The Red Words; part 2

Read the red words” can refer to two distinct concepts: a social movement encouraging Christians to follow Jesus’ teachings in their daily lives is the one we are interested in. 

Social and religious movement

• Focus on Jesus’s teachings: This movement centers on the belief that Christians should pay close attention to the words of Jesus, which are historically printed in red in the Bible.
• Advocacy for social justice: Proponents advocate for biblical values like fighting poverty, supporting immigrants, and defending human rights. 1

Jen Hamilton is involved in a forum called ‘Read the red words’. I think she’s on Instagram and FB. I don’t use either of these platforms. But I’ve been able to read about her on Google. 

Why do we have red letter Bibles?  The red words in certain Bibles, known as a red-letter edition, represent the words spoken by Jesus Christ. This practice was started in 1899 to make it easier for readers to identify Jesus’ direct quotations, symbolizing them with the color of his blood and highlighting His central role in the scriptures. 1.

Why are the red words important? When Jesus is quoted in the Bible, red words are used to set what Jesus has to say apart from everything else. Jesus’s words are important. They pack more weight than the author of the books. I mean it’s Jesus. Right! The son of God. The messiah. 

There is a school of thought that Jesus is being turned into a ‘hippie deity’. All about peace and love. While Jesus did promote peace and love, he had some harsh words. Matthew 7:2 warns us of judging others. Matthew 7:5 warns us about being hypocrites. Jesus flipped a table in the temple proclaiming, (Matthew 20:13 .. It is written, my house shall be called the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves.” There are at least 64 warnings Jesus gives us in the New Testament. 

What about that ‘hippie love’? I found there are at least 71 statements of love from Jesus in the New Testament. For example: Luke 6:35 “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.” Love your enemies; that sounds like a hippie kinda love to me. In the beatitudes, Jesus lifted the ‘poor, those that are hated, those who hunger’. The very people that society pisses on. Widows, orphans, poor, and hungry. You are less of a person if you fall into any of these categories. But Jesus loves you and encourages us to love. 

Christians celebrate Rahab, the harlet (Joshua 6). After Jesus started his ministry, he was homeless. Staying with those that offered him shelter (Matthew 8:20). Moses was a murderer (Exodus 2:11-12). Are you kidding me? These are the very people modern society hates. 

So was Jesus a hippie? Kinda, he doesn’t fit the modern definition on all points. He was homeless. Check. He was a rabble-rouser, fighting the religious establishment. Check. Roman soldiers marveled that his coat (robe) was one piece. It had no seams. Though he dress like the people around him, it was different. Check. And he loved. Check. 

He was upsetting the apple cart of the religious establishment and they didn’t like it.  Spreading love and religious freedom to everyone. Jew and gentile. Roman or Israelite. Free or slave. That’s why Jesus had to die (John 11:50). He ate with, healed and taught sinners. Sinners just like you and me. 

“But you’re wrong, I can’t find 71 statements of love.” Does it matter if that number is right or wrong? Personally I don’t think so when Jesus is quoted as saying: Matthew 22: 36-40, New International Version 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” There that word is again. In red again. LOVE!

Why do we find it so hard to love? Think about the last 5 interactions you had with random people. How many of those interactions had any love in them? Out of 5, I’m guessing 1. Our first reaction is to flip off a distracted driver in traffic. Fuss at the person in front of us in the check out line because they are going through the self check out with a buggy full instead of 15 items. Or that person who parks at the gas pump after they have filled up their car and goes inside. Again where is the love? Satan uses every weapon he has to pull us away from God. And hate is one of the top 5 weapons Satan uses. 

In the words of Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, “where is the love?”

1.

Google overview

2.

I found 64 different warnings in the New Testament and I’m sure there are many more. – Ramsey church of Christ

King James Version of the Bible 

3.

How many times does Jesus talk about love? – The Christian Corner – Quora