Holy Week Day 3: Blind Guides and the Undefended Heart of Christ
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces.” —Matthew 23:13
They were the most respected men in town. Scholars. Spiritual authorities. Guardians of the Law. They had Scripture. They had authority. They had proximity to the things of God.
But when Love Himself stood in front of them—healing, forgiving, eating with sinners—they were blind. Not just confused. Resistant.
They didn’t weep with Him. They didn’t welcome Him. They plotted to kill Him.
Jesus’ fiercest words weren’t aimed at pagans or outcasts. They were spoken to these religious leaders—those entrusted with shepherding others toward God, yet who shut the door in people's faces.
Perhaps the most sobering manifestation of this blindness is their presence at the foot of the cross. Of all the people there, the ones who should have recognized Him first stood, not in awe, but in mockery.
Tissot's "What Our Lord Saw from the Cross": Through Jesus' Eyes
James Tissot’s painting, "What Our Lord Saw from the Cross," invites us into a profound perspective shift. We look down through the eyes of Jesus, from His place of suffering, onto the crowd below.
(“What Our Lord Saw from the Cross” by James Tissot. Brooklyn Museum)
He sees a mixture: soldiers, weeping women, faithful friends. But prominent among them are figures robed in influence—priests, elders, law experts, the very ones who orchestrated His crucifixion.
Although you can’t see Jesus’ face, you can almost feel the weight in His eyes: the grief of betrayal, the sorrow over hard hearts standing just feet away from crucified Love, yet still not seeing.
What must it have felt like to see those He came to save become the ones who condemned Him? These were not godless rebels, but leaders who had Scripture memorized yet lacked mercy, who kept rules but missed the heart of God.
Although they wore spiritual authority like a robe, it had become like armor—defensive, fearful, harsh. And their conviction of being right, even at the foot of the Cross, isn't just a first-century problem.
How Systems Get Sick: When Control Replaces Connection
Why would anyone seemingly devoted to God reject Him when He comes near? Often, the core issue isn't a lack of devotion but an attachment to the system—the structure that provides power, predictability, and a sense of control.
Neuroscience offers insight here. It tells us that under perceived threat, the brain's left hemisphere tends to seek control, favoring rigidity, rules, and established systems that provide certainty. This is a defense mechanism; when identity is based on fear or shame, control feels safer than vulnerability.
However, without the crucial balancing influence of the right brain—which governs empathy, relational connection, and seeing the bigger picture—this leads to problems.
This imbalance is how spiritual leadership can go wrong and religious systems become broken. It becomes a "left-brain" issue: structure without Spirit, doctrine without delight, rules without relationship. Authority gets confused with self-protection. Shepherds become gatekeepers. Leaders, formed more by fear than by love, slowly go blind, often without even realizing it's happening.
But Jesus offers another way.
Christlike Leadership: Differentiated and Undefended
Jesus modeled a radically different way. He was the most powerful person in the world—and the least controlling.
He didn’t demand respect; He washed feet. He didn’t suppress emotion; He wept. He didn’t hoard power; He forgave. He told the truth even when it hurt. And He remained anchored in the Father’s love—even when falsely accused, rejected, and abandoned.
This is differentiated leadership:
Knowing deeply who you are and holding a clear sense of mission, anchored in God, independent of others' approval or rejection. It means not being controlled by the emotions or expectations around you, not losing yourself in conflict, and refusing to use your position to dominate.
This is undefended leadership:
Leading without fear or the need for ego-protection because trust in the Father runs so deep there's nothing left to prove. It allows openness, vulnerability, and emotional presence—offering truth and grace without panic or pretense. It flows from a secure attachment to the One who defines us, freeing us from the need to prove, protect, or perform.
This is the path of spiritual formation through surrender: allowing our egos to die so that something truer can rise.
Reflect: A Better Way to Lead (and Be Led)
Whether you lead formally or informally—in a church, a classroom, a home, or any circle of influence—take a moment for honest reflection:
Where are you tempted to lead from fear, the need for control, or managing your image, rather than from love?
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear…” —1 John 4:18
Fear-based leadership suffocates relationship. But love, grounded in God’s presence, makes space for others to breathe and grow.
Do you find yourself controlling situations more than connecting with people?
“Woe to you… You give a tenth… but you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness.” —Matthew 23:23
We can do the right things for the wrong reasons. Jesus invites us to prioritize mercy over mere mechanics.
Have you mistaken exercising authority for bringing about genuine transformation?
“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant…” —Matthew 20:26
Jesus turns power on its head. The greatest authority in the Kingdom comes through humble service.
What would it look like to cultivate a more differentiated and undefended presence in your specific context?
“The Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing...” —John 5:19
Jesus' leadership flowed not from proving, but from deep, constant connection with the Father.
And if you’ve been hurt by leaders who operated from fear or control:
Can you let Jesus—the true image of the Father—begin to heal those wounds?
“The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being…” —Hebrews 1:3
If you want to know what God is really like, look at Jesus. He is not manipulative. He is not harsh. He is not distant. He is love.
Can you begin to imagine leadership formed not by power or position, but by Christlike presence?
“He made Himself nothing… taking the very nature of a servant.” —Philippians 2:7
The true mark of spiritual maturity isn’t dominance—it’s descent. The way of Jesus is the way of humility and transformation.
A Closing Prayer
Jesus, You stood undefended before the powerful, You had every right to defend Yourself—but You chose love.
You held all authority—but You bent low to serve. You saw through pride and posturing, yet You still wept with compassion.
I confess the ways I’ve led from fear, ego, control, or protecting my image. The times I've shut the door on grace.
Heal the ways I’ve been wounded by leadership that didn't reflect Your heart. Teach me to lead like You—Differentiated and Undefended. With truth, compassion, and courage. Rooted in love, secure in the Father’s gaze. Faithful even when misunderstood.
Make me a safe place for others to meet Your heart.
Amen.
To view the other articles in this series focusing on the paintings of Tissot, please click below:
Day 1: The Cup and the Crushing
Day 2: The Disciples Who Fled—Running from the Pain
Day 3: Blind Guides and the Undefended Heart of Christ
A Maundy Thursday Reflection: Presence in the Pain
Day 6: coming soon
Day 7: Easter morning, coming soon