows – John 16:20, John 16:21, John 16:22
  13. Refreshment by fellowship with our church family – 2Corinthians 2:3, 2 Corinthians 7:13, 2Timothy 1:4, Philemon 1:7, Philemon 1:20, 2 John 1:12, Romans 15:32
  14. The testimonies of God’s work in our brethren’s lives – 1 Thessalonians 2:19, 2:20, 3:9, 1John 1:4, 3John 1:4
  15. Our eternal hope while enduring tribulation – 2 Corinthians 7:13, 2 Corinthians 8:1-3, 1Peter 4:13
  16. Realizing the Fruit of God’s Spirit flowing through us – Galatians 5:22
  17. Realizing the reward for our personal sacrifice – Hebrews 10:34
  18. Those who rule/serve over us – 2 Corinthians 1:24, Hebrews 13:17
  19. The cleansing work of God in our lives – Jude 1:24
  20. The knowledge that God is using our trials to perfect us – James 1:2

I’ve synthesized the 20 down to these 5. Our Joy comes from experiencing:

  1. The coming of our Savior/ the freedom of our salvation
  2. Discovering the truth/power of God’s Word
  3. Experiencing the reality of God/His presence/being an active part of His Body
  4. Discovering and living out our purpose/seeing the fruit of our labor
  5. Endurance/faithfulness through trials for the eternal glory that awaits

The Experience of Cheerfulness and Calm Delight
Once again, the “Joy” that is referred to is some form of Chairó (gladness, cheerfulness, calm delight). It is not referring to feelings that lead to wild celebrations or cheering, or doing euphoric cartwheels. It is about experiencing a calm delight or cheerfulness at all times – even in times of trouble. What would this look like?

The Replay and Knowing the Outcome:
I envision this Chairó Joy as likened to watching the replay of a sporting event. You’re sitting with your pals, rooting for your team, but you are the only one who knows the outcome – and it is good. But your team is playing poorly and losing badly for much of the game. Your pals are squirming and miserable, but you sit back with a gladness, cheerfulness, and a calm delight, knowing that it will all lead to a wonderful comeback victory. Your team ends up winning in miraculous fashion. You were assured all along because the game had already been played, and you knew the outcome.

This is the joy that James refers to in James 1:2-4, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

Or, what I see for this kind of joy is the imagery of a Believer being in the midst of some calamity, and while others are melting down, he seeks out God and smiles with certainty that God is in the midst of the trial. The Believer is calm and wondering how God will show up this time.

At some point, we may come to understand that trials are inevitable and somehow, we grow to embrace them as a reflection of the fallen world that Christ has already overcome. Peter wrote of this in 1 Peter 4:12-13, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”

In John 16:33, Jesus uses the word Tharseite – To be of good cheer or good courage, or to be bold in the face of the world’s trials because the victory is already secure. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

So, this kind of joy typically reflects a sense of gladness or cheerfulness. That is not to say there are no experiences of euphoric joy in God’s presence. It’s just to say that what is most commonly referred to as joy in New Testament scripture is the experience of cheerfulness and calm delight.

But, how is This Joy Part of Our Maturity in Christ?
As detailed in my previous posts, what I see is a process of maturing in our deepening relationship with Christ, where….

  1. The food I eat is first milk being fed to us (Believer), and then
  2. As I grow, my diet consists of more meat that I feed myself (Disciple Pupil) and then
  3. I mature further to adopt a posture of more of Jesus and less of me (Disciple Scholar), and
  4. As my relationship deepens even further, I am called and desire to forsake most, if not all, for Christ (Follower).

A Joy Tied to Our Maturity?
It seems to me that the Joy we experience in our walk with Christ is somewhat tied to our maturity in Christ.

  1. As newborn children in Christ, we find joy in our newfound freedom. Eternity is settled, and we discover the powerful truths in the Bible, embracing the milk that is fed to us and is easy to digest.
  2. As we grow, we feed ourselves, find joy digging deeper into God’s truth and exploring the reality of Jesus in our lives and as part of His Body.
  3. Recognizing a growing desire to be more like Jesus, we find joy in entertaining more of His presence, discovering our purpose in Christ and utilizing our gifts as an integral part of His Body.
  4. With our desire matching His desire, we are called to even more (Psalm 37:4). We find joy in seeing the fruit of living out our purpose in Christ. We become “all-in” for God’s purpose as a leader of His Body and count it all joy in trials as we carry our cross.

This dynamic represents an ever-increasing faith, accompanied by an ever-increasing flow of the Fruit of the Spirit – including Joy. It seems we should actually be experiencing more Joy as we step out in faith and grow in our relationship with Christ. As we mature, we are able to hēgēsasthe – be of opinion, suppose, or consider all of our experiences with the joy detailed in the New Testament writings.

Please note that what I have detailed is not necessarily prescriptive, but rather descriptive. This is a generalization of what I have seen and experienced, but not everyone’s experience of how they have grown in their relationship with Jesus and the Joy they encounter as Believers.

What’s My Point Here?
My point here is that our relationship with Jesus grows, not by threats or guilt but by His loving call to draw deeper into His sacrificial love. He does not sugarcoat what it takes to be His follower, but identifies that there is a greater level of joy in the experience. He loves you and is willing to engage us as far as we are willing to go, but always beckons us to go deeper into His life and ministry.

Paul sums up the reality of the living/breathing Body of Christ in 1 Corinthians 12:27, “You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it.” Are those who are less mature/less Joyful in their faith less important to the body? Paul says in verses 22&23, “On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty,”

The weaker vessels find joy in certain things, and as we mature, we count it joy even in the more challenging things, sharing more fully in the ministry of Jesus. At the same time, Jesus reminds us to never forget our childlike faith and the joy of our salvation. Psalm 51:12, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.”

But, what about the greater, exceeding, or ecstatic level of Joy? Should that be part of our Christian experience? How do I get a piece of that Joy? Where do we find the choicest Beef?

I’ll explore that further in a future post – Where’s the Beef/Joy? – Part II

Where Was the Joy Last Week?

This past week, we saw the very public murders of an innocent Ukrainian woman, a generational leader who engaged in challenging social and spiritual debates, another school shooting and at least 89 Christians slaughtered by jihadists in the DRC. Evil is growing and surrounds us. Bad is bad, and there is no joy in what is evil and not of God. Even Jesus wept at the death of Lazarus. Why? Because God did not intend for us to live in a world of pain, suffering and death. He came that we may live lives of God’s loving abundance.

Do we jump for joy or feel good feelings at the assassination of an inspiring young husband and father, or at the murders of an innocent woman and children? No. We experience the pain as Jesus experienced the pain. In the episode with Lazarus, John documents that Jesus wept and twice “groaned in the spirit”. The Greek word for this groaning is Enebrimēsato. It means to have indignation on, to blame, to sigh with chagrin, to sternly enjoin. Jesus felt all that. Even though Jesus knew of the joy they would soon experience at Lazarus’ resurrection and at His own life-giving resurrection, He also shared in the pain and suffering that all were experiencing.

Jesus does not sugarcoat it. The pain and suffering of this world is real. There is no joy in evil and in the enemy’s plans for destruction. But the love of God is greater. We can experience joy because, through the pain, we walk in the victory of Jesus. John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace (prosperity). In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer (courage), I have overcome the world.” We have peace and prosper by the very word of God and have courage because we cheer for Jesus’ total victory over the enemy. The pain of this world is real, but the joy of the Lord is for our constant confidence in His love and complete victory.

To Steal and To Kill and To Destroy

/ David Lee Tucker / 3 Comments

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” – John 10:10

With the anniversary of 9/11 and the murder of Charlie Kirk, I’m left feeling numb at the relentless onslaught of evil in this world. It just seems to keep ramping up. As a Christian, it shouldn’t surprise me, but it still does.

Early on, I didn’t always appreciate Kirk’s combative tone. But it seemed to me that his tone had softened in more recent days. He grew bolder in expressing His faith, and with that, there seemed to be more grace extended in his debates.

His priority, even in the political realm, was his faith in Jesus Christ. I’ve heard him acknowledge on numerous occasions where the true battle is fought, often highlighting Ephesians 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

When I first heard the news of his assassination, John 10:10 popped into my mind. The Thief came to steal, kill and destroy Charlie Kirk.

For the first time, it occurred to me that the sequence of what Jesus described as the enemy’s evil actions may not be random, but rather a description of how the enemy operates.

The Greek word describing the enemy is kleptēs, which comes from klepto, a stealer. He is a kleptomaniac who klepsē or filches whatever he can get his hands on. What does he do with what he steals? Does he want it, or does he need it? No, he just kills and destroys it.

The Greek word for kill is thysē, meaning to sacrifice or to immolate. He just makes what’s alive, dead. And then what? Then he completely destroys it. The Greek is apolesē – From apo and the base of olethros; to destroy fully, literally or figuratively.

What Does This Look Like?

So, the imagery here is someone who is so depraved that they see something you have, maybe a family heirloom, that is of great value to you, but means nothing to them. But because it brings you great joy, they take it away from you. You say, “Hey, give it back.”

But the Klepto smiles, drops it on the ground and smashes it with his boot. You are stunned. But you think, perhaps it can still be salvaged?

But, no, the Destroyer then picks up the crushed heirloom and casts it into the sea. It is gone. The Klepto finds great joy in completely destroying what others value.

This is what the ruler of this world has tried to do with Charlie Kirk. A man who was certain of what is good and right and true – who sought to convince others of what he knew to be true through dialogue and debate.

The enemy sought to steal Charlie away, crushing him underfoot with the hope that the grave would completely destroy the man and what he represented.

Nice try.

In John 10:10, Jesus continues, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

Charlie lived and continues to live the abundant life Jesus promises. It cannot be stolen, killed or destroyed. It is eternal.

Charlie knew that what he held true could not be stolen, killed, or destroyed. Charlie had to know the risk of his public declaration of Christ and God’s truth. Now, the goodness of God through the Gospel of Jesus Christ lives on with greater resurrection power because of Charlie’s willingness to risk the ultimate sacrifice.

Rather than squelching the fire of the goodness of God, it will ignite a fire in others to burn that much more brightly in this growing darkness.

Charlie Kirk’s life was cut way too short in this world, but great rewards await him for his faithful dedication to living out his purpose for his King. Matthew 16:27, “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.”

Vaya con Dios, my friend. Looking forward to meeting you in glory one day!