What Would Jesus Do?

I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

John 5:43-47

Mat 1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
Mat 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

This verse in Matthew does not really say “and thou shalt call his name JESUS” because the word Jesus is neither Hebrew, Greek or Latin. Jesus is Strong’s G2424. The Hebrew origin, H3091, is actually the name the angel of the Lord told Jospeh to name his son. Everything else is simply linguistics. There also is not a “J” sound in the Hebrew or Greek languages.

G2424
Ἰησοῦς
Iēsous
ee-ay-sooce’
Of Hebrew origin [H3091]; Jesus (that is, Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites: – Jesus.

H3091 (Strong)
יְהוֹשֻׁעַ יְהוֹשׁוּעַ
yehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛
yeh-ho-shoo’-ah, yeh-ho-shoo’-ah
From H3068 and H3467; Jehovah-saved; Jehoshua (that is, Joshua), the Jewish leader: – Jehoshua, Jehoshuah, Joshua. Compare H1954, H3442.

If we are going to discuss someone’s characteristics, we should at least know their proper name. Along with the name of the Saviour, there are other misconceptions of what Jesus would do. Jesus is often referred to as a peacemaker and all forgiving, but there are others sides to consider.

Mat 10:34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
Mat 10:36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.

What is this sword that he brings to the Earth if it is not the the sword of His mouth? There are many references to a sharp, two-edged sword coming from the Saviour’s mouth. The Word of God is embodied in the Saviour.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Heb 4:13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

The Word of Yahweh is the very method that all of creation came into existence. Psalms 33:6, “By the word of Yahweh the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host”. Once we understand Yeshua is the Word of Yahweh, it helps us better understand the relationship of the Father and Son. The Word has been present since the beginning and in Old Testament passages, “the Word of Yahweh”, would come to His prophets. In Hebrew, we find this throughout scripture. It is “nom Yahweh” or “debar Yahweh”. Alongside the actual words of the Saviour, these passages that say “Thus says the LORD” also give us a picture of Yeshua. An example of this is found in Ezekiel:

Eze 13:1 And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
Eze 13:2 “Son of man, prophesy to the prophets of Israel who are prophesying, and you must say to those who are prophets out of their own imagination, ‘Hear the word of Yahweh!’
Eze 13:3 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘Alas, for the foolish prophets who are going after their own spirit, and they did not see anything!
Eze 13:4 Your prophets have been like foxes among ruins.
Eze 13:5 You did not go up into the breaches and repair a wall for the house of Israel to stand firm in the battle on the day of Yahweh.
Eze 13:6 They saw falseness and a lying divination, the ones saying, ‘Declaration of Yahweh!’ and Yahweh did not send them, and they wait for the confirmation of their word.
Eze 13:7 Have you not seen a false vision and spoken a lying divination, and you said, ‘Declaration of Yahweh!’ but I myself did not speak.
Eze 13:8 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘Because of your speaking falseness and because you envisioned a lie, therefore, look! I am against you!” declares the Lord Yahweh.

This is the same Word that rides in at the end to set things right once and for all. This isn’t a meek and shy Jesus, this is Yeshua, the Saviour of His people. Again we see the sharp two-edged sword coming from His mouth.

Rev 19:15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
Rev 19:16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
Rev 19:17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God,
Rev 19:18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.”

If there is one thing we could use to answer the WWJD question, it is that He will execute justice. The liars and sorcerers are going to be fed to the birds. This execution of justice, or balanced scales, is gleaming out from His sermon on the mount

Mat 5:2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
Mat 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Mat 5:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Mat 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Mat 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Mat 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Mat 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Mat 5:10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Mat 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Commentary on these verses from F.B Meyer explains these words well:

“Note the passive side of the blessed life. To be poor in spirit, that is, to be lowly in one’s self-estimate; to be meek, not always interested in one’s rights; to mourn for the evils of one’s own heart and for the sin and sorrow around; to hunger and thirst after Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. These dispositions do not purchase blessedness, but to cultivate them is to be blessed. On the positive side are mercy, purity, peace and willingness to suffer all things for Christ.”

Those who are meek and thirst after His righteousness are those who fear the Lord and are obedient to His commandments. Another answer to the WWJD question is that He obeyed the Father and told us to be obedient as well.

Joh 14:23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
Joh 14:24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.
Joh 14:25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you.
Joh 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Being the Word of God, Jesus didn’t use His own words because by default He is the Word of Yahweh. We can understand Jesus better by reading everything the Father spoke through His prophets.

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 He was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

That Word came in flesh and dwelt with mankind. John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth”.

Jesus also did not approve of the money changers in the temple. They were selling animals for the sacrifices. It was a gimmick because the people needed animals to offer to the priest for various reasons, and these were the “approved” ones to use. This was a similar practice to the church later selling indulgences because it was using something of God to make money from the people in a questionable fashion.

Joh 2:13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Joh 2:14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there.
Joh 2:15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.
Joh 2:16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.”

The way verse 2:13 is translated makes it seem like the Apostle John and Jesus were viewing the “Passover of the Jews” as an event being celebrated by a people group they were not a part of. They were both Jews and very much involved in the Passover feast.

Joh 2:23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing.

Jesus kept the feasts of God and the Sabbaths. His doctrine was not His own, but His father’s. This is a big part of what Jesus did: He taught His Father’s doctrine, which was the law and the prophets.

Luk 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read.

Joh 7:14 Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
Joh 7:15 And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?
Joh 7:16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
Joh 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
Joh 7:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

Jesus didn’t teach any new doctrine. “My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me”. What was the doctrine of His Father that sent him?

Pro 4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Pro 4:2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
Pro 4:3 For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
Pro 4:4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

It is simple and throughout all of scripture. Be like Jesus by learning and doing His Father’s doctrine. What would Jesus do? He kept His Father’s commandments and taught others to repent and do the same.