“Wait—did Jesus really say that?”
That’s the reaction most of us have when we come across some of Yahshua’s hardest teachings.
We love the compassionate Jesus. The gentle Shepherd. The One who says, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden.”
But let’s be honest… many of us skip right over the Jesus who flips tables, calls out hypocrisy, and drops truth bombs that shake the very core of our modern Christian comfort zones.
The truth is:
Some of the most challenging, uncomfortable, and even shocking things Jesus said… are the very words we ignore the most.
And I get it.
They’re not the verses you’ll find on coffee mugs or Pinterest graphics.
They’re the kind that stop you in your tracks and make you ask, “Am I really following Him—or just the version of Him I like?”
So today, I want to walk you through 13 shocking things Jesus said—things that many Christians overlook, downplay, or simply don’t want to deal with.
But if we’re serious about following Christ, we can’t afford to ignore these.
Let’s dive in.
1. “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out…”
(Matthew 5:29 NKJV)
“If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you…”
Imagine hearing this in a Church service. People would freak out.
Of course, Jesus wasn’t encouraging self-mutilation. He was using hyperbole to deliver a massive truth: Take sin seriously. Radically.
But let’s be honest—how many of us treat sin casually, even laugh about it, instead of “casting it from us”?
2. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom…”
(Matthew 7:21 NKJV)
“But he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”
This is terrifying. Jesus is saying that lip service isn’t enough.
Just claiming to be a Christian—without obedience—won’t get you into the Kingdom.
He’s after your heart, not just your hashtags.
3. “Let the dead bury their own dead…”
(Luke 9:60 NKJV)
“But you go and preach the kingdom of God.”
Wait—what? No funeral? No time to say goodbye?
Jesus was making a point: The Kingdom is urgent.
When He calls, obedience isn’t optional. It’s immediate.
He’s not being cruel—He’s reminding us that the Gospel is life-and-death business.
4. “Do not think that I came to bring peace…”
(Matthew 10:34 NKJV)
“I did not come to bring peace but a sword.”
Doesn’t this seem to contradict the whole “Prince of Peace” image?
Nope.
Jesus is peace—but not the sugar-coated, fake kind the world offers.
Following Him divides. It divides families, friendships, even churches.
Real peace comes through truth, not compromise.
5. “Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor…”
(Luke 18:22 NKJV)
“And you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
We like to spiritualize this.
But what if Jesus really meant it? What if wealth is a snare, and generosity isn’t optional?
We may not be called to give everything away, but we are called to surrender everything—heart, wallet, and all.
6. “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?”
(Luke 6:46 NKJV)
Ouch.
Jesus isn’t impressed by how many church services you attend or verses you memorize.
He wants obedience. Not selective. Not half-hearted.
All of it. Even the hard stuff.
7. “Whoever desires to save his life will lose it…”
(Luke 9:24 NKJV)
“For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.”
This flips everything we’re taught.
The world screams, “Protect yourself. Chase your dreams. Build your empire.”
But Jesus says the opposite.
The more you cling to your own plans, the more you lose.
But when you lay it all down—your dreams, reputation, comfort—for His sake, that’s when you truly start living.
It’s not about playing it safe. It’s about surrender.
8. “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother… he cannot be My disciple.”
(Luke 14:26 NKJV)
Let’s be real—this one makes people squirm.
But Jesus isn’t telling you to literally hate your parents. He’s saying, Your love for Me must be so supreme, that everything else—yes, even your family—looks like hate in comparison.
That’s radical devotion.
9. “Take up your cross daily…”
(Luke 9:23 NKJV)
To modern ears, the cross is jewelry.
To 1st-century listeners, it meant pain. Death. Sacrifice.
Jesus didn’t say, “Take up your blessings.”
He said, “Take up your cross.”
Following Him isn’t easy. But it’s worth it.
10. “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery…”
(Luke 16:18 NKJV)
Jesus took marriage seriously. Much more seriously than our culture—or even many churches—do today.
He upheld the sanctity of the covenant and called out the hard truth, even when it offended.
11. “You are of your father the devil…”
(John 8:44 NKJV)
Jesus wasn’t afraid to speak the raw truth, especially to religious hypocrites.
And sometimes, we’re the Pharisees.
It’s easy to point fingers—but we must ask: Does my life reflect the Father… or someone else?
12. “Go and sin no more.”
(John 8:11 NKJV)
He didn’t say, “It’s okay, I understand, try better next time.”
He said, “Sin no more.”
Grace isn’t permission to keep living in sin.
It’s power to walk away from it.
13. “Be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
(Matthew 5:48 NKJV)
Perfection? Is that even possible?
Not in the worldly sense. But Jesus is calling us to complete, mature, holy living.
He’s not lowering the standard. He’s raising us to it.
Final Words
Friend, I know this was a lot.
Heavy. Uncomfortable. Maybe even offensive.
But don’t look away.
These are Jesus’ words—not mine.
And if we claim to follow Him, we can’t cherry-pick what we like and toss out what we don’t.
These 13 sayings aren’t meant to condemn you.
They’re meant to wake you up. To challenge you. To pull you closer to the real, unfiltered Messiah—the One who loved you enough to die and enough to tell you the truth.
👉 Ready to go deeper?
Join my free 31-day Bible study series: “How to Live a Victorious Life.”
Each day we uncover another eye-opening teaching that could change your life.
It’s time to stop settling for comfortable Christianity.
Let’s follow the real Jesus—no matter the cost.
About the Author
Joshua Infantado is a Christian blogger and Bible teacher who has been writing faith-based content since 2013. He is the founder of Becoming Christians, where he shares blogs, books, videos, and online courses to help believers grow in truth and grace. Joshua lives in Davao City, Philippines with his wife Victoria and their son Caleb. Contact him at joshuainfantado@gmail.com.