By R.A. Mathews

On Sunday morning, John Doe heard Jane Smith in church criticizing one person after another. John Doe turned to his wife and said, “She’s nothing but a troublemaker. She would criticize Jesus.”

Our Lord’s followers did just that. 

I’m not talking about the Pharisees and scribes. Their biting words occurred early in Jesus’s ministry.

Remember that Jesus was baptized in the Jordan, tempted by the devil in the wilderness, and then began His ministry of teaching and healing. He became prominent quickly. Luke writes in his fourth chapter: “And reports about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region” (Luke 4:37). 

That’s when the Pharisees and scribes showed up. 

These highly respected men, who guided Israel’s faith, traveled great distances to sit and listen to Jesus. Pay attention: It was an especially hard trek from Jerusalem. They spent days traveling north along the Jordan River, but first these men had to navigate a steep, dangerous road of some 16 miles down to Jericho. Since that city is the lowest on earth, 864 feet below sea level, the treacherous descent from Jerusalem was some 3,300 feet. Obviously, the return was worse, with the climb up that steep road back to Jerusalem.

Still, the Pharisees and scribes came. 

Scripture says, “… Pharisees and teachers of the law… had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem.” (Luke 5:17)

Luke reports that their first objection came when Jesus told a paralyzed man that his sins were forgiven. These leaders said only God could forgive. Jesus went on to heal the man. (Luke 5:17-26)

Immediately, came their next objection: “After this [Jesus] went out and saw a tax collector… [who] made Him a great feast in his house… And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’” (Luke 5:27-30)

As I said, all of this happened early on. By the end of Jesus’s ministry, the Pharisees and scribes wanted Him dead. This is what Jesus said as he approached Jericho on His last trip to Jerusalem:

“And taking the twelve, He said to them, ‘See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished…   they will kill Him, and on the third day He will rise.’” (Luke 18:31-33)

Two things then happen in Jericho. They are important.

“As Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging…  [Jesus] questioned him, ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ And he said, ‘Lord, I want to regain my sight!’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.’” (Luke 18:35-42)

Next came Zacchaeus.

“[Jesus] entered Jericho and… a man named Zacchaeus… was a chief tax collector…  And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature.  So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him… And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today’” (Luke 19:1-6).

Jesus stood surrounded by a crowd of His followers, not the Pharisees. He had just healed blind Bartimaeus and invited Himself to stay with a man. But look at what else happened with Zacchaeus. 

“And when they saw [Jesus eating with Zacchaeus], they all grumbled, ‘He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner’” (Luke 19:7).

Jesus stood in the lowest city on earth and heard the open disdain of His followers, knowing He would soon be nailed to a cross for those criticizing Him.

John Doe was angry with Jane Smith for her critical spirit that Sunday in church. But look also at his. John Doe did the same thing, saying, “She’s nothing but a troublemaker…”

Christians often talk badly about others. Yet Jesus wanted you to love even your enemies, even those who use you and wrongfully take from you. (Matthew 5:40, 44)

Easier said than done.

A critical spirit is one that needs to be healed. Immediately, when you think a bad thought of another person, take it to the foot of the cross and leave it there.

“… take every thought captive to obey Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

When you remember how Jesus died for you, it gives you strength to patiently bear the wrongs of others.
The Rev. Mathews (B.A., M.Div., J.D.) is the author of the “Reaching to God” series. Contact her at Hello@RAMathews.com. All Scripture was taken from the ESV.

Copyright © 2025 R.A. Mathews. All rights reserved.