Arguably, Christianity and Islam are the largest religions in the world. In as much as these two religions differ in mannerism, there are some attributes that are similar in both. Jesus and Muhammad are considered as the figure heads in these religions. The lives and teachings of these two men have influenced people for over 1,000 years.
Up to date, these religions are still practiced. In as much as they lived in a different time, their concepts and principles still impact humanity. This paper shall set out to explore the lives of these two religious leaders. To this end, an analysis of their lives shall be presented and their impact to the way we worship today provided.
Renard (2011), states that for the thirty years that Jesus spent here on earth, he left a lasting impression to those that knew him and followed his ways. He was born in Israel at Bethlehem around 6BC. As an infant, he lived in Egypt and in Nazareth as a youth.
His trade was carpentry and according to documented evidence, he was good at it. He started teaching at the age of thirty and did so for three years. During this period, he attracted both positive and negative attention from the thousands of followers and few political and religious figures that existed at that time.
In regard to his teachings, Peters (2010) asserts that Jesus promoted peace love and unity through his actions and teachings. More emphasis was directed towards neighborly love and loving God. He performed many miracles in his life. Despite all these powers, he was peaceful, loving and lived a humble life (had no desire for material wealth).
He followed a simple Jewish lifestyle and advocated sharing. He had many controversies surrounding his teaching. He claimed to be God and this claim eventually led to his death after Pilate considered it blasphemous. He rose from the dead and later arose to heaven promising to go and prepare a place in heaven for his followers.
On the other hand, Muhammad lived in 571-632 AD. Like Jesus, most of his childhood years were spent travelling from one place to another. He was a shepherd as a child and later became a successful trader as an adult. He married several wives and had children. He started teaching at the age of forty.
He preached a message of peace and courage. Renard (2011), states that Muhammad fought many wars. The author further states that during Muhammad’s ministry, many people died at his hand. Mainly, he fought with those that opposed Islam. He later died and never revealed himself to anyone after his death.
The death of Jesus Christ was very symbolic to Christians. According to Peters (2010), the death of Jesus was proof that he had power over death. In addition, it symbolized his forgiving and loving nature. This is deduced from the fact that he died for the sins of everyone despite the fact that he himself was without sin. As such, his death proved to Christians that there is life after death and that God is able to forgive sins no matter the magnitude. Repentance in Christianity is influenced by the death of Christ.
As such, the death of Christ encouraged Christians to hold true to their faith regardless of the hardships that life throws at them. In addition, many true Christians dedicate their lives to serving others and preaching love, all the while avoiding the desires of the flesh. On the other hand, the death of Muhammad led to a split in Islam community. Since he never assigned someone to take over after his death, conflicts arose over who would take up the mantle.
In regard to worship, Christians worship Christ through songs of praise, prayer, fasting and helping others. They celebrate him on Christmas and acknowledge his sacrifice during the Easter festivities. Muhammad is not worshipped, but Muslims follow the teachings of the Quran, which was given to them by Muhammad.
To a large extent, the teachings of Jesus and Muhammad play a pivotal role in the decision making process of their followers. Most Christians today go to church and praise God. They love their neighbors and help those in need in the best way possible. Similarly, Muslims today follow the teachings of their prophet and apply them in their daily routines.
However, due to technology, Globalization and other factors, some people use these teachings in the wrong way. For example, many church leaders have been accused of commercializing religion. Similarly, some Muslims have attributed their terroristic nature to following the teachings of Muhammad (death to all infidels).
In addition, in both religions, distortion of the teachings has become more rampant. Divisions and conflicts have increased as people dispute the true religion and teachings. This is in contrary to the main purpose of the teachings, which was to advocate and promote peace, love and unity.
Conclusively, religion plays a pivotal role in our lives; it acts as a moral compass and a guide to righteous living. Jesus and Muhammad may not be fairly compared or contrasted. However, it should be noted that it is never the messenger but the message that is important. In this paper, an overview of the lives of these two religion icons has been provided and their impact on how people view these religions analyzed.
References
Peters, F. (2010). Jesus and Muhammad: Parallel Tracks, Parallel Lives. London: Oxford University Press.
Renard, J. (2011). Islam and Christianity: Theological Themes in Comparative Perspective. California: University of California Press.
According to Kruse, Jesus performed eight great sign miracles that are recorded by John, a disciple of Jesus in his book found in the New Testament of the Holy Christian Bible.1 John accompanied Jesus wherever he went and therefore acted as an eye witness of what Jesus did.
Even today, Jesus performs miracles by transforming lives of Christians. Dr. Elmer Towns a professor of Liberty University and author of “The Gospel of John, Believe and Live” points out that the eight miracles acted as a proof of His Divinity, that Jesus Christ was God. The miracles of Jesus are used to show the mighty power of God manifested through Jesus Christ who lived on earth like normal human beings though he was God.2
Changing water into wine
The first miracle to be performed by Jesus was at a wedding in Cana, a town in Galilee during which he turned water into wine. Jesus was invited to the wedding and he went in the company of his disciples. Wine that had been prepared got finished before all the guests could be served. Mary the mother of Jesus informed him that people had run short of wine. Jesus instructed the servants to take six pots and fill them with water. The water in the pots was turned into wine that served the rest of the guests. Turning water into wine shows that as a Deity, Jesus has power over creation.3
Healing the son of the nobleman
In the book of (John 4: 46-54), the bible records that at one time, as Jesus walked around the town of Galilee, he was approached by a nobleman from Capernaum who explained to him about his dying son who was sick and still lying in bed. The nobleman requested Jesus to heal the boy. Just through uttering the healing words, and the faith that the nobleman had in Jesus’ healing power, the boy was healed. On his return home, he found that his son was healed in exactly the same time Jesus uttered the healing words.
This miracle shows that Jesus has power over space. This is because he spoke the healing words at Cana and the boy was healed at Capernaum. The miracle shows that space does not limit the power of Jesus. His mighty hand can reach people from all corners of the world even today.
The Lame Man
Towns describe the story of how Jesus healed the lame man in Jerusalem.4 He had been for a longtime living beside the pool of Siloam where the angel of God healed the sick. It was a routine that the Angel of God came and troubled the water and the first person to enter the pool was healed. However much the lame man tried, his condition could not allow him to be the first to enter the pool. Jesus told the lame man to rise, carry his bed and walk and the man was healed.
Jesus healed the lame man on the Sabbath day an act that annoyed Jews because it was to be kept holy. Jesus told Jews that he worked under Gods instructions on when and how to use his power. This miracle was meant to show that God had the power over the Sabbath day. Time is not a determining factor of when God should manifest his power. He does it in his convenient time.
Feeding the 5,000 people
On the eve of the Passover, a large crowd of people gathered around Jesus to listen to his teachings. The food that was available was not enough to feed the large number of people. There was a boy with five loaves of bread and two small fishes within the crowd. Jesus ordered about 5000 men not inclusive of women and children to sit down. He thanked God, took the loaves and fish and gave it to his disciples to distribute it to the crowd.
The crowd ate to their satisfaction and a remainder of twelve baskets full of leftover was collected by the disciples. The miracle shows that God has power over food. The miracle implies the word of God that fills the souls of men. It means that small amounts of spiritual word satisfy large numbers of people.5
Jesus walks on water
Jesus Christ rose to the mountain to pray while his disciples boarded a ship that travelled to Capernaum. In the course of their journey sometime at night, there was a great wind blowing against them that made the ship in which they were travelling in to lose direction thereby endangering their lives.
During this time, they spotted Jesus walking on the sea towards the ship. This astonished them but Jesus assured them that it was him, Christ Jesus and that they should not fear. Soon, the ship reached its destination. The miracle was meant to show that Jesus has power over nature.6
The healing of the blind man
Jesus came across a man who had been blind right from birth. Through the miracle, Jesus showed that he was the light of the world while on earth. Jesus anointed his eyes with a mixture of clay and his saliva and ordered him to rinse his face in the pool of Siloam. The blind man was healed. The miracle shows God’s power over physical laws. Even today, Jesus has the power to cure all diseases.7
Lazarus resurrection
John 11: 1-44 records the story of Lazarus’ resurrection. Lazarus the brother to Mary and Martha was raised from the dead by Jesus to show the glory of God. Jesus visited Bethany four days after Lazarus had passed away. Jesus assured Mary that Lazarus was not dead and would live again because he is the resurrection and life and whoever believed in him would rise from dead.
Mary believed in the power of Jesus. Jesus went to the grave and ordered them to remove the stone at the entrance of the tomb. He said a word of prayer and in a loud voice ordered Lazarus to come out. Lazarus resurrected and lived again. The miracle was meant to show Gods power over death. Those who witnessed Lazarus resurrection believed in God.8
The Miraculous Catch of Fish
Simon Peter, Nathanael, James, Thomas, John among other disciples had been fishing in the sea of Tiberia for a whole night with no success. Jesus visited them early in the morning and instructed them to cast their net on the right side of the boat. They cast so many and big fish that they could not pool the net into the boat. They had to pull their nets to the show.
The miracle showed that Jesus can save many people. However hard an individuals heart may be, Jesus can save them from their sins. The eight sign miracles of Jesus were meant to show glory and mighty power of God manifested in different places to different people. The miracles act as evidence to Christians that God is real and his prophesies must come true.9
Bibliography
Holy Bible. The King James Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1988.
Kruse, Colin. The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries: John. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2003.
Towns, Elmer. The Gospel of John: Believe and Live. Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 2002.
Twelftree, Graham. Jesus the miracle worker: a historical & theological study. New York: InterVarsity Press, 1999.
Footnotes
1 Colin, Kruse. The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries: John. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2003. p. 20.
2 Elmer, Towns. The Gospel of John: Believe and Live. Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 2002. p. 26
3 Holy Bible. The King James Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1988. Jn 2: 1-11.
4 Elmer, Towns. The Gospel of John: Believe and Live. Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 2002. p. 56.
5 Colin, Kruse. The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries: John. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2003. p. 30.
6 Graham, Twelftree. Jesus the miracle worker: a historical & theological study. New York: InterVarsity Press, 1999. p. 274.
7 Holy Bible. The King James Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1988. Jn 9: 1-12
8 Elmer, Towns. The Gospel of John: Believe and Live. Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 2002. p. 60.
9 Holy Bible. The King James Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1988. Jn 21: 1-11.
Jesus is the son of God who was sent by God on earth to redeem mankind from his sinful nature (John 3:16). He was on the earth about 2000yrs ago. He was given power and authority by God and performed many miracles and wonders. He healed the sick, he raised the dead, he cast out demons from the people who were possessed, he cleansed the lepers, he forgave sins, and showed mercy and kindness to all, among many other good things that he did. Many people believed what he taught and followed him whereas others hated him for all that he did.
Jesus’ ministry work has been recorded in the Bible in the 4 books of Apostles -Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John. Jesus is revealed differently in the book of Mark and Luke though they ultimately reveal Jesus as the messiah who was sent to redeem the people back to God.
The book of Luke portrays Jesus in genuine humanity – how he lived and reveals the work of the Holy Spirit whereas the book of Mark portrays Jesus as a teacher. The book of Luke commences by explaining who Jesus was and how he came to the world. This description is quite interesting and captivating as his conception is divine in nature. Luke, a physician writes that the virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus is told by God that she would conceive and bear a son by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke1:35) This is divine as we know that in the physical, life is conceived after fertilization of a female egg by a male egg following copulation. The divine Son ship of Jesus interests a person to try to read more about Jesus. The circumcision of Jesus on the 8th day further reveals the genuine humanity of Jesus. This is also interesting as earlier Luke say that he’s God’s Son, the messiah who will reign (Luke 1:21-22). We know that God himself is a supernatural being who is not like a man and so God’s son having a man’s features shows the power and divinity of God.
The book of Mark begins by stating that when he arrived in Galilee….clearly states that Jesus was a man (he walked) and was heading somewhere to accomplish a certain mission. The way the book begins is not as appealing as the book of Luke because a reader would expect this ‘normal” man not to do anything supernatural.
The humanity and the compassion of Jesus reveal him as the ideal Savior. In the book of Luke, there are many situations where Jesus identifies with people in real-life situations and works miracles in those situations, for example, He turns water into wine at the wedding in Cana, he heals the lepers, he raises Jairu’s daughter, he weeps, he feeds his followers and disciples, he heals a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years, he healed the lame, the blind and the deaf, and he casts out the demons. His work is quite appealing as Jesus is seen identifying with the pain and the sorrow of the people and did this to accomplish his mission on earth which was to establish God’s kingdom on earth. God’s kingdom is a rounded kingdom that focuses on the wellbeing of a persons’ holistic life.
In the book of Mark, Jesus’ teaching is in parables and this makes a learner not fully comprehend them. They are not very appealing. He teaches his disciples and his followers using exciting stories and compares such stories with the kingdom of God. In the parable of the sower, he likens himself to the sower of the seeds (God’s word), he tells the Pharisees to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and allows the Children to go to him. His followers wouldn’t understand him as he did what people were not expecting.
Therefore, Jesus is revealed more appealing in the book of Luke than in the book of Mark.
The author of the book intends to provoke those proclaiming to be Christians to develop a deeper and unwavering commitment to Christ and to encourage those not already professing Christianity, to have an interest and craving for it, and to convince them to follow a Christian way of living.
He wants to discredit those depicting the New Testament as being implausible and outlandish to provide a true character of Jesus Christ, that though it might not be flawless, it actually suffices to deliver God’s message to humanity. He aspires to provide testimonials that may encourage others to become Christians (Jefferson 39).
Synopsis
Jefferson strives to convince the reader to become a Christian. He begins by explaining why some people actually forsake Christianity in favor of other religions.
He notes that some people will shun Christianity, not because it is a loathed and undesirable religion, but because of the initial influence from those who claim to be Christians. He notes that many have been discouraged by Christianity because they preferred to join it through episcopal means.
This might be through someone who professes Christianity, but has been inconsistent or pharisaical. Another instance is where the local church does not have a true Christian foundation.
This usually results in someone shunning Christianity in his/her entire life. However, Jefferson suggests that the best way to become a Christian is through a study of his character.
He states that neither professing Christianity nor making bigoted assertions are ways to become a Christian. He suggests that one should be interested in Jesus’s character other than in his outer life (Jefferson 37).
The author depicts the character of Jesus as being a sincere person. He states how Jesus in the midst of a detestable set of inexorable detractors and murderers, stood forth unruffled and steadfast in God’s ways.
He also describes Jesus as a reasonable person, original, trustful, brotherly, optimistic, patient, humble and holy.
The author’s Accomplishments
Jefferson has achieved his mission of explaining the character of Jesus, through direct quotations from the four gospels in the New Testament.
His Justifications of Jesus’ character form a strong basis of trying to convince the reader to follow Christianity. He explains the character of Jesus by considering his life as explained by those he came into contact with.
For instance, he presents Jesus’ reasonableness on topics such as fasting, the Sabbath, prayer and swearing. He uses examples of how people react to a fallen horse on the street of an American city and a drunken man in the same street.
He explains Jesus’ originality by quoting how he proclaimed himself to be the light of the world, bread and water of life, the only good shepherd, the way, the truth, the life and mediator between God and man (Jefferson 102).
In epitomizing Jesus as trustful, he notes how he was persecuted, scorned, maligned, abused, and even execrated. He was incriminated of blasphemy and of treason, but his trust in God remained steadfast.
His brotherliness is shown in the manner he ate, talked and even visited the homes of those shunned and despised as unholy by society. He shows how Jesus was holy by leading a serene life, free from any sins.
Bibliography
Jefferson, Charles Edward. The Character of Jesus, New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1908. Archive.org. Web.
Much has been said about Jesus, about his humanity, and his divinity. The Bible has many books which are divided into the New and the Old Testaments. Christian doctrine says that the New does not replace the Old, but they point to the one and main objective – the salvation of mankind through Jesus Christ.
Though this is rather debatable as far as the non-Christians are concerned, i.e. the Jewish and the Muslim doctrines, we can go far deeper into this line of thought, and see how non-Christians react to their line of reasoning.
The Bible has been interpreted and translated some times and the only consistent thing that a Bible reader should do in regards to Jesus is not to read the Bible literally, Christians would say. They say the Bible points to many instances proving that Jesus is man and God at the same time. There are instances in the Bible citing the divinity and ‘manhood’ of Jesus. We will cite these instances and then examine how their counter-arguments by non-Christians fare.
Moreover, these three religions – Christianity, Judaism, and Islam – trace their basic teachings to the Old Testament, regarding Abraham as the father of all humanity.
They, however, shift ‘roads’ when they reach the founders of their respective religions. Christians regard the Jews as a hindrance to their religion because the Jews don’t accept Christ as the Messiah. But Christians point to the Jewish non-acceptance of Jesus as Messiah as an asset, rather than a liability, because Christian doctrine states that Christians should preach Christ to the Jews.
Biblical ‘Facts’ on Jesus
The Bible talks of harmony of the Gospels, according to Christian teachings. Theologians and scholars study Christianity through exegesis, meaning looking at or studying Jesus, in his times and teaching days going back to the Old Testament, on what earlier prophets said about him.
Another is Jesus’ resurrection which according to the Christian Bible has been properly documented in witnessed by his disciples and the women who were with him. The resurrection is until now opposed by the Jews and other non-Christians. Christian doctrines state that through Jesus’ resurrection, humanity is raised with Jesus.
One example of the Bible which is interpreted in many ways by even Christians themselves is the concept of “being born again”.
The Pharisee Nicodemus was puzzled over this subject. In John 3: 1-10, Nicodemus is described as a Pharisee, a leader of the Jews who came secretly to Jesus to ask clarifications. He affirmed that what Jesus has done is a sign that he comes from God. He said, “No one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” But Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above” (v. 3).
Nicodemus was more puzzled by the answer. He again asked, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus’ reply is new to the teachings at the time and what Nicodemus and the Pharisees knew and taught. Jesus further replied, “No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
Christians say that being born of water and Spirit is not the same as being born physically like what happens when we are born from our mother’s womb. When we are baptized with water, we become born into the Spiritual world of Christianity. But we have to be “born again” in the Spirit, that is, when we allow the Holy Spirit to come into our lives and become “born again” Christians. But “Born Again Christian” does not mean a religious sect or cult, as stated in this particular passage of the Bible.
Christians truly believe in the consistency of biblical passages. They say that spiritual renewal can be attained anytime, anyplace, because Jesus – who is God – is always by our side. Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Conclusion
More and more instances and passages in the Bible have what we might call opposite meanings. And there can be more and more interpretations, just as there are more and more religious sects evolving out of those interpretations.
Theologians warn believers that the Bible should not be interpreted literally. There are various things to be considered in reading and knowing its real meaning. We have to consider culture and tradition of the people in a particular time.
Reference
The Holy Bible. New Revised Standard Version (Catholic Edition). St. Paul Publication, 2000.
The following is a critical analysis of what it means to have eternal life through Jesus. The paper is divided into three parts where the first part will look into the various studies and their definition and reference to eternal life. The second part will deal with the aspect of obtaining eternal life. The final aspect will be on the analysis of obtaining eternal life and an overall summary of this writing.
Eternal life is a critical aspect of Christianity and it is the one of the foundational doctrines of Christianity exemplifying the life of Christ through His resurrection. Saint Paul in Romans says that Christianity would be doomed and it would be inexistent if Christ did not rise from the dead. This makes the eternal life a major theme of Christianity. Without eternal life and eternal perspective, it is likely that there would be no life at all and therefore eternal life is the foundation of Christianity.
John 20:26-30
This then takes us to the next point of this decision regarding the meaning of eternal life. This study will base its arguments from the Gospel of John 20:26-30. The Gospel was after the resurrection of Jesus and his ascension where he was revealing himself to his disciples. Earlier on, he had revealed himself to his disciples in the inner room but Thomas was not there.
When Thomas heard that the disciples had seen Jesus he refused to believe asserting that he can only believe what they were saying when he sees Jesus. When Jesus appeared to them, again, Thomas was there and Jesus showed him the scars where nails pierced him.
It was then that Thomas believed. Jesus was however quick to tell his disciples that blessed are those who believe even without seeing. Similarly, eternal life is not something that we can physically see and touch but it exists and blessed are those who believe of its existence even without seeing it (Neyley, 14).
The gospel about the issue of eternal life is the Gospel of John. According to the Gospel John was the disciple who Jesus loved. There are thirty-seven mentions of eternal life in the gospel of john and it seems to be his major theme expressed in his gospel and even in his letter writing of the book of revelation (Neyley, 16).
Eternal Life
Eternal life is the unending existence of the human soul. It means that even after death the human soul will continue to live. This shows the immortality of the human soul (Barnett, 28).
Eternal life is also the resurrection of the body, the way Jesus resurrected with a glorified body with the marks of the nails that pierced him. This means that our bodies will resurrect in eternity and we will spend our lives with the savior (Barnett, 32).
The other aspect of eternal life, which is even more popular, is that of paradise. This is where those who will live righteously and believe in Jesus Christ will spend their time in heaven singing together with the angels. This view is however futuristic and it only describes of a world to come and not a world which exists. The dying thief crucified together with Jesus on the cross chose to believe him and Jesus promised him that they would be together in paradise.
Eternal life also involves an infinite happiness or joy that accrues to those who believe in Jesus Christ. It is the happiness and serenity engulfing the believer amidst of troubles and storms of life because they believe in God. This unending peace is the starting point of the everlasting life (Neyley, 21).
Jesus also described eternal life as knowledge of the true God and the Messiah whom he sent to save the world from eternal condemnation. This knowledge goes beyond mere acquaintance and it is in the deeper and practical interaction with God.
These experiences enable one to know the living God in a deeper way as a healer, as compassionate, a judge and as a father. This knowledge is eternal life as it results in the infinite happiness and blessedness. Without knowledge of God and eternal life, it is impossible to please God and be a partaker of eternal joy (Neyley, 67)
Eternal life is the restored relationship between God and us. This relationship was lost when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and God removed them while in the Garden of Eden. The sweet relationship where God would come in the evening and converse with them ended. However, eternal life is the restoration of this relationship as Jesus Christ bridged the gap that separated human from God through the atoning sacrifice of his blood. This interaction gives human beings the knowledge of the true and the living God (Thompson, 44).
Eternal life also about the new heaven and the new earth where the saints shall reside after the current earth pass away. The book of revelation exemplifies this where John concludes by depicting the New Jerusalem and how spectacular it shall be. It is the epitome of human life, an earth without sin and corruption where the sun and the moon will cease to exist and the owner of the city that is God will be the sun and there shall be no day all night in that city.
It will be very spectacular as there shall be no weeping or crying or any form of trouble but only rejoicing and singing. The streets of that city are made of gold. The city will be made of precious stones such as jasper, sapphire and onyx. Twenty-four elders bowing and rising in bewilderment of God’s glory will surround the throne of God. Every Christian ought to look forward to getting into this city (Barnett, 22).
When Jesus was confirming the description, he told his disciples that he is going to make mansions for them and when he will complete them, he will come back for them. This shows that eternal life is indeed real and existent. In order to depict how life after death looked like and to show the unbelieving Sadducees of the existence of paradise, Jesus narrated the story of Lazarus and the rich man and how Lazarus went to paradise and the rich man went to hell.
Eternal life is also escape from the forthcoming judgment from God on all sinners and those who refused to obey his commandments. Salvation is therefore the redemption from this judgment and obtaining eternal life instead of death. Eternal life therefore offers humanity a chance to escape from the wrath of God’s judgment that will pass on to all sinners and those who refused to believe in Jesus Christ.
Believing
The next part of this essay will then ask how then is eternal life obtained and how can one be in a position to grow in it. How does one obtain eternal life through Jesus? Jesus said that he is the way, life and resurrection. This means that he is the way towards eternal life. He is the mediator who mediates between God and us. By human effort, no one can attain the holiness, which God requires in order to grant eternal life. However, through Jesus God atones our sins and He accepts us as we are provided we believe in Jesus Christ.
Jesus Is Also The High Priest
The priests work in the temple and are involved in offering sacrifices to God for the forgiveness of the sins of people. Through forgiveness of sins, eternal life is attained. These sins are forgiven when the high priest offers sacrifice to God to redeem one from the eventual death which could have been because of the sins.
Sin is therefore a major hindrance to eternal life, as God does not accept sinners to inherit eternal life. Instead, God subjects sinners to eternal condemnation in hell together with Satan and his angels. Acceptance of Christ means confessing one’s sins to this high priest and then accepting and believing that He forgives sins (Daniel, 42).
The eternal life is also obtained through Jesus paid ransom for all those who would be interested in obtaining eternal life. He was flogged, and humiliated. He bore shame and ridicule even though he was the Son of God and was powerful enough to avenge himself so that no one interested in eternal life would have to go through the same crucifixion and suffering to obtain it. He became the ransom for sinners. Eternal life therefore accrues to everyone who believes in him (Daniel, 47).
Eternal life is a gift and not an offer. It is not something, which the human effort deserves or can attain. Its price is too high and that is why Jesus paid that price so that anyone who is interested in obtaining this life can have it. The only requirement for obtaining eternal life is by believing in Jesus (Daniel, 42).
All these lead to the next part of this essay, which is interrelated with the text in John 20:26-30, where the issue of what believing emerges. Thomas refused to believe what he had not seen, he insisted that he must see Jesus and his scars for him to accept that Jesus was alive and he had appeared to his disciples. However, when Jesus finally appeared and displayed his marks to Thomas he said that blessed were those who believed even without seeing (Dauphinas, 12).
The foundation of Christianity is faith. It is a very important aspect in Christian life and in the obtainment of eternal life. This is because without faith it is impossible to please God. Hebrew 11; 1 describes faith as the substance of things which are hoped for, it is also the evidence of things which are not seen. Faith is therefore anchored to believing not only what is factual in that it can be touched or smelt by the five physical senses but also that which cannot be perceived by those senses (Dauphinas, 21).
Eternal life is therefore a gift to those who believe even what they have not seen or touched. This is because things of God need spiritual discernment and eternal life can only accrue to a person who is believing and able to perceive even that which others cannot see.
It is interesting that even the Father of Faith Abraham depicted faith by searching for a city whose founder and builder is God. Faith is therefore an important aspect in obtaining eternal life. In addition, faith does not believe what is seen faith believes even that which cannot be seen (Barnett, 28).
Faith permeates human existence in a number of ways, the first one being that even God himself when he created heaven and earth he created it from the unseen. He talked to a formless and dark universe and out of it; he created light and an orderly and organized universe with stars, moon, and planets (Thompson, 6). However, it is not easy for one to believe without seeing as humans are analytical beings endowed with mind and perceptions.
Believing that there is life after death and that there is eternal life is not easy especially in the advent of information age where information, data and facts are the main sources of information and they are determinants of what is true or not. This serves to weaken belief about God and the existence of human life. However, it is important to note that belief in the existence of eternal life is the currency, needed for anyone to get the everlasting life (Thompson, 38)
Believing alone is not enough. James in the book of Hebrews writes that even the demons believe and they shudder at the mention of the name Jesus but they are not partakers of eternal life. For believing or faith to be of effect it needs accompaniment of actions that show what one believes in. Believe is a major component and it affects one’s actions and perceptions. A person’s belief affects the values that he or she upholds in life.
Believing in Jesus therefore means that one has to abandon the previous perceptions and actions and uphold the values, which Christ taught. It means abandoning a sin-oriented life and engaging a holiness oriented living. Without change in actions and behaviors, one cannot be comprehensively regard as having believed (Barnett, 28).
Eternal Life through Jesus
Eternal life through Jesus is therefore the eternal coexistence attained by believing that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of humanity and that he reconciled man back to God. This is important as it assures us of peace and that one can live harmoniously knowing that he will resurrect and live-forever in heaven (Daniel, 44).
Eternal life through Jesus puts Jesus at the centre and it gives no other room other than that of Jesus if anyone hopes to attain eternal life. It is worth noting that eternal life is a gift to the children of God. For one to be a child of God believing in Jesus Christ is imperative for one to obtain eternal life (Daniel, 42).
Eternal life of a Christian who believes in Jesus does not begin in heaven or once a person dies, it begins here on earth and it exemplifies the reason why Jesus came to earth. He came that we may obtain life and has it more abundantly. This implies that Jesus also came to make our existence on earth even better than it was.
This is because believing in his atoning of sins removes the guilt and self-condemnation that accrues to a sinner. Eternal life in Christ restores joyful living and interaction with God as it restores the joy of salvation. Once a person accepts Jesus, they receive the Holy Spirit who quickens their hearts and minds to walk in the obedience of God. Eternal life therefore begins in the present once person believes in God (Daniel, 64).
Eternal life begins when one accepts Jesus in his heart. Jesus said that he would come in him and abide in him. Jesus is the everlasting one abiding in one’s life and therefore whomever he is abiding in has eternal life. He further says that he is the way the truth and life. Therefore, believing in Jesus is the start of eternity (Moloney, 19).
Experiencing eternal life thereby starts in this life because of joy and inner peace experienced because of forgiveness of sins and having a good relationship with God. It comes about through the knowledge of Christ and believing that he is the ransom for our lives and that through his blood those who believe in him are entitled to live with him now and forever more (Moloney, 36).
The eternal life is therefore both futuristic and present. It is present when we take into consideration the joy and peace that the believers enjoy because of their relationship with God. This relationship begins as soon as one believes in Jesus Christ as the savior of the whole world. It is futuristic when we think of the new heaven and earth that are to come.
They are in preparation and therefore it is a future event but it will certainly happen after the second coming of Christ. This two aspects are however related and they all depend on the belief that Jesus is the savior and that he is the ransom of the sins of the world and whoever believes in him will not perish but will have eternal life (Moloney,88).
Jesus Christ paid for the eternal life through his painful death of crucifixion so that sinners and all unworthy human beings who could not attain righteousness by their own efforts can attain it through Jesus. Eternal life is therefore a gift attained by Jesus Christ with his blood and given freely to all who believe in him.
Conclusion
Eternal life is an important aspect of Christianity and one can only obtain it through Jesus Christ. Without Him, there is no eternity for anyone. It is therefore imperative for everyone to believe in Jesus and his ability to grant humanity eternal life. Eternal life without believing in Jesus cannot be real and it cannot be attained.
Works Cited
Barnett, Paul. Jesus & the Rise of Early Christianity. California: Sage, 2002. Print.
Daniel, Carson, The Gospel According To John, Apollos, 1991. Print.
Dauphinas, Michael. Reading John with St. Thomas Aquinas. Chicago:Bailey Press, 2005. Print.
Moloney, Francis. A Hard Saying: The Gospel and Culture. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2001.Print.
Neyley, Jerome. The Gospel of John. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. Print.
Thompson, Robert. Three Views on the Origins of the Synoptic Gospels. Zondervan: California, 2000. Print.
The book ‘Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament’ gives readers an analysis of the bible teachings with specific focus on the Old Testament. By the end of the book, the author, Dr. Christopher J.H Wright, intends that the readers will have a greater appreciation of the book of the Hebrews and his Lord.
Additionally, it is the authors’ objective for the readers to have a greater understanding of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and why Jesus is the representation of God’s spirit. Dr. Christopher Wright is currently the director of Langham Partnership International in the United Kingdom. In his book, Wright mainly focuses on Jesus Christ as the savior of the world as it is illustrated in the Gospel teachings of the New Testament.
He also illustrates the relationship between the Old Testament and the New Testament teachings. His objective is to enable the reader to develop a concrete understanding of God. This paper illustrates how Wright in his book’ Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament’ intends his readers to develop a concrete understanding of the value of the Old Testament to Christians.
Brief Summary
Wright uses the book of Matthew from chapter 1 to chapter 4 to portray Jesus as being the completion of the Old Testament teachings. The author also shows God to have fulfilled His promises through Jesus Christ.
He also depicts Jesus as the Son of Man and as a Servant of God. In this book, Jesus is also portrayed as the Son of God who surrenders to His Father. His obedience to the Father acts as a model of what is required of Christians if they are to receive God’s blessings and promises.
By analyzing the genealogy of Jesus Christ as illustrated in the book of Matthew, Wright intends the readers to develop comprehensive understanding of God’s plan for all mankind.
For example, the book gives a historical background of from the time of Abraham to David and then from David, to when the Israelites went into exile and the coming of the Messiah. The historical background shows the theme of God’s moral expectations of His people. This is depicted by God’s grace of redeeming His people through unmerited favor.
Wright focuses on the promises of God as illustrated by the various Old Testament covenants. He asserts that a clear difference between a promise and a prediction should be made. Wright is of the opinion that a prediction is probabilistic in nature in that it might or might not occur while a promise entails development of a certain level of commitment and fulfillment of the promises made.
According to Wright, all the Old Testaments were an initiative from God which was followed by His promises. The people were required to respond in a certain way in order to receive the promises. Wright shows this by illustrating a number of covenants within the Hebrew’s Scriptures.
Another theme that Wright focuses on relates to the identity of Jesus. Wright achieves this by analyzing the Father-Son relationship between God and Jesus. The author also illustrates the theme of obedience which is a necessity in order to receive God’s blessing. Wright depicts this by evaluating God’s attitude towards Israel as their father and what He expects of Israel as His son.
The book also focuses on the mission of Jesus Christ on earth. This is evidenced by the Old Testament prophetic scripture found in the book of Daniel which portrays Jesus as the Son of Man. The author also discusses the theme of Jesus being the Servant of the Lord as it is illustrated in the book of Isaiah. This shows Jesus’ obedience and his mission to the whole world.
In his analysis, Wright illustrates God’s value as they are depicted by Jesus’ interaction with mankind during His earthly life. Other themes that taught by Jesus include keeping God first, giving more preference to people over things and being more concerned with needs rather than rights.
This shows Jesus’ contrast over the legalism that was being advocated by the Pharisees. In summary, the book entails an analysis of God’s message of promise to His people and what He expects His children to live.
Critical interaction with the book
By outlining the genealogy of Jesus, the author enables one to learn a number of issues about Jesus. First, Jesus is portrayed to have been a real Jew and also a mortal being. He is also shown to be the Son of David. Additionally, his birth depicted the culmination of an era and the beginning of a new one.
In order for readers to gain a comprehensive understanding of God’s intention for mankind, Wright gives a historical background of the bible. He illustrates the various occurrences prior to the birth of Jesus. From the time of David to Solomon, Wright illustrates the prosperity of Israel and the resulting decline which is depicted by the split of the kingdom into two Northern Kingdom (Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah).
Wright also evaluates the persistence of disobedience in Israel which is evidenced by the rampant rate of idolatry and the high level of disobedience. This led into the Israelites going into exile in Assyria. After some time, the kingdom of Judah also suffered with the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem and the subsequent deportation to Babylon in 586 BC.
From these occurrences, Wright shows two main characters about God. Firstly, God is the only one who is in control of the world. Secondly, God requires complete obedience from His people. As a result of disobedience, Israel underwent an enormous suffering.
After being delivered from exile, Wright illustrates points out that the Israelites greatly appreciated the importance of obedience. As a result, they became more stringent in adhering to the law. However, Israel also became subject to foreign rulers.
The Israelites became more passionate about the coming of the Messiah who would rescue them from their predicaments. This shows that it was time for Jesus to come. According to Wright, the Old Testament illustrates a story that is completed by Jesus in addition to the fulfillment of God’s promises1
In writing this book, Wright’s goal is to enable readers to understand a number of issues. Firstly, the author intends the readers to appreciate the sovereign character of God. This is illustrated by God’s abundance of grace that He showed His people, the promises He made to them and His expectations of obedience.
Additionally, Wright also illustrates the love of God that goes beyond Israel to all nations of the world. This is depicted in Psalms 47: 8-9.
Wright’s goal is also to enable the readers appreciate the difference between a promise and a prediction. According to him, it is only through this that one can be able to understand God’s character and His promises. Wright asserts that a promise is made between two or more parties amongst whom a relationship exists.
There is also a high probability that the promise will be fulfilled compared to a prediction whose fulfillment is not guaranteed. Additionally, a promise requires that there be a response. According to Wright, the promises of God are entirely dependent on His grace. However, one has to acknowledge the grace and respond by being obedient and by having faith2.
By giving a biblical background from the time of Abraham to David, from David to the suffering of Israel and the coming of Jesus, Wright illustrates the fact that obedience is a critical element if one is to enjoy the promises of God. Wright also shows that the coming of Jesus was God’s plan to reveal Himself to the world. In summary, Wrights message mainly focuses on obedience.
One of the strengths of Wrights argument is that he gives a critical historical background of God’s promises to his people and the consequences that befell them due to disobedience. Additionally, most of the issues evaluated by Wright are easy to understand. This increases the probability of individuals appreciating the importance of the Old Testament to Christians.
Wright is also successful in illustrating Jesus as the Son of Man and as the Lord’s Servant. As the Servant of God, Wright depicts Jesus’ role as that of restoring Israel while as the Son of Man, Wright portrays Jesus’ earthly ministry, His rejection, death, resurrection and His coming. Wright successfully illustrates the link between Jesus’ suffering and servant-hood.
This is illustrated in Mark 10: 45. However, one of the weaknesses of Wright’s argument relates to the illustration of the Messiah. This is evidenced by the chapter on Christ’s identity which shows that the concept of Christ as the Messiah is not envisioned within the entire Old Testament however it is conceived in the book of Daniel.
The book ‘Finding Jesus Through the Old Testament’ has attracted a number of reviewers. One such reviewer is Paul Alexander who asserts that Wright is thorough in his text and context.
For example, his book ‘Finding Jesus Through the Old Testament’ leaves the readers with a comprehensive understanding of Jesus to have transcended and transformed the traditional models. Alexander asserts that Wright’s book enables readers to appreciate the scriptures with regard to Jesus.
According to Alexander, Wrights book can be of great help to pastors in preaching better sermons. This arises from the fact that pastors will be able to preach their sermons on the basis of biblical theology. The book gives pastors an opportunity to make better interpretation of biblical teachings.
Additionally, the book has a capacity of making individuals who only appreciate the New Testament to develop a strong and unimaginable relationship with God.
Conclusion
Wright’s book has successfully combined three main set of works. This is evidenced by the fact that the book gives readers an opportunity to understand the three members of the Holy Trinity more effectively through the Old Testament. By reading the book ‘Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament’, readers are even motivated to read other books by Wrights.
By reading book, individuals appreciate the fact that there is only one true God in the whole world despite their difference with Wright’s theological persuasion.
Wright’s book makes the readers to appreciate the righteousness of God as it is articulated in His plan in addition to his faithfulness in fulfilling the promises to His people. Additionally, it also makes one to appreciate the importance of obedience in receiving God’s promises and the fulfillment of God’s ultimate mission plan for the whole world.
Reference List
Wright, Christopher. 1995. Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Footnotes
1 Wright, Christopher. 1995. Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
2 Wright, Christopher. 1995. Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
The Gospels written by Mark and John have a series of common traits, as soon as they tend to assign particular connotations for the human nature of Jesus. Thus, both texts cover mental and emotional aspects of Jesus assigning them with worldly characteristics. Meanwhile, one is likely to find some differences in the approaches that the authors of Gospels employ.
The discrepancies might be determined by the fact that the Gospel of Mark was written before the Gospel of John; thus, the author might have experienced less impact of the social vision of God. As a result, the emphasis on the divine nature of Jesus is less significant in his text than in the Gospel of John.
Jesus’ Human Emotions
The depiction of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark has several connotations for human nature. Thus, the emotions that Jesus experiences let one perceive him as an ordinary man. In some parts of the Gospel, he is “moved with compassion” that creates a positive link to human nature (Mark 1:41).
In the meantime, other passages represent Jesus as “greatly troubled, which means the author of the Gospel of John goes further assigning some negative emotions to the character (John 11:33-35). Different attempts to endue Jesus with worldly feelings and concerns might signify the authors’ intention to emphasize the idea of human’s creation in imitation of Christ.
Jesus’ Human Body
While trying to assign human traits to Jesus’ body, the authors choose different approaches. Hence, the Gospel of John focuses on the natural needs that contradict with the image of higher beings. Therefore, in the Gospel of John, Jesus claims “I thirst” (John 19:28). The Gospel of Mark, on the contrary, prefers to preserve the connotations for super-naturalness while speaking of Jesus’ body.
Thus, it is in the Gospel of Mark that Jesus touches a leaper without being afraid of getting infected (Mark 1:41). As a result, the Gospel of John employs the physical aspect in order to create a more humane image of Jesus, while the Gospel of Mark avoids such parallels.
Jesus’ Human Mind
In the Gospel of Mark one might find the following line, “Concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mark 13:32). Therefore, according to the relevant statement, Jesus does not have those divine abilities his father possesses.
His mind is wiser than the mind of a simple person but not more powerful. The author of the Gospel of John has another view and through the entire Gospel treats Jesus as God’s Word; he is supposed to be supreme that an ordinary man due to his sacred mission. It is reported that Jesus is aware of everything (“Lord, you know everything”), which contradicts with the ideas presented by the author of the Gospel of Mark (John 21:17).
Conclusion
The analysis of the relevant Gospels shows that both authors are inclined to draw parallels between the nature of Jesus and an ordinary human-being. This phenomenon might be explained by the authors’ intention to emphasize the idea of the work of God being alike with its creator. Nevertheless, the authors have some contradictions regarding the most ambiguous question – the aspect of Jesus’ mentality is elucidated from opposite perspectives.
The Gospel of Mark is among the canonical gospels that comprise the story of God. The given gospel recounts Jesus’ mission, beginning with his baptism and ending with his crucifixion and the finding of his empty burial. In Mark 12:29-34, the reader can see the communication between Jesus and the man. Jesus provides the disciple with the pieces of wisdom that allow the person to enter the sacred place of Heaven and be closer to the Lord. As per Jesus’ remarks, a man should love God with all his heart and respect the Father of all people. Moreover, Jesus states that the second crucial commandment is to love the neighbor as one loves and respects himself. The disciple corroborated the statement of the teacher, saying that giving the Lord one’s love, devotion, and recognition “is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices” (Mark 12:33). The teacher, Jesus, claimed that man is “not far from the kingdom of God” (Mark 12:34). This implies that a mere following of the given steps will allow people to not only live fairly as the children of God but enter the holy place. With his answer, Jesus also accentuates that the closeness to God can be reached through good intentions and the pure goal of any religious man is to follow the teaching of God. Moreover, the words of Jesus could indicate the acknowledgment of the student’s wisdom and that he finally obtained the holy truth. While many might consider that a shallow understanding of the Lord’s truth can be enough, the authentic desire to be good and do good can indicate wisdom and proximity to the kingdom of God.
Jesus was killed on the order of Roman authorities on the reason of provocation by Hebrew religious leaders. The later ones were afraid of Jesus’ growing popularity among his compatriots, and feared that Jesus could overthrow them from exalted positions because of their blasphemous conduct. Jesus knew that his murder was many times foreshadowed in Holy Scriptures as the main part of Creator’s Universal Purpose. On this reason he did not oppose the actions of Hebrew leaders, did not try to escape, and warned his followers against any acts directed to saving him from arrest. Early Christians thought that Jesus’ death was very important for all the sincere believers because it was a ransom for Adam’s sin leading to imperfection, death, and sickness.
Jesus was killed by Roman soldiers on Pontius Pilate’s order. Pontius Pilate, in his turn, was provoked by Hebrew religious leaders. Famous historian Josephus Flavius witnesses that Pilate did not want to execute Jesus Christ because after examining the case he did not find any faults in the arrested person. According to Hall (n. d., par.4), Jesus’ “brand of non-violent resistance, his manner of stirring the people and empowering the poor, were correctly judged to be challenging the political power structures of his day”. This commentary shows that Jesus was seen as a real threat for the state of affairs existing in Hebrew politics those days. Because of rebellious spirit of Hebrews who constantly initiated new uprisings against the Roman Empire, Pilate did not want to object the rulers of this nation, and permitted them remove their political opponent.
Jesus’ approach to his death would be marked by the same attitude that constituted his entire life which means that he did not fight against it. He did not show any resistance during his arrest, he did not encourage his follower to raise and save him, he warned every person trying to prevent his execution against such measures because he said that his death on a torture stake was a part of God’s will concerning him. The will of his father was among Jesus’ primary concerns which meant that he could never reject it (O’Collins, 1999).
Initially, early Christians such as Mary Magdalene, Apostle Peter, Mark who wrote one of the Gospels and many more were very upset because of the events that happened to their master. However, later, as Jesus was believed to appear before his disciples, first Christians started viewing his death in a different light. They thought that the value of Jesus life was a ransom for people’s sins which entered the world through the first perfect man Adam who disobeyed God and lost his perfect life as a result. In his letter to early Christians in Galatia, Corinth, Ephesus, and so on, Apostle Paul encouraged his fellow believers to commemorate the date of Jesus’ death just like Jesus himself had commanded in Mathew, chapters 26 through 28. Thus, it can be said that despite their bitter feelings concerning the events that happened to their lord, first Christians viewed Jesus’ death as the fulfillment of Biblical prophesies and an open door to having peace with God by means of a ransom.
In conclusion, Jesus was executed on Pontius Pilate’s order. Pontius Pilate had to make a decision to execute Jesus under the pressure from Judean religious leaders. These men saw Jesus’ growing popularity among the people of the land, and were afraid of a danger of being replaced from their prominent political positions.
References
Hall, G. (n. d.). Jesus Crucifixion and Death. Web.
O’Collins, G. (1999). Trinitarian Persons and Actions. New York: Paulist Press.