This is What Jesus Did When He was Insulted

THESE DAYS, some pastors who claim to be servants of Christ in Ghana have decided to insult everyone who offends or disagrees with them. They often do this on social media.

Their behaviour undoubtedly dents the image of the Church and affects the faith of many people. This projects them as agents of the devil.

Now, is it proper for a servant of Christ to plan to insult their perceived opponents or enemies? Have those who habitually exchange verbal attacks on social media really followed Christ Jesus who they claim to serve and represent?

Christ Jesus does not teach His ministers to attack their opponents with insults.

Instead, He teaches them to carefully learn from how He reacted when He was insulted, persecuted, mocked, scorned and rejected by men.

Peter, the apostle, writes, “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing,” (1 Peter 3:9).

Paul also writes, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone,” (Romans 12:17).

Peter who personally walked with Christ bore witness about Him saying, “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23).

Christ did not trade insults with his accusers and opponents because He was gentle and meek. A gentle Christian or pastor is not the one who is well-dressed, but the one who is well-behaved.

Paul writes, “…when reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things” (1 Corinthians 4: 12- 13).

Jesus Christ endured both verbal and bodily attacks. Christ was verbally assaulted during the period He went about preaching the Good News of the Kingdom of God and healing those who were oppressed of the devil.

Christ was insulted as being insane (John 10: 20). His own family said He was out of his mind (Mark 3: 21)4. The crowd said He had a demon (John 7: 20)5. Others said He “is a Samaritan, and has a devil” ((John 8: 48, 52). He is glutton and drunkard (Matt. 11: 17- 19).

And Christ was physically assaulted during His betrayal, arrest, trial and crucifixion. The Bible says, “…one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with His hand (John 18: 22). Then they spat in His face and struck him (Matt. 26: 67). And some slapped Him (Matt. 26: 67). And they violently stripped Him naked (Matt. 27: 28).

They also mocked Him (Matt. 27: 29), and spat on him and took the reed and struck him on the head (Matt. 27: 30). Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him (John 19: 1)7. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head (John 19: 2).

The crowd came up to Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands (John 19: 3). So they took Jesus, and He went out, bearing His own cross (19: 17). They offered Him wine to drink, mixed with gall (Matt. 27: 34).

They crucified him (Matt. 27: 35). And those who passed by ridiculed Him (Matt. 27: 39)13. So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him (Matt. 27: 41)14. And Jesus cried out and died (Matt. 27: 50). One of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear (John 19: 34).

Indeed, Christ Jesus suffered; yet, He never opened His mouth to curse them or insult His attackers.

Today’s true ministers of the gospel must follow Jesus Christ and learn from His gentle reaction to insults and mockery just as the foundational ministers did.

By James Quansah

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James Quansah is the Executive Director of Christ-Conscious Leadership Centre (CLC) and lead Pastor of End-Time Christ’s Commissioners (ECC), Kumasi, Ghana. James is also a journalist by profession. He is married with four children.