Jesus, diluted, compromised…
10.02.2023:
Jesus, diluted, compromised…
The name Jesus was suggested to Joseph by ‘an angel of the Lord…
you shall call his name Jesus…’ (Mt 1:20-21). Luke says that it was the angel
Gabriel, sent to Mary from God, said (a virgin, betrothed to a man whose name
was Joseph… and her name was), ‘… you shall call his name Jesus.’ (1:26-31;
2:21). Even the title written by Pilate and put on the cross read, ‘Jesus of
Nazareth, the King of the Jews.’ (Jn 19:19).
As for Christ, the first reference is found in Mt 1:1,
introducing the genealogy of Jesus Christ… On the query of the wise men from
the East, Herod inquired where the Christ was to be born. (2:4; Mk 1:1). And to
Jesus’ question to his disciples, ‘who do you say that I am? Simon Peter
replied, ‘You are the Christ…’ (Mt 16:16). At the death of Lazarus, meeting
Jesus on the way Martha conversed with Jesus in which to his claim that he was
the resurrection and the life she professed her faith that Jesus was the
Christ. (Jn 11:27).
After crucifying Jesus, the rulers scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved
others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God…’ (Lk 23:35). John
rather concludes his gospel saying why it was written: ‘…that you may believe
that Jesus is the Christ…’ (Jn 20:31). Peter, standing with the eleven said, ‘God
has made him both Lord and Christ…’ (Acts 2:36) ‘But Saul…confounded the
Jews…by proving that Jesus was the Christ.’ (9:22)
The crucified Jesus triumphantly rose into Christ when at last he
submitted, ‘Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit’ (Lk 23:46), even after
crying rather in desperation, ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ (Mk
15:34). This indeed was the resurrection, and not after seeing him not in the
tomb the next day of his burial.
The gospels deal with the life and teachings Jesus which was
conveniently side-lined to project the Christ who was said to have risen after
the burial of Jesus for the purpose of founding a church as against the natural
growth of the ‘Way’ which Saul went all the way to destroy it…
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