Who was Jesus?
Lots of people have tons of opinions regarding Jesus, just ask at the doors of your local Wal-Mart sometime (since everyone goes to Wal-Mart, as they really run the world). Everyone thinks something of Jesus because He has permeated Western culture to that degree. One might think that there would have to be SOME reason for that to be the case, especially 2000 years later...
However, some think Jesus wasn't even a historical figure. They say he didn't exist and is strictly mythology. To that I say, get a grip. History is replete with references to Jesus of Nazareth. Josephus, the first century Jewish historian, recorder tidbits about Jesus although like a good Jew there wasn't too much about the heretic. Other historians from the time period who were recording info about the Middle East also mention Jesus of Nazareth. Then there is the overwhelming documentary evidence that is represented by the Bible. It's not something made up or modified, but something based on fact written more than 1700 years ago. In fact, there are almost whole gospels (the story of Jesus) that we have ancient documents of and they aren't really any different that today's! In fact, there are more documents from the time period supporting the claim that Jesus rose from the dead than there are documents from the time period indicating that Abraham Lincoln even existed. That sounds like quite a pile of evidence if you ask me!
In fact, there is so much evidence for the fact that there is a God, He did send His Son, and that His Son died for us and rose again that EVERY atheist who examines the evidence with an open mind has become a Christ follower... C.S. Lewis, Lee Strobel, and several others of note started as atheists examining the evidence for a way to discredit Christianity or disprove it altogether. Yet, when they looked at what was there, they came to the point that any reasonable person with a brain should be able to come to: Jesus existed in history, the Jesus of the Bible is the same person as the Jesus of history, Jesus must have meant what He said, therefore He must be the Son of God. That line of reasoning follows an examination of all the documentary evidence for
and against the Gospel presentation of Jesus of Nazareth. The conclusion Lewis came to is famous, he said after examining the evidence he found three choices: Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or who He said He was (Lord). Those same options are really all there is, because there is realistically no disputing the fact that Jesus of Nazareth did exist historically (unless someone is a total moron and has no grasp of historicity and would like to dispute everything we know about the past). If we know Jesus did exist, we must make a choice.
Who was Jesus? Was he a liar? Someone who twisted the truth for his own ends? It's not likely, because most anyone will tell you that Jesus was a "good teacher" and that he taught "good morality." The teaching of morality and being "good" is antithetical to being a liar. In fact, it is so contradictory that we cannot even accept the "good" teaching of Jesus if he is a liar. So much for the "golden rule." Hmm... Was Jesus a lunatic? Someone who had no grasp of reality and never really made sense? This is also not likely as everything in recorded history shows Jesus acting rationally, not being contradictory (meaning he had an overall message everything built into), and being able to do things that made sense. The idea of Jesus being a lunatic, someone who was grasping for glory due to mental imbalance, is so contradictory to the historical record that it is almost impossible to believe. Yet, the third option scares people so much they choose one of the two first options or attempt to soften the third option by completely ignoring whole sections of what Jesus said. The fact that Jesus said things that were not easy to believe or do, things that make us uncomfortable, but they all came from the same man and have the same weight. That means him saying he was the Son of God has to be taken at the same value as him telling us to "Love your neighbor as you love yourself."
But, what it all comes down to is this: who is Jesus to you? I can tell you all this until I'm blue in the face but its meaning comes down to who Jesus is to you. Think about it...
However, some think Jesus wasn't even a historical figure. They say he didn't exist and is strictly mythology. To that I say, get a grip. History is replete with references to Jesus of Nazareth. Josephus, the first century Jewish historian, recorder tidbits about Jesus although like a good Jew there wasn't too much about the heretic. Other historians from the time period who were recording info about the Middle East also mention Jesus of Nazareth. Then there is the overwhelming documentary evidence that is represented by the Bible. It's not something made up or modified, but something based on fact written more than 1700 years ago. In fact, there are almost whole gospels (the story of Jesus) that we have ancient documents of and they aren't really any different that today's! In fact, there are more documents from the time period supporting the claim that Jesus rose from the dead than there are documents from the time period indicating that Abraham Lincoln even existed. That sounds like quite a pile of evidence if you ask me!
In fact, there is so much evidence for the fact that there is a God, He did send His Son, and that His Son died for us and rose again that EVERY atheist who examines the evidence with an open mind has become a Christ follower... C.S. Lewis, Lee Strobel, and several others of note started as atheists examining the evidence for a way to discredit Christianity or disprove it altogether. Yet, when they looked at what was there, they came to the point that any reasonable person with a brain should be able to come to: Jesus existed in history, the Jesus of the Bible is the same person as the Jesus of history, Jesus must have meant what He said, therefore He must be the Son of God. That line of reasoning follows an examination of all the documentary evidence for
and against the Gospel presentation of Jesus of Nazareth. The conclusion Lewis came to is famous, he said after examining the evidence he found three choices: Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or who He said He was (Lord). Those same options are really all there is, because there is realistically no disputing the fact that Jesus of Nazareth did exist historically (unless someone is a total moron and has no grasp of historicity and would like to dispute everything we know about the past). If we know Jesus did exist, we must make a choice.
Who was Jesus? Was he a liar? Someone who twisted the truth for his own ends? It's not likely, because most anyone will tell you that Jesus was a "good teacher" and that he taught "good morality." The teaching of morality and being "good" is antithetical to being a liar. In fact, it is so contradictory that we cannot even accept the "good" teaching of Jesus if he is a liar. So much for the "golden rule." Hmm... Was Jesus a lunatic? Someone who had no grasp of reality and never really made sense? This is also not likely as everything in recorded history shows Jesus acting rationally, not being contradictory (meaning he had an overall message everything built into), and being able to do things that made sense. The idea of Jesus being a lunatic, someone who was grasping for glory due to mental imbalance, is so contradictory to the historical record that it is almost impossible to believe. Yet, the third option scares people so much they choose one of the two first options or attempt to soften the third option by completely ignoring whole sections of what Jesus said. The fact that Jesus said things that were not easy to believe or do, things that make us uncomfortable, but they all came from the same man and have the same weight. That means him saying he was the Son of God has to be taken at the same value as him telling us to "Love your neighbor as you love yourself."
But, what it all comes down to is this: who is Jesus to you? I can tell you all this until I'm blue in the face but its meaning comes down to who Jesus is to you. Think about it...
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