Christ Jesus - More than a Man - More in Deed and in Truth

Submitted by M. Tovey (United States), Apr 4, 2011 at 17:00

So having migrated to this exchange, and wanting to know a little more about someone who seems intellectually versed in apologetics, it is interesting that what is presented here as reasons for not embracing Jesus Christ are the same ones from nearly two thousand years ago.

There seems still to be an identity crisis of Who Jesus Christ really is, referring to some mystical apparition or figment of overzealous imaginations. From the time before the written from of the Bible, what kind of person do you think has this good of an imagination; and if just an imagination, why all the centuries of trying to refute and ridicule it, even as you do?

Now, to make sure you understand this perspective, this reader agrees with you that Yehoshua HaNazaret was not described in His own time as we see Him characterized today. 25 December is not on the Jewish calendar and by various other descriptions it is more than likely He was born in the fall, say around Rosh Hoshannah. Person of Jewish ethnicity are most definitively oriental and not Caucasian; and being Jewish, was circumcised (a Biblical mention, by the way) and observed many other kosher and Judaic customs. It was under the completion of the fore shadowing of the Judaic customs that Yehoshua

The question that keeps resurging from a Muslim perspective is that if Issah is as a pathetic character as so many modern Muslims try to portray, then why did the Islamic Prophet even need to include Issah in his offerings, finding some sort of need to change what the record said of Issah in the 'Prophet's time. One wonders who the 'Prophet's sources were. Irrespective of the unnecessary intention of some to disrespect the Quran, there needs to be a basis of fact not easily presented in these modern times to understand the need to change what history does say about Jesus Christ based on other more pertinent revelation. On the outset then, Jesus Christ cannot be so easily dismissed; or there would be no need to argue about the entirety of Christianity, nor Islam's evident need to repress it.

You mention the apparent mistreatment of one of the disciples, not one of the closest, but indeed one that was close, physically. Spiritually though, we have a description of the Iscariot as one who fellowshipped, listened, ate with and slept around the same campfire as Yehoshua. They even exchanged words and the Iscariot had every opportunity to express his doubts about what Jesus Christ was presenting. But in his crucial hour, the Iscariot could have fought the demon that possessed him, but did not. Remembering that Jesus Christ never forced Himself on anyone (telling Peter not to defend Him in the garden), the Iscariot made his own choice (just as anyone who rejects Jesus Christ must do).

So let us then proceed to the Syro-phoenician woman who had enough faith in who Yehoshua was to be bold in her faith to make her profession on behalf of her daughter. There were probably a number of reasons why the Holy Bible has remembered her; these come to mind in this writing. First, knowing that Yehoshua was Jewish, it probably was a shock to the Jewish followers that she even tried. But of such is the love of a mother. Their exchange occurred on several different levels. When confronted with the statement that "salvation is of the Jews,' her spirit resorted to the fact that the necessary faith for her came not from a purely Jewish perspective, but of a Hebrew one, of Abraham's perspective. It is that faith that helped preserve the mind of her daughter, the kind of faith Yehoshua was hard in getting from the larger unbelieving Jewish population. The Roman warrior was another example.

So it is faith that is necessary to get away from the religious trappings of a humanist mentality that seems so easily attractive to a world that tries so hard to minimalize who Jesus Christ is, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. And if your presumption of brainwashing is to be likened to a true Christian perspective, then there is a verse that appropriates that thought as well: the foolishness of Almighty God is far higher than the best intellect humanity can muster. I would rather resort to the WORD of Jesus Christ than to trust any human logic in giving me the life only Jesus Christ can promise.

And finally, how do I know that Jesus Christ IS a gentle and loving individual, it is His Spirit that resides in me that give me the notion that you and anyone else are worth telling about His love, His Spirit that resides in me that says: tell them while there is still time, for the night draws nigh and I will no longer be able to do so. One cannot resort to apologetics to reveal the true love of Jesus Christ, the Son of Almighty God; we must rely upon His Holy Spirit.

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