Search For Jesus

Ernie Fitzpatrick asked:


I know that this title is going to cause many to think that I’ve lost my compass as a Christian; however, if you’ll hang with me on the couple of commentaries (This is the first of five), I think you’ll maybe have a second thought (worse?). There’s simply no way that I could say what I feel and live in one post. May the Spirit guide my fingers as I type out a what I hope represents Him rightly.

Jesus was and is one of us (totus in nostris)! This early phrase that was attested to was “totus in nostris” meant that Jesus was wholly one of us. His origin as well as his nature. He was flesh and bones. He came into the world by procreation as you and I did. I love the virgin myth, but while it is myth, it’s not fact.

The GOOD NEWS is that what this means is that I really do have someone I can follow- all the way to eternal bliss. Jesus, who became bigger than life- the Christ is my model, my raison d’etre!

The Council Of Chalcedon affirmed that Jesus was a MAN in every sense of the word. This ecumenical council took place in 451, at Chalcedon (a city of Bithynia in Asia Minor), today part of the city of Istanbul. It was the fourth of the first seven Ecumenical Councils in Christianity, and is therefore recognized as infallible in its dogmatic definitions by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.

Peter’s first speech on the day of Pentecost says in part, from Acts 2:22-24, “Men of Israel, listen to me, I speak of Jesus of Nazareth, a MAN singled out by God…”

A MAN!

As Karl Rahner put it (March 5, 1904 — March 30, 1984- a German theologian, and one of the most influential Roman Catholic theologians of the 20th century), “Christ had to be not only like us in nature, so as to be our Redeemer, but with us had to spring from one, our brother according to the flesh. For He could ONLY possess this flesh, which was to be redeemed, if he was born of a woman, sharing our origin as well as our nature.”

So much for the introduction, but let me say (as I’ll elaborate in future commentaries) before leaving you out on a light limb, Jesus is the Son of God and became the incarnation, which is still in operation today for those who truly follow Him!

Are you? (http://www.lrchouston.com)



Todd

John Penberthy asked:


Most people, even if they’re not Christians, acknowledge that an exceptional spiritual master named Jesus lived and died 2,000 years ago. The story of his life and teachings are chronicled in the four gospels of the New Testament and they have captivated and inspired the Western world ever since. But how do we know what Jesus actually said? There was no stenographer or tape recorder present and the first gospel to be recorded, Mark, wasn’t written until 30 years after Jesus’ death. How much do you remember of any conversation you witnessed 30 years ago?

From the time Jesus spoke until the time his words and actions were eventually recorded on paper there were many opportunities for mistakes, misinterpretations and mistranslations. Jesus was a mystic and often spoke in parables and metaphors. Those who were present interpreted his teachings and their meanings through the filters of their own limited spiritual understanding. These impressions and memories were substantially diluted and distorted with the passing of over 30 years’ time between their occurrence and their recording.

The gospels we have today were based on documents copied and recopied by scribes for 400 years after Jesus died (the original writings were lost to history). Scribes, being human, sometimes made mistakes and sometimes changed things to fit their preconceived notions or agendas. Each new generation of copied gospels compounded the errors of all previous scribes.

Additionally, Jesus spoke in Aramaic. The first gospels were written in Greek, which was eventually translated into Old English and then to modern English. Each of these translations provides opportunity for lost meaning. Finally, the Council of Nicea, convened by the Emperor Constantine in 325 AD after declaring Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire, discarded parts of the gospels which were inconsistent or contradictory in an attempt to make them more cohesive and consistent. For example, all references to reincarnation were stricken. Sadly, many of Jesus’ teachings were lost forever because they did not square with the spiritual views of the Council.

What exactly did Jesus say? No one really knows. Those who interpret the Bible literally and hang on every word are missing the point. Countless controversies, conflicts, condemnations and ill judgments have resulted from (often petty) differing literal interpretations of Biblical scriptures. This has created fertile ground for ego gratification and the rise of fundamentalism. Ironically, judgment and condemnation seem to increasingly have trumped Jesus’ core message of love and forgiveness.

Given that Jesus’ exact words were lost to the wind 2,000 years ago, the best we can do is to search out themes found in the gospels that appear time and again. In this way the essence of Jesus’ teachings comes through loud and clear, over and over, to those who take the time to distill his wisdom from the gospels. It is simply: open heart, open mind-love and forgiveness. Do not judge. Tolerance. Or to sum it all up into one sentence: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

The Prince of Peace told us that the kingdom of heaven was at hand and that the way to experience it was by following his teachings. At hand means here, now, in this life. What are you waiting for?



Lonnie

®eality * His New Account asked:


He was there to withdraw money from his 401k for the poor, but happens in on three masked gunmen.

I think Jesus would save the day, but let the crooks go with the promise to never steal again.

Eric

Doddy asked:


In the Catholic faith, it is believed that when the communion wafer touches your tongue, it becomes Jesus’ flesh. So, how many wafers does it take to equal the whole of Jesus’ body?
In the Catholic faith, it is believed that when the priest consecrates the communion wafer, it becomes Jesus’ flesh. So, how many wafers does it take to equal the whole of Jesus’ body?

Benjamin

Jeff asked:


Also, what would Jesus think of the republican policy of persuing war without any diplomatic attempt to resovle conflict.

Also what would he think of the republican policy of denying welfare and national health insurance to the poor?
This is just a hypothetical - as if jesus were asked these questions in a sit down interview with Matt Lauer. I know Jesus wasn’t political.

Lawrence

Rocky D. asked:


I’m good with the other parts, but I just can’t portray Jesus well during the supper scene, where he reveals that Judas would betray Him!
I need serious answers, people! Atheists need not answer!

James

Rob VandeWeghe asked:


Jesus was not confused about His own identity; He unabashedly claimed to be God. But He also supported it by facts. Jesus performed many miracles; 35 are recorded in the gospels, including various nature miracles. These miracles show His divine powers beyond any laws of nature. Their results are immediate and lasting. One of the most impressive, the feeding of the five thousand, is attested to in all four gospels. And Jesus fulfilled each of the hundreds of prophecies about the Messiah from the Old Testament with remarkable accuracy, all but a few outside his own control, and well beyond any statistical probability of chance. These prophecies were written hundreds of years before He was born and predicted His family line, His birth and birthplace, His ministry and in much detail His suffering and crucifixion.

When it seemed that Jesus was defeated, that evil had won by crucifying and killing the Messiah, God revealed His greatest miracle of all: The resurrection of Christ. The greatest moment of victory for the Evil One turned out to be the moment of his complete defeat. By the crucifixion, with His blood, Jesus purchased salvation for man. By His resurrection He proclaimed in a most glorious way possible that He was the Son of God beyond the grip of death. The resurrection is one of the best proved in event in man’s history: the Bible testifies to it including a creed of as early as a few years after the resurrection and there are multiple confirmations from dramatically changed lives from the disciples, Paul and James (His brother). The explosive growth of the early Christian movement can only be explained by a conviction based on personal observation (not hearsay) that Jesus died on the cross and was alive again thee day later on the first Easter.

Hinduism had no founder, so there are no claims of deity. Gandhi was a humble man of integrity and had great care for other people. Yet he never claimed to be God. Siddhartha Gautama (Lord Buddha) did not claim to be God, nor are there serious claims that he performed miracles during his lifetime or that there was a resurrection. “The original accounts of Buddha never ascribe to him any such thing as a resurrection; in fact, in the earliest accounts of his death, namely, the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, we read that when Buddha died it was ‘with that utter passing away in which nothing whatever remains behind.’”

The prophet Mohammed expressly claimed merely to be the prophet of Allah. Mohammed, also, fulfilled no prophecies nor is there even a single credible account of a miracle he performed. Many Muslims protest that the writing of the Qur’an is the greatest miracle of all. Others argue for some miraculous accounts about Mohammed deeply rooted in tradition, but these are not supported by history or reliable scriptures. But even if this was evidence for Mohammed’s divine inspiration these claims look pale next to the miracles and prophecies fulfilled by Jesus. Mohammed died June 8, 632 AD at the age of 61 in Medina, where his tomb is annually visited by thousands of devout Muslims. Later legends claim that he did not die but ascended to heaven in Jerusalem (at the location of the modern day Dome of the Rock). However, no credible evidence for this claim has been presented. Whatever Mohammed’s destiny, nobody has ever claimed he rose from the dead.

Christ alone claimed to be God. Christ alone provided evidence to support His claims!



Francis