Who Do You Say Jesus Is? - An Essay

Write an Essay in response to the prompt. Who Do You Say Jesus Is?

Discussion

Theologians, historians, philosophers along with common men have long been pondering on the identity of Jesus along with his attributes and purpose. According to Bockmuehl, Jesus posed questions to his disciples who people of His day perceived he was and further offered explanations ranging from John, the Baptist to one of the prophets of historic times. Several common men perceived Jesus as the son of living God which exhibited their belief concerning Jesus’ identity not only to be a simple man purposed to reflect positive and optimistic ideas. These beliefs and ideologies have led Jesus to represent an image of a deity in flesh and blood. The purpose of the following paper is to evaluate the distinctiveness and uniqueness of Jesus Christ and the way common men and followers have perceived the teachings and ideologies of the Almighty in bringing peace and amity to the world.

Vanderkam has posited that throughout centuries several attacks have been made on the deity of Jesus Christ concerning his identity, beliefs and teachings. These impediments primarily emerged from three directions whereby the first attack upheld an illustrious perception of man. Such an outlook holds that all men constitute divinity thus often illustrates portrayal of little ‘gods’. Goodacre has claimed that while the godly attributes of man have been considered to be true, it is only because of man’s capability of acquiring the divine nature and characteristics of God. Common man tends to have divine potential and thus by the grace and loveliness of the Almighty, individuals can develop role of a partaker constituting of divine nature. Meanwhile, authors have been of the opinion that if Jesus is divine only in similar sense then He was not God but simply an exalted man. Furthermore, another critical attack at the uniqueness of Jesus endorsed another portrayal of Jesus. Such an observation however intends to justify the significant and valuable things said of Christ in the Bible as well as in periodic narratives. However, wide-ranging scientists, historians as well as philosophers have claimed these assumptions to be extraneous or irrelevant which does not have the competence to be incorporated in other theoretical perspectives. Vanderkam has further shown disagreements and stating these attacks to be superstitions of unenlightened men, visions along with other supernatural phenomenon. These scholars have obtained insights that if given satisfactory time; they will be capable of justifying every supernatural and divine about Jesus, further reducing his abilities from God to mere man which successfully positions within dynamics of life. In addition to this, the significant hit raised certain notions related to the extended as well as diminished deity. Ministries and McPherson have stated that individuals who retain such claims to consider in the deity of Jesus Christ, yet the description of divinity and holy-being and unconstructive which has the end outcome of not being deity at all. Thus, if Jesus represented an image of a mere man, then common man have no Saviour, as he could not exonerate sin by being an honest man with distinct purpose. However some people have been of the opinion that Jesus reflected an image of a great and prudent educator stopping short of signifying Him as God. Nonetheless, such great, prudent and sincere educator emphasized on man’s immense need of Saviour and that he is the only liberator whereby men can come to attain salvation and amnesty of sin or misdeeds. Thus, Kostenberger, Andreas and O'Brien are of the perspective that if Jesus does not have any godly characteristics, then he has deceived or deluded individuals and declared as truth a lie.

Jesus - God in Flesh and Blood

Nonetheless, such claims and attacks have been deviated by common man, philosophers and historians by claiming that the Bible has confirmed to the deity of Jesus Christ. Blomberg wrote his Gospel in order to prove that Jesus was the Almighty emerging in the flesh. Jesus is God as He lived like a God. According to Ottuh et al. no man has ever nor could attain the capability to live as He lived. If He was only a human, then other individuals could inaccurately pursued His teachings and ideologies and live the sort of life He lived. However, the teachings and ideologies of Jesus reflected utmost accomplishment and excellence as His life. Thus according to Goodacre, there can be observed no ambiguity related to the fact that Jesus is a God and his uniqueness were filled with godly and heavenly attributes. Furthermore, Jesus Christ is God because of His humanity which exclusively echoes utmost genuineness and reliance. Though He possessed immense godly power, Jesus never utilized it for His own gains. Rather it Kostenberger, Andreas and O'Brien claimed that it was Jesus, the Almighty who promoted a plain title, “the Son of man”. Thus, in the view of Ogden, it takes significant ability to live a life with a plain title. Jesus further took on this simple and unambiguous title for Himself to accentuate His humanitarian nature and belief. However, as with unadorned titles on big men, Jesus’ humankind, kindness and sympathy stressed greatly in the ‘Son of man’ title which reflected immense significance and value thus proving that He was more than a simple man, but the Almighty. Meanwhile, Ministries and McPherson have emphasized on all-powerfulness and supremacy of Jesus by stressing that Jesus is a God as He died like a God. When an individual takes into consideration His trial as well as crucifixion, the anguish and suffering He went through and the words and teachings He spoke, an individual can perceive the unearthliness, the Supernatural along with the divine about Jesus. Thus, according to Ottuh et al, unlike the bereavement of men who tend to submerge in defeat, Jesus’ bereavement was a triumph. Jesus died like a God, He is God.

At this juncture, Kostenberger, Andreas and O'Brien have stated that Jesus is the Almighty, the Supreme as He did things which only a God could do. Jesus claimed to forgive sin and established his ability by eradicating the penalty. Here, Miller has stressed on the paralytic man whereby the first thing Jesus noted to him that his sin were pardoned. However, Jesus was accused of profanity by His opponents as by forgiving misdeeds and wrong actions He was intending to attain a position equivalent to God who can forgive all sins. However, Goodacre has found that Jesus responded to this charge by stating ‘Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or further to claim or to, 'Get up, and walk'?". Jesus peacefully forgave by eradicating the penalty through which His Godliness was illustrated. The spiritual and dutiful leaders of His day showed immense incompetence to view the evidences of the deity of Jesus. Studies conducted by authors have indicated that the crucifixion of Jesus, the Almighty was primarily due to the allegation of blasphemy and claiming to be God. Though Jesus had several opportunities to refute or contradict those allegations, He chose to let the false allegations stand. He could not refute Himself. According to Bockmuehl, Jesus is Supreme because of the loveliness, serenity and power He brought in the lives of innumerable people even today and will be always known as a Saviour of the world. His immense continuity to pardon misdeeds and further regenerate lives, making them partakers of the divine characteristics bears witness of His Godhood. Jesus is thus the Supreme as He possesses the power to do what no philosopher, educators or religious leaders can do. Thus, Mabey et al. claim that common men state Jesus does what only a God can do. Jesus is God as his power on the world. Miller has noted that an individual can perceive this in the extensive spread of Christianity in initial several centuries. Furthermore, it is essential to note, how the disciples could or followers of Christ set out from being cowards who ran as well as refuted ideas and beliefs of Jesus on the night of His arrest following subsequent crucifixion to individuals that deprivation, persecution and martyrdom would fail to deter from informing the world about Jesus and His beliefs. Jesus’ power and influence on the world has been of immense significance and extensive for a man to have formed it. Jesus it continues to cultivate till current days and age and there can be found nothing as supreme and powerful enough to stop it.

Conclusion

On a concluding note, because of all which has been stated, the deity of Jesus Christ, the Almighty has been illustrated beyond a rational reservation. Thus it remains on the individuals who still continue in scepticism, uncertainty and denial to prove that Jesus is not who He claimed to be. However, no individual with such disbelief can prove such assertions, as it is impossible to prove any negative or unconstructive about Jesus. It is recklessness of men which causes them to live in such uncertainty and cynicism. Furthermore, if Jesus is not Supreme or has no Godliness, then who could replace his place? Certainly none of several spiritual, dutiful leaders and educators could bring clemency of sin or salvation. Thus, there can only be found one Saviour, which is Jesus Christ. Thus, without the Supremacy of Jesus, there can be witnessed no other saviour.

References

Blomberg, Craig l. Jesus and the gospels: an introduction and survey. B&h publishing group, 2009.https://books.google.co.in/books?id=U5rIPC1UgsgC&dq=Jesus+and+the+Gospels:+An+Introduction+and+Survey&source=gbs_navlinks_s.

Bockmuehl, Markus The cambridge companion to jesus. cambridge companions to religion. Cambridge university press,2001. https://books.google.co.in/books?id=vSehrtQpcYcC&dq=The+Cambridge+Companion+to+Jesus.+Cambridge+Companions+to+Religion&source=gbs_navlinks_s.

Folk, Holly. "Protestant Continuities in The Church of Almighty God." The Journal of CESNUR 2, no. 1 (2018): 58-77.

Goodacre, Mark. "Do You Think You're What They Say You Are? Reflections on Jesus Christ Superstar." Journal of Religion & Film 3, no. 2 (2016): 2.

Kostenberger, Andreas J., and Peter T. O'Brien. "Salvation to the Ends of the Earth." Salvation to the ends of the Earth(2017).

Mabey, Christopher, Mervyn Conroy, Karen Blakeley, and Sara de Marco. "Having burned the straw man of Christian spiritual leadership, what can we learn from Jesus about leading ethically?." Journal of Business Ethics 145, no. 4 (2017): 757-769.

Miller, Paul E. A praying life: Connecting with God in a distracting world. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2017.

Ministries, Retha McPherson. "Statement of Faith." For Colson’argument, see Chuck Colson,“Foreword,” in Vogelzang, Doing HIS Time, i–ii (2017).

Ogden, Greg. Discipleship essentials: A guide to building your life in Christ. InterVarsity Press, 2019.

Ottuh, John Arierhi, and Revd Nathan Doutimiwei D. Thikan. "A New Testament View on Church and State Relations in the Modern World: Challenges for the Contemporary Baptist Church in Nigeria." International Journal 3, no. 1 (2015): 96-104.

Tolstoy, ???. The Kingdom of God is Within You; What is Art?. Litres, 2017.

Vanderkam, James c. An introduction to early judaism. Wm. b. eerdmans publishing, 2001. https://books.google.co.in/books?id=0fFlz7PbgTcC&dq=An+Introduction+to+Early+Judaism.+Grand+Rapids:+Eerdmans,&source=gbs_navlinks_s.