The Masculine Traits of Jesus

Throughout this series, “A Much-Needed Conversation About Masculinity,” we’ve been exploring a fundamental question: What does it mean to be a man who uses his masculine traits properly today? This next post begins a subset about the traits, qualities, behaviors, and characteristics of Jesus Christ, who is the perfect model for using our masculine traits today.

Exploring Masculinity to Mature Manhood

We began this series by considering whether masculinity itself is a problem—and concluded that it isn’t. Male traits often associated with masculinity, such as strength, courage, independence, competitiveness, leadership, ambition, and the desire to protect and provide, can be used for good.

But when masculine traits are misused for selfish purposes, they become “toxic” or “disordered,” as I prefer to call them.

I then explained the difference between masculinity, manliness, and manhood:

• Masculinity is the collection of those inherent – God-given traits, qualities, behaviors, and characteristics commonly associated with being born male.
• Manhood is the mature development of those traits into a mature adult life marked by responsibility and purpose.
• Manliness is how those traits are expressed through a man’s actions, attitudes, character, and conduct. 

I then described that becoming an adult male is developmental; boys and young males begin to learn about how to use their masculinity, expressing those traits through manliness, and ultimately developing them into mature and responsible manhood as they become adults. 

We then asked what it means to move from being a good and proper man toward becoming a godly man. 

I suggested that Christian men already have the answer: to learn about the life of Jesus, since He is the ultimate role model for all of humanity.

Masculinity Doesn’t Have to Be One-Dimensional

Perhaps one of the problems with any conversation about masculinity is that it sometimes creates a false choice. A man is either:

• Strong or compassionate.
• Independent or emotionally connected.
• Competitive or caring.
• Tough or vulnerable.
• Leader or servant.

But Jesus demonstrated that these qualities don’t have to compete with each other.

A mature man can be:

• Strong enough to protect others and compassionate enough to care for them.
• Ambitious while remaining humble.
• Lead while being willing to serve.
• Independent while recognizing that he needs other people.
• Experience deep emotions without allowing those emotions to control his behavior.

Male maturity isn’t about choosing between these qualities. It’s about learning how to balance and direct them.

And that’s where this next part of our conversation begins.

The Traits of Jesus

As I wrote in the prior post, Jesus Was the ONLY Perfect Man. But His example might look different than you expected; it goes far beyond standard cultural expectations for what it means to be a man. As you learn more about His life, you will see a beautifully balanced life that gives us something to strive for in our lives.

That doesn’t mean every characteristic Jesus demonstrated would traditionally be labeled “masculine.” In fact, that’s part of what makes His example so important.

Jesus demonstrated strength and tenderness, courage and compassion, leadership and humility, conviction and emotional honesty, independence and deep friendship. He could confront powerful people and stand firmly for truth. He demonstrated incredible strength without domination, authority without arrogance, and courage without bravado.

The Son of God could also welcome children, comfort people who were grieving, show compassion toward those who were suffering, and weep openly. He could lead a group of disciples while also serving them. He could spend time alone in prayer while also developing deep and meaningful friendships.

All told, Jesus Christ gives us the complete picture of proper masculinity, manliness, and manhood.

Learning From the Man Jesus Was

Over the next several posts, I will describe the specific traits Jesus demonstrated and consider what they might teach us about mature manhood today.

We’ll explore strength and tenderness, courage, self-control, leadership, emotional honesty, compassion, humility, purpose, independence, integrity, sacrificial love, and friendship.

Some of these traits may sound traditionally masculine. Others may seem more feminine. But all of them were part of the man Jesus was.

Perhaps that’s an important lesson for men today.

The goal isn’t to become less masculine and more feminine. It isn’t to become more macho or emotionless. It isn’t to dominate others or become passive.

And it certainly isn’t to become perfect. Only Jesus was.

Our goal is to become more mature in how we use our masculinity for something greater than ourselves.

Godly Men Help Build Godly Men

The good news is that we don’t have to make that journey alone. We need other men who understand the demands of manhood—good and proper men who can encourage us when we’re succeeding, challenge us when we’re drifting, and stand beside us when we’re struggling.

That’s one of the reasons better male friendships matter so much.

So as we begin looking more closely at the traits of Jesus, perhaps the real question to carry with us is:

What can the life of Jesus teach me about becoming that man?