A Disturber of Public Peace?

Jesus? A disturber of public peace? It hit me as I pondered lines from one of my poems and latest release. “He was proclaimed a disturber of public peace,” the line reads. Why did I include that? I thought. Is that even valid? I almost panicked because the poem was set to music and due for official release the next day.

“Isn’t Jesus the Prince of Peace?” I thought as I did a quick online search. Didn’t He say, “Blessed are the peacemakers?” I literally breathed a sigh of relief as I saw several hits in response to my search. “Jesus, a disturber of public peace.” I read through the many search results that popped up. These included a sermon a pastor had posted, as well as several articles referring to Jesus as a “disturber of the peace.”

I realized I had not made a mistake to include that line after all. The poem titled Despised and Rejected, was inspired by one of my favorite Bible passages, Isaiah 53, and is based on Isaiah’s description of Jesus as the suffering servant and coming Messiah. It was also inspired by certain sections of the Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey, where Garvey referred to the Messiah as “Child of our own flesh and Spirit of the https://queenmajeeda.com/musicgreat Creator.”

Certainly, those lines from Garvey affected my poetic mind. Garvey also used the terminology, “a disturber of public peace,” when writing about the way the masses referred to Jesus when He walked this earth.

Prince of Peace

Surely, the good news of Jesus being born as a baby in Bethlehem brought with it wishes of peace on earth from the angels who brought the good news to the shepherds that night. They had bid the shepherds, “peace on earth, goodwill toward men.” Jesus Himself during His ministry had told his disciples that He had not come to send peace, but a sword. (Matt. 10:34) Yes, He was the Prince of Peace but He was also “the cause of division.”

We will find ourselves at times in opposition to those who have not taken a stand for Jesus. Jesus Himself said He has called us “out of the world” and that “the world would hate us because it first hated Him.” [John 15:18] In such times, we will have the peace that He gives us, the peace that the world cannot give.

Yes, He is the Prince of Peace but He also sends a dividing sword between those who accept Him and those who do not. Hence the title given to Him by those who refused to follow Him, “a disturber of public peace.” Jesus is our peace because He has chosen us and we have responded to His call.

See the lyric video for Despised and Rejected on my YouTube channel. The new single is available on all streaming platforms. Follow me where you listen and thanks a million for your support. Enjoy the peace that Jesus gives.