And Jesus asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Christ." (Mark 8:29 ESV)
In recent years there has been no shortage of Jesus documentaries, articles, mini-series, and even claymation specials. Everyone from ABC to Time Magazine to the National Enquirer seems to have something to say about who Jesus "really" is. Depending on who you listen to, He was a wise teacher, or a political revolutionary, or a social reformer. Countless so-called scholars have opinions about who Jesus is. The only thing it seems He's not allowed to be is God.
It's interesting that we live in an age in which it is acceptable for people to talk about being or becoming God. It's normally not so bluntly worded, but New Age philosophy and Eastern religions will tell you that you can release the god that is already in you if you'll do whatever their new book suggests, and all for just $19.99.
Everyone gets to be God.....except for Jesus. The minute Christians say that Jesus was God, the critics shout that he never made that claim for Himself. But let's look at what the Bible says about who Jesus is from three perspectives: God's, the disciples', and Jesus himself.
There are two separate instances where the Bible records that God's voice came from out of a cloud or the heavens and proclaimed that Jesus was His son and that we should listen to Him (Luke3:22 and Matt. 17:5). And as is the case with the majority of the Gospel accounts, there were enough witnesses to the event that it would have been disputed if it had not actually occurred. It would seem that an endorsement from God would be good enough, but evidently not for many of us. Maybe we're just too intimidated by what God would say to be able to process it. Let's get on more comfortable ground and look at what those who were with Him every day said about Him.
In recent years there has been no shortage of Jesus documentaries, articles, mini-series, and even claymation specials. Everyone from ABC to Time Magazine to the National Enquirer seems to have something to say about who Jesus "really" is. Depending on who you listen to, He was a wise teacher, or a political revolutionary, or a social reformer. Countless so-called scholars have opinions about who Jesus is. The only thing it seems He's not allowed to be is God.
It's interesting that we live in an age in which it is acceptable for people to talk about being or becoming God. It's normally not so bluntly worded, but New Age philosophy and Eastern religions will tell you that you can release the god that is already in you if you'll do whatever their new book suggests, and all for just $19.99.
Everyone gets to be God.....except for Jesus. The minute Christians say that Jesus was God, the critics shout that he never made that claim for Himself. But let's look at what the Bible says about who Jesus is from three perspectives: God's, the disciples', and Jesus himself.
There are two separate instances where the Bible records that God's voice came from out of a cloud or the heavens and proclaimed that Jesus was His son and that we should listen to Him (Luke3:22 and Matt. 17:5). And as is the case with the majority of the Gospel accounts, there were enough witnesses to the event that it would have been disputed if it had not actually occurred. It would seem that an endorsement from God would be good enough, but evidently not for many of us. Maybe we're just too intimidated by what God would say to be able to process it. Let's get on more comfortable ground and look at what those who were with Him every day said about Him.
Comments
"Everyone gets to be God.....except for Jesus." I love that line! It's funny when other faiths say he was a good moral teacher - but then say he lied about who he was. How could a "good moral teacher" lie?
Well documented.
Very well written piece. Thank you for sharing.
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