The "hero/villain/victim" motif forms the backbone of many of the world’s dramas. It plays an important role in the gospel accounts as well. Jesus is the ultimate "hero," constantly defending hapless victims from a powerful and evil villain. This motif is evident at both the social and cosmic levels.
Jesus constantly steps in to protect the week, the sick, or the sinful from those in positions of power - especially religious leaders. Thus, he takes the side of the woman caught in adultery (Jn 8), the sinful woman at Simon’s house (Lk 7), the woman who anoints him with perfume (Mk 14), a tax collector (Lk 5 and 18), children (Mk 10), a crippled woman (Lk 13), Samaritans (Lk 9 and 10), and many others. In aligning himself with these people, Jesus willingly puts himself in opposition to religious leaders, politicians, the crowds, and even his own disciples. Wherever people are being hurt, whenever judgment is given preference over mercy, any time the weak and outcast confront the strong and well-connected, Jesus invariably comes to the aid of the former and puts to shame the latter. Jesus loved the underdog. His heart went out to the powerless and disadvantaged. He was most at home with the poor, the diseased, the undone. Few things were more repulsive to him than the privileged classes taking advantage of these masses who were like "sheep without a shepherd." If nobody else wanted them, Jesus did. And they knew it.
Of course, this same predilection is seen at the cosmic level also. For Jesus’ ministry can be summarized as the rescue of helpless victims from the sinister clutches of Satan. He is our hero, doing battle for us with the one who has caused us untold suffering and degradation. What we see when Christ steps in to defend an individual in the gospel accounts is the same attitude which prompted him to step into our world and take up our cause. Jesus is not free to refuse to become involved. By temperament, he is predisposed to empathize with the underdog and to risk himself in the victim’s behalf. And for that, we all should be thankful.
From Look at the Man, page 143, Copyright 1989, Tim Woodroof and Glen Gray, Lincoln Church of Christ, 820 N. 56th Street, Lincoln, NE 68504 , Used by permission.
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