Posted on 09/02/2009 2:49:59 PM PDT by jxb7076
During the days of Abraham people believed that their lives were governed by powerful spirits gods. So they made models of these spirit gods out of gold and silver – and these gods were given names and the people were fearful of these gods, and made sacrifices to them. They thought that by making animal sacrifices, and in some instances, virgin child sacrifices that these gods would be pleased and bring forth a good harvest. The people that God talked to Abraham about in Genesis 12 however would be different. These people would not have idol gods, or spirits, or superstitions because God Himself would be with them and be their King. They would be called the ‘Chosen People’ because through them God would bless the entire world and it would be a blessing to last generations after their time. Abraham, being a man of faith took God at His word in Genesis 12 and trusted Him and as a result Abraham’s decedents increased until there were twelve tribes – or clans.
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What sort of person would say that?
Er, how about “Son of God”...or doesn’t that compute in your religion?
I am guessing one who has the authority! That’s a powerful statement in itself.
Works for me!
Not something I'd care to merely guess about ...
You've listed one possibility. Another is that an intolerably arrogant, blasphemous lunatic might say that.
There's a huge difference between following the Son of God and following a madman.
IOW, if He wasn't "the true Messiah", then He also wasn't "just another rebel". If He wasn't "the true Messiah" He was a dangerous whackjob to be avoided at all costs.
Personally, I think He’s the true Messiah however, its an open ended article leaving one to their own conclusions. Whether they believe or not does not change faith.
open ended arguments about the messiah often ignore the biblical and historical evidence. several hundred, often very specific prophecies,told when the messiah would come. that is part of why some folks knew where and when to look for him. the bible gives a number of examples of how people who knew the prophecies and didn’t have a preconcieved idea of his personality (lamb versus king) came to meet the messiah because they believed the prophecies (Daniel, the wise men). Unless you believe what Jesus said about himself or what the bible says about Jesus, how can anyone call that faith? Faith in what?
God wants us to understand and know his word so that our minds are transformed, he can communicate with him, and we can understand WHY we believe.
Well put. I can’t remember the author, but the line was ‘Jesus was either a lunatic, a liar, or LORD.’ That’s the thing, there’s no watering down of Jesus. It’s all or nothing.
It was C.S. Lewis. But he omitted another possibility-- "misquoted."
I could not have said better.
What sort of person would say that?
Good question..Jesus is clearly saying he is God, much like God said to Moses at the burning bush (I AM that I AM). C.S. Lewis addressed this and and similar sayings of Jesus as follows:
C. S. Lewis, who was a Christian professor at Cambridge University and once an agnostic, understood this issue clearly. He writes:
I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic -on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the son of God: or else a madman or something worse.
Then Lewis adds:
You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.
I completely agree with that assessment ... I'm just picking on (nitpicking?) the headline. I don't think "just another rebel" is a valid option. The whole business makes for worthwhile discussion though.
Agreed. Incidentally the titled changed to: Jesus of Nazareth - Rebel, Messiah, or both?
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