Jesus The Rebel

There are many who look upon Jesus as a rebel. They quickly point to His words against the established religion of His day and define His actions as rebelling against a corrupt, greedy and abusive set of beliefs.

They fail to acknowledge that instead of rebelling, He was accomplishing the will of God, even when He didn’t want to.

Would a rebellious child sit in front of the Father and pray O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. (Matthew 26:39b KJV)

Or, when His Father’s will did not match His own, return again to pray O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. (Matthew 26:42b KJV)

Is this a rebel? No.

Would a rebel state Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. (Matthew 22:21 KJV) ?

I would expect a rebel to toss aside Caesar’s commands, just as a rebel would toss aside God’s.

Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God: (Deuteronomy 1:26 KJV)

And, if we obey? If we seek our Father’s will? Christ tells us For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother. (Mark 3:35 KJV)

And, if we obey? And do our Father’s will? Christ tells us Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21 KJV)

While explaining who He was:

For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (John 6:33-35 KJV)

Jesus also explained God’s will for men:

For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:38-40 KJV)

Seeking His will through prayer and His words in the Bible will bring us to the reason it was written:

But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. (John 20:31 KJV)