“My personal Jesus…”
I am in no way a serious Depeche Mode fan; yet, I think when Martin Gore sang, “Reach out and touch faith, your own personal Jesus, someone to hear your payers…” I think he did strike a chord that resonated well with the American soul. According to a Spin article, the song is about “being a Jesus for somebody else,” in the idolatrous way described by Pricilla Presley for her King in the book Elvis & Me [1]. Many have the same sentiments, create a “Jesus” to one’s own liking.
Early twentieth century scholars Albert Schweitzer and Rudolpf Bultman one theorized that the Bible is a composite of both myth and history. Just as there was real guy in history named George Washing that served as the first President of the United States, there were also legends that came about that served to inspire people, like the story about cutting down the cherry tree, the Bible also had the Jesus of history and the Christ of faith. The Jesus Seminar Fellows such as Robert Funk, John Dominic Crossan, and Marcus Borg use the same paradigm to offer their own “personal Jesus.” The “historical Jesus” they offered was not really “historical” but a figment of their own fertile imaginations.
The problem is that things like the John A.T. Robinson’s research in Redating the New Testament, which contends all the New Testament was completed by AD 70, along with other scholarly examples, such as Gary Habermas’ The Historical Jesus, which contended among other things that Paul’s affirmation of the resurrection creed in 1 Corinthians 15 was received around 5-7 years after the crucifixion. The early completion of New Testament leaves little room for legendary corruption to occur. Even if the early Christians were caught up in creating legends like modern urban legends and conspiracy theories that pop up within a sort-span of certain historical events, perhaps even within a year or less, like those about the JFK assassination or the destruction of the twin towers on 9/11, those “legends” also have a grain of truth—Kennedy was assassinated and planes hijacked by religious zealots piloted their aircrafts into the WTC and Pentagon. The creed of 1 Corinthians 15 does offer some minimal facts that support Christianity’s core belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is Jesus was crucified, He was buried in a tomb, three days later the tomb was empty, and many people witnessed the resurrected Lord.
John the Baptist prepared the way for the Messiah in calling people to repent, baptizing them in anticipation of the advent of a new age. The Baptizer’s talk about a coming Anointed and repentance did not sit well with some, and he was eventually arrested. While in prison, John heard news about Jesus Christ’s works, but sent messengers to inquire, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” (Matt. 11:3). The reason is that even John the Baptist, a man with a divine appointment to proclaim the coming of the kingdom, also had his own unanswered questions. He, of course, understood he was not the Anointed One (John 1:19-28), but the one sent to prepare the people for the Messiah (Matt. 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-20). He was also savvy enough to know that Christ’s ministry would surpass His own (John 3:25-30). Nonetheless, some of the things that he thought the Messiah ought to be like were not what the Messiah was actually like.
Jesus reported back, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me” (Matt 11:4-6). Here Jesus alludes to two passages Isaiah 35:5 and 61:1, demonstrating that the works He was doing fulfilled what God had spoken about to the ancient prophets concerning the Messiah. Jesus was the One that John was preparing the people to meet.
We can have our own “personal Jesus” to help us get by; yet, God offers something better in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the one who creates a new humanity that possesses resurrection life.
Notes:
1. Marisa Fox, “Pop a la Mode,” Spin, 6, 4 [1990]: http://www.tuug.utu.fi/~jaakko/dm/spinmode.html
Early twentieth century scholars Albert Schweitzer and Rudolpf Bultman one theorized that the Bible is a composite of both myth and history. Just as there was real guy in history named George Washing that served as the first President of the United States, there were also legends that came about that served to inspire people, like the story about cutting down the cherry tree, the Bible also had the Jesus of history and the Christ of faith. The Jesus Seminar Fellows such as Robert Funk, John Dominic Crossan, and Marcus Borg use the same paradigm to offer their own “personal Jesus.” The “historical Jesus” they offered was not really “historical” but a figment of their own fertile imaginations.
The problem is that things like the John A.T. Robinson’s research in Redating the New Testament, which contends all the New Testament was completed by AD 70, along with other scholarly examples, such as Gary Habermas’ The Historical Jesus, which contended among other things that Paul’s affirmation of the resurrection creed in 1 Corinthians 15 was received around 5-7 years after the crucifixion. The early completion of New Testament leaves little room for legendary corruption to occur. Even if the early Christians were caught up in creating legends like modern urban legends and conspiracy theories that pop up within a sort-span of certain historical events, perhaps even within a year or less, like those about the JFK assassination or the destruction of the twin towers on 9/11, those “legends” also have a grain of truth—Kennedy was assassinated and planes hijacked by religious zealots piloted their aircrafts into the WTC and Pentagon. The creed of 1 Corinthians 15 does offer some minimal facts that support Christianity’s core belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is Jesus was crucified, He was buried in a tomb, three days later the tomb was empty, and many people witnessed the resurrected Lord.
John the Baptist prepared the way for the Messiah in calling people to repent, baptizing them in anticipation of the advent of a new age. The Baptizer’s talk about a coming Anointed and repentance did not sit well with some, and he was eventually arrested. While in prison, John heard news about Jesus Christ’s works, but sent messengers to inquire, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” (Matt. 11:3). The reason is that even John the Baptist, a man with a divine appointment to proclaim the coming of the kingdom, also had his own unanswered questions. He, of course, understood he was not the Anointed One (John 1:19-28), but the one sent to prepare the people for the Messiah (Matt. 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-20). He was also savvy enough to know that Christ’s ministry would surpass His own (John 3:25-30). Nonetheless, some of the things that he thought the Messiah ought to be like were not what the Messiah was actually like.
Jesus reported back, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me” (Matt 11:4-6). Here Jesus alludes to two passages Isaiah 35:5 and 61:1, demonstrating that the works He was doing fulfilled what God had spoken about to the ancient prophets concerning the Messiah. Jesus was the One that John was preparing the people to meet.
We can have our own “personal Jesus” to help us get by; yet, God offers something better in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the one who creates a new humanity that possesses resurrection life.
Notes:
1. Marisa Fox, “Pop a la Mode,” Spin, 6, 4 [1990]: http://www.tuug.utu.fi/~jaakko/dm/spinmode.html
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