The Jesus that defies definition

You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also” (Matthew 5:38,39). 

When you read those words, what comes to mind? Did you think, “Liberal talking point?” Russell Moore, pastor and former senior administrator in the Southern Baptist Convention, has revealed there’s a good chance some Americans might interpret Jesus’ words that way. Speaking to NPR, Moore told of multiple pastors who had confided in him how church members had come to them after a sermon asking, “Where did you get those liberal talking points [from]?”, referring to quotations from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7). “When the pastors said, ‘I’m literally quoting Jesus Christ,’ the response was, ‘Yes, but that doesn’t work anymore. That’s weak.’” Moore adds, “When we get to the point where the teachings of Jesus Himself seem subversive to us [Christians], then we’re in crisis.”

Is that who Jesus is—a liberal talking point? It depends on who you’re talking to. What’s certainly true is Jesus has been interpreted differently by many different groups through history.

Jesus through the ages

Muslims believe (mostly) that Jesus was a wise teacher, a miracle worker, that He ascended to heaven and, according to the Hadith, He even will return sometime soon—but as a follower of Muhammad.

Jews (also mostly) believe Jesus was a great teacher and miracle worker (though some believe His power came from the devil). What Jews and Muslims both agree on is that Jesus was not the Messiah foretold by the prophets. Then there’s the multitude of Christian groups who, throughout history, have made even more strange claims about Jesus.

Gnostics believed Jesus had come to save humans from the creator God (referred to as the “Demiurge”) and to share gnosis (hidden knowledge) with them.

Nestorius, an archbishop from Constantinople, was troubled by the notion of Jesus being fully human and divine at the same time. Therefore, he taught that Jesus was two people in one body—as though Jesus had split personality disorder.

Appolinaris of Laodicea claimed Jesus had a human body and soul—but a divine mind.

Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit are three distinct Persons, rather than the traditional Trinitarian view.

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe Jesus was created by God and is an angel, not Himself God.

Then there’s modern confusion about Jesus. Some believe in a “hippie Jesus”, for whom everything is permissible. Others think of Jesus as a capitalist first and foremost, appealing to the Bible to justify their materialist ambitions. Still others assume the blonde-haired, blue-eyed Jesus we see in European artwork and are uncomfortable thinking about Him as He likely was: a dark-skinned man from the Middle East.

So, with all the confusion, how can we truly know who Jesus is? Is it even possible to have a sense of certainty about His historicity, His identity and if possible, His divinity? As any good historian will tell you, the best way to find the truth is to go to the source material.

the historical Jesus

This begs the question though: which historical sources can we trust to accurately report on the life of Jesus? The first place to start, perhaps surprisingly, are the Gospel accounts. I say “surprisingly” because many sceptics probably wouldn’t accept the four Gospels as historical fact.

However, there are very few critical scholars today who would accuse the Gospels as being works of fiction. Some scholars might point out inconsistencies or contradictions (supposed or otherwise) but for the most part, both faithful and sceptical scholars alike accept the Gospels as reliable, historical biographies of the life of Jesus.

As scholar Helen Bond pointed out in The Historical Jesus: A Guide for the Perplexed,

“Modern study of memory has shown how unreliable and fragile human recollections can be, and how dependent it is on unconscious inferences and wider assumptions . . . The Gospels reflect the impact Jesus made on his earliest followers, and to a large extent this impact is the historical Jesus, or as close as we are ever likely to get to him. While we may be able to disentangle some of the clearly later elements in the Gospels (post-Easter theology, pastoral concerns reflecting the later church and so on), we will never be able to present an uninterpreted Jesus, completely cut free from the hopes and dreams of those who followed him. The Synoptics [Matthew, Mark and Luke], then, are an extremely good source for the life of Jesus, but we should not ask more of them than they can possibly give.”

Beyond the Gospels, other contemporary writers of Jesus attested to His existence and the movement that formed around Him. Jewish historian Josephus and Roman historian Tacitus both agreed that Jesus existed, gained a large following of mostly poor and uneducated Jews, was executed by Roman governor Pontius Pilate and that His following grew exponentially after His death. So, whether you’re a Christian or a sceptic, to deny Jesus’ historical existence is to go against clear evidence from both His followers and critics.

the identity and divinity of Jesus

Next, we must ask what Jesus believed about Himself and what His followers believed about Him. 

When Jesus was 12 years old, His parents took Him to Jerusalem for Passover. While they were there, He became separated from His parents. When they finally found Him at the temple, He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49). From an early age, Jesus had a keen sense of His identity. Jesus’ first recorded words in Mark’s Gospel are, “The time has come . . . The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15).

John affirms Jesus’ eternal nature in the opening chapter of his Gospel (John 1:1–3). Later, Jesus says “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). When Jesus asks His disciples who they think He is, Peter answers, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). 

Perhaps the most significant statement of Jesus’ identity is found in John 5. Jesus is debating with a group of religious leaders and as He does, He makes a startling accusation.

Jesus says, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life” (John 5:39,40 NRSVUE*). In other words, the Bible, though it is God’s Word, cannot itself provide eternal life. Only Jesus, who God’s Word testifies of, can. No amount of Bible study, debate or meditation can reveal the way to eternal life. If we read the book and miss the Person it points to, all our study will be for nothing. The Christian faith is not about the Bible just as music is not about notes and rests. It would be a great tragedy to be able to perfectly read Bach’s Cello Suite No 1 in G Major, but never hear it performed by a great musician.

And in case you need a reminder, here’s one of the greatest cellists in recent history performing that incredible piece:

who do you say I am?

So, who is Jesus? Is He a liberal talking point? An angel? A wise teacher? Or just a populist spiritual leader executed by the Roman Empire in the first century? Such is the controversy surrounding Jesus Christ that we are still arguing about Him 2000 years later. I contend that our view of Jesus has been lessened in the public discourse. The real power of Jesus is not in His ideas (though those certainly are powerful), but in His Person. If we take Him seriously, then we all must ask ourselves the question: “How will I respond to Jesus and His claims about Himself?” 

We may be able to sit on the fence for now, but we won’t be able to forever. His extraordinary claims about Himself are a direct challenge to each of us. Do I take His claims seriously and if I do, what ramifications do they have for my everyday life? Is it possible to keep living the same way if I am convicted that Jesus was not only a prophet, teacher and miracle worker—but the Saviour of the world, God’s only Son and the King of the universe? 

For Jesus’ first followers, everything changed when they became convicted of the truth. What might change for you if you also become convicted that Jesus really is who He says He is?

* [Scripture quotations are taken from] the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition.  Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.