The Genuine image of Jesus in the Gospels: (a humble human prophet who did not come of his own accord, but was sent by God with a doctrine was not of his own making, but from God who sent him, exclusively to the people of Israel; to confirm to them the true oneness of God, to show them the true path to salvation, to make their relation with God and himself (Jesus) above all other familiar relations; to fulfill the law and to bring a better, more holistic understanding of the commandments; to preach the kingdom of God and to call the sinners to repe ntance. His miracles were performed by the will of God alone - not by his own power, for he was powerless, unable to do anything of himself, neither could he speak from his own authority, but from the authority of the true God Who commanded him all that he should say. Thus, what the people heard from Jesus were not his words, but the words of God Who sent him, for he never bears witness of himself, nor did he know about the unseen. He fulfilled his message and announced about the remaining final message to be brought by the final prophet, he who would come after him to guide people into all truth. He prophesied the plot of the Jews to kill him, and also prophesied that God would rescue him.) If you are surprised, my dear reader, to see Jesus in such image, and begin to wonder about the proofs, I wish to present the genuine image of Jesus, from Jesus himself as it narrated in the four gospels. Jesus’ humility :: He objected to a Jewish leader’s asking him, “Good teacher what must I do to receive eternal life?” Jesus said to him, before answering, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God.” (Luke 18:18-19). Also, Jesus said about himself, “If I were to honor myself, that honor would be worth nothing.” (John 8:54). His humanity :: He declared before the Jews, “But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.” (John 8:40). A Prophet :: When Jesus had come to his own country (Nazareth), he taught there and those who heard his teachings were amazed. They began to ask, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenters son? Is not his mother called Mary? And his brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things? So they were offended at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet respected everywhere except in his home town and by his own family.” (Matthew 13:54-57). Luke reported this episode with an additional wording from Jesus, “a prophet is never welcomed in his home town.” (Luke 4:24). He did not come of his own accord, but was sent by God. Some of the people of Jerusalem said, “When the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from. And we all know where this man (Jesus) comes from.” So Jesus said to them in a loud voice, “You know me and you know where I am from; and I have not come of myself, but He who sent me is true, whom you do not know.” (John 7:28). His doctrine was not of his own making, but from God who sent him. When some of the Jews were surprised and asked, “How does this man know so much when he has never been to school?” Jesus answered, “My doctrine is not mine, but it comes from God, who sent me.” (John 7:16). He was sent to the people of Israel (i.e. the Jews) exclusively. He refused to heal a Canaanite girl, explaining to his disciples “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the people of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24). And when Jesus used to send his disciples to preach, he would give them the following instructions: “Do not go to any Gentile [non Jew] territory or any Samaritan towns.Instead, you are to go to the lost sheep of the people of Israel.” (Matthew 10:5-6). He came to the Jews to confirm to them the true oneness of God. When one of the scribes asked Jesus; which commandment was most important of all, Jesus replied, “The most important one is this: ‘Listen O Israel! The Lord our God the Lord is one.” (Mark 12:29). He came to them to show them the true path to salvation. Jesus already explained to the Jews the way to their salvation: that they must believe that there is only one God, and Jesus as His messenger. He said, “And this is eternal life, that they (the Jews) may know you the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”(John 17:3). He came to them to make their relationship with God and himself above all other relations. Therefore, any Jew who believed in Jesus as a true messenger was free of parents who disbelieved and denied him. Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the world. No, I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. I came to set sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law; a man’s worst enemies will be the members of his own family.” (Matthew 10:34-36). He came to them to fulfill the law. Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17).
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 14:30:41 +0000
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