The Muscular Jesus

Since the Resurrection, there have been a seemingly never-ending stream of people who wish to promote a Jesus to their liking, rather than Jesus as He is and as He is faithfully passed on by the Church.

Whether they realize it or not, those who seek to promote a Jesus to their liking are participating in Satan’s game plan to diminish and distort Christ.  Satan would love to weaken Christ, at least in the minds of poorly catechized people.

A brief survey of the internet turn up all kinds of heretical portrayals of Jesus: a “soft” Jesus who tolerates all kinds of sin, a feminist Jesus, a gay Jesus, the “Che Gueverra” Jesus; Jesus 2000 (Jesus presented as a subSaharan black African female); the list is long, for there are many many confused and devious people in the world.

One common meme that has been a pervasive weed are the attempts to feminize Jesus: it is in art, writing and movements.

Jesus was not feminine and those who suggest such things ignorant of Scripture, Jewish culture, history and Church Tradition.

Today’s Gospel from the Mass (Luke 2:22-40) offers a clear indication to the masculinity of Jesus.  An excerpt:

[39]  And when they (Mary and Joseph) had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.  [40] And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Looking closely, we find some clear indications about Jesus’ masculinity:

• Mary and Joseph are pious and devote Jews.  They have just returned from taking Jesus to the temple, to consecrate Him according to the Jewish law as their first born (and only) son.  It would have been inconceivable to encourage (or tolerate) a non-masculine identity of Jesus; homosexual behavior was a stoning offense for it was an offense against God (and still is).
• Nazareth was a small town in the first century with a strong Jewish presence.  It was not a place for those who did not conform to sexual norms of the time.
• “And the child grew and became strong…” – this is a clear indication of physical strength, for the proper way to interpret scripture is to read it first in a literal sense (CCC 116).  Since Jesus is God, Jesus does not grow in virtue, for He possesses it completely; as such,  interpreting to grow strong as, for instance, to grow in fortitude, is incorrect.
• Raised by St. Joseph, working as a carpenter, Jesus would have certainly gained significant strength.  First century carpentry and building was a physically demanding job, a muscular job.
• Aside from this scripture, there are many passages in scripture that confirm that Jesus had powerful physical strength.  See here for  a more detailed study.

Jesus was muscular and manly.  He was the Son of Man, after all.  Not to mention the Son of God.