Largely, those professing Christians have bought into the perception that Yahshua was a passive, even timid man. Many distorting such verses as “turn the other cheek” to support this hypothesis. However, careful reading of the Scriptures opposes this characterization. In Matthew 10:34 we are told by Yahshua Himself, and I quote: “Think not that I am come to send peace on the earth; I came not to send peace, but the sword” (Matt.10: 34) His earthly mission was not to ingratiate Himself to humanity but to make it essential that we make a choice. In Matthew 10:21 Yahshua describes the conditions His coming and the necessity of a clear choice has brought upon the world: “ And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.” We must make a choice no matter the costs.
In John 8:32 Yahshua said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Unfortunately, most today like the ruling authorities of His day will not see the truth largely because they are of their father hasatan. The ruling authorities of his day refused to hear Him. They even turned a blind eye to the practical results of the good works He did, even ascribing them to hasatan, ignoring all the accounts that He was a man of understanding, wisdom, and spiritual power. Then we must ask ourselves, why was He rejected of men. It could not have been because of His wonderful qualities, but instead it was because of His unwavering steadfastness in speaking the truth. Frequently, bluntly! He was the light of this world, but the world perceived Him not, because this light uncovered the hidden things, exposed sin, and this would bring about His downfall. Yahshua Himself described the world condition in John 11:9 “…are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. John 11:10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.”
We also read in John this searing criticism of the world’s attitude: “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone that does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light. Lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in G-d” (John 3:19-21)
Yahshua’s righteousness, His uncompromising observance of the truth (G-d’sTorah) cost Him disciples (John 6:53, 59,62, 64-67) support, and followers as He became more and more outspoken about the evil nature and sin in the world. Even those that were most closely associated with Him deserted Him and ran for cover when the chips began to fly.
The Roman overlords, and their puppet constituency, the religious authorities (but not all of them) moved to counter Yahshua’s legitimacy and influence by attacking His credibility. Yahshua courageously branded them hypocrites, and pointed out their proclivity of making the Torah of G-d ineffective by their multitude of additions and traditions, (unfortunately the church today is guilty of the same offense) which they had forced upon their world. Yahshua by His actions made of Himself a target of intense opposition, persecution and especially character assignation. Yahshua was not only perceived as challenging the status quo, but in fact as Scripture attests, He righteously did. The Temple authorities, and their Roman masters saw Him as a true revolutionary threat that enjoyed the common peoples support that might lead to the toppling of their regimes.
When you challenge the authorities, religious or political, the status quo, you have to expect repercussions. Yahshua knowingly challenged them, but He was different from all the other pseudo messiahs before and after Him in that he did not draw back nor did He compromise His message. Yahshua was and is a fearless, uncompromising champion of the truth. Yahshua, like all the major characters of the great biblical stories boldly and courageously spoke the Truth of G-d, His Torah, and clearly and fearlessly exposed the evil and evildoers of this world
Yahshua’s speaking, teaching, and living the Truth of Torah was in the end, the cause of His death as it had been for the various prophets before Him, and shall be for those who uncompromisingly follow Him and G-d’s Torah in the “ End of Days.”
Amein, may we not falter…