Here’s my question: Did Jesus ever correct those who weren’t asking for his opinion, people who had not already engaged him in discussion? Did Jesus approach others in an uninvited way in order to “set them straight”?

I just read a news article about a Christian who felt compelled by God to tell another person who was only a casual acquaintance that what that person was doing was wrong, though that person wasn’t asking for advice. That got me to thinking, is this Christ-like behavior to correct others when they are not seeking our input? When there is no relationship? No mutual commitment to following Christ? I think it is different with one another when we together have committed to follow Jesus, I am implicitly submitting to instruction. Jesus certainly corrected his disciples when they were not specifically seeking his advice. However, being a disciple automatically means you accept correction. I am talking about Jesus approaching strangers to “straighten them out”.

Jesus certainly “set others straight” when they came and asked him, but did he ever go up to others who weren’t asking and try to correct them? I am having trouble thinking of an occasion when he did that. Sometimes he spoke generally to the crowds about morals, ethical behavior, or cited examples of ungodly action or attitude. I see that as different. He certainly preached in the Sermon on the Mount about not lusting, or returning evil for evil, and such. But again, those people came to him to listen. Did he see someone doing wrong and go up to that person and set him or her straight?

He criticizes the arrogant and disdainful prayer of the pharisee, which may have been based on observing an actual rather than hypothetical event. My question is whether Jesus ever went up to someone like that pharisee when hearing his arrogant prayer and attempt to correct him. Certainly if such a pharisee were to come to Jesus and ask “what do I need to do?” Jesus would reply “humble yourself and pray for God to have mercy on you because you are no better than those you despise.” But would he go up and say that uninvited?

It is easy to think of examples of others doing this: the pharisees approach Jesus’ disciples about their “harvesting” on the sabbath, and others confront the man Jesus heals in John 5 because he’s carrying his mat. They are acting like moral police whose duty is to stop others from doing wrong. Even Jesus’ disciples act this way regarding a person who is driving out demons in Jesus’ name (Luke 9:49).

Maybe I am missing an example of Jesus doing this, but right now I can’t think of one. Can anyone think of an example?

Note: I’ve thought about the cleansing of the temple which seems to me to be a symbolic prophetic act, a visual parable pronouncing the destruction of the temple, rather than an attempt to make the merchants stop their activities.