Who is Jesus?

[rrobs]

I am trying to see what people who have not read the Bible, or who have read it only a little, understand about the nature of Jesus. I don't care if you believe it or not, just trying to get an idea of what people think it says.

Do people already "know" that Jesus is God before ever cracking the book. In other words, if and when they do open the book for the first time, do they have preconceived ideas about Jesus?

Thanks!

 

[Harel13]

Does hardly ever reading any of the NT part of the Bible count?

 

[Dawnofhope]

I am trying to see what people who have not read the Bible, or who have read it only a little, understand about the nature of Jesus. I don't care if you believe it or not, just trying to get an idea of what people think it says. I think it fair to say we all have preconceived ideas of what it says. That is unless you live under a rock! After all, you can't escape the fact that we live in a so-called Judeo-Christian society. Surely you've heard stories about the Bible.

So, do you understand the Bible to say Jesus is God or not?

I promise not to argue. Just interested in what people think. Thanks!

I think its important to acknowledge there are two religions outside Christianity, Islam and the Baha’i Faith that view Jesus positively and agree with at least some of what Christians have to say about Him. There are many references to Jesus in the Baha’i writings, for example:

Bahá'í Reference Library - Some Answered Questions, Pages 16-17

 

[Spirit of Light]

I am trying to see what people who have not read the Bible, or who have read it only a little, understand about the nature of Jesus. I don't care if you believe it or not, just trying to get an idea of what people think it says. I think it fair to say we all have preconceived ideas of what it says. That is unless you live under a rock! After all, you can't escape the fact that we live in a so-called Judeo-Christian society. Surely you've heard stories about the Bible.

So, do you understand the Bible to say Jesus is God or not?

I promise not to argue. Just interested in what people think. Thanks!

The last time I read the bible from front to back is maybe more than 25 years ago, but my understanding of Jesus is this.
Jesus was/is an enlightened being who was teaching a cultivation path toward a form of enlightenment (salvation) within the Abrahamic system. I think many will want to beat me when I say, Yes in my understanding Jesus is the human reincarnation of the God, Jesus was teaching about.
(I do not think the teaching Jesus gave, and what we see as Christianity today is very similar in my understanding a lot of his true teaching has been lost or removed by people as time has passed)
Even I do not follow the Christian teaching my understanding is that it is really teaching about how to become a part of God's/ Jesus kingdom (paradise).

 

[Tumah]

After all, you can't escape the fact that we live in a so-called Judeo-Christian society. Surely you've heard stories about the Bible.

You mean "Christian society". Being part of a "Judeo-Christian society" - meaning some commonality that's shared between Jewish and Christian societies, wouldn't include Jesus.

 

[lostwanderingsoul]

People have been asking "who is Jesus?" for 2000 years. Do you think we can answer that question in a few posts?

 

[Rival]

You mean "Christian society". Being part of a "Judeo-Christian society" - meaning some commonality that's shared between Jewish and Christian societies, wouldn't include Jesus.

IMO 'Judeo-Christian' doesn't mean anything. In my view these faiths, in whatever form they take, are so far removed from one another it makes no sense to lump them together. I can see this clearly after having made the move from one to the other and the differences are so extreme I can't really fathom how anyone can say that ridiculous phrase with a straight face. In my view, Judaism and Islam have more similarities, but still only superficial ones at best. As far as religion goes, Judaism is in a category all its own, I think.

 

[Tumah]

IMO 'Judeo-Christian' doesn't mean anything. In my view these faiths, in whatever form they take, are so far removed from one another it makes no sense to lump them together. I can see this clearly after having made the move from one to the other and the differences are so extreme I can't really fathom how anyone can say that ridiculous phrase with a straight face. In my view, Judaism and Islam have more similarities, but still only superficial ones at best. As far as religion goes, Judaism is in a category all its own, I think.

Yeah, I hear that, but I think if the topic were "Who is Abraham?", well, even though we might have somewhat difference conceptions of him, at least the figure would be something we have in common.

A better question though, is, how do you have more ratings than comments?

 

[Rival]

Yeah, I hear that, but I think if the topic were "Who is Abraham?", well, even though we might have somewhat difference conceptions of him, at least the figure would be something we have in common.

A better question though, is, how do you have more ratings than comments?

Because you liked thousands of my posts

I'm sad you haven't as many as I have, but I only have so many hours in a day.

 

[sun rise]

To me, Jesus is one time the "Word was made flesh" but not the only time. This is the Eastern concept of the Avatar where God took birth in Krishna, Buddha and others.

 

[sun rise]

Yeah, I hear that, but I think if the topic were "Who is Abraham?", well, even though we might have somewhat difference conceptions of him, at least the figure would be something we have in common.

A better question though, is, how do you have more ratings than comments?

I would take Abraham as the same Avatar as I take Jesus, Rama and others. So, yes, different conceptions, no doubt.

 

[Rival]

To me, Jesus is the son of an adulteress who raised him with her and her husband's children. He became a zealot, chomping against the bit of the Roman Empire and finding himself on the wrong side of Pontius Pilate. Maybe he felt self-conscious about not knowing his dad and wanted to make a name for himself that wasn't 'Miriam's *******'. I can imagine it may have taken a toll on him and his self-esteem. This may have resulted in paradoxical delusions of grandeur to compensate.

 

[EtuMalku]

I am trying to see what people who have not read the Bible, or who have read it only a little, understand about the nature of Jesus. I don't care if you believe it or not, just trying to get an idea of what people think it says. I think it fair to say we all have preconceived ideas of what it says. That is unless you live under a rock! After all, you can't escape the fact that we live in a so-called Judeo-Christian society. Surely you've heard stories about the Bible.

So, do you understand the Bible to say Jesus is God or not?

I promise not to argue. Just interested in what people think. Thanks!

Fair enough . . . I've read the 'Christian' bible as well as most of the other world's faith scriptures.
There, to this day, remains absolutely no actual evidence of the existence of Jesus/Yeshua the Nazarene.
That said, I am convinced that this is a fictional character found in the books regarding the Abrahamic faiths.
This character personifies the many ancient myths of the dying/resurrecting god.

As for being 'God', I will assume you mean the Abrahamic god Yahweh?
Being that Yahweh was originally a north Arabian rain god worshiped by the Semitic tribes, and later a war god (divine warrior) of the Hebrews, I do not conclude that Yeshua and Yahweh are the same.

 

[rrobs]

Does hardly ever reading any of the NT part of the Bible count?

Yes. I would be very interested in your answer.

 

[rrobs]

I am trying to see what people who have not read the Bible, or who have read it only a little, understand about the nature of Jesus. I don't care if you believe it or not, just trying to get an idea of what people think it says. I think it fair to say we all have preconceived ideas of what it says. That is unless you live under a rock! After all, you can't escape the fact that we live in a so-called Judeo-Christian society. Surely you've heard stories about the Bible.

So, do you understand the Bible to say Jesus is God or not?

I promise not to argue. Just interested in what people think. Thanks!

I don't think I've made myself clear. Let my try this;

Do people already "know" that Jesus is God before ever cracking the book. In other words, if and when they do open the book for the first time, do they have preconceived ideas about Jesus?

 

[Rival]

I don't think I've made myself clear. Let my try this;

Do people already "know" that Jesus is God before ever cracking the book. In other words, if and when they do open the book for the first time, do they have preconceived ideas about Jesus?

I think in a Christian culture it's hard not to have preconceptions. Most people learn about Jesus before they can read the Bible.

 

[Wandering Monk]

I am trying to see what people who have not read the Bible, or who have read it only a little, understand about the nature of Jesus. I don't care if you believe it or not, just trying to get an idea of what people think it says.

Do people already "know" that Jesus is God before ever cracking the book. In other words, if and when they do open the book for the first time, do they have preconceived ideas about Jesus?

Thanks!

Grew up in an fundamentalist Baptist church. Got born again when I was ten. Knew the Bible well, read all the apologetics. 50 years later I have come to the conclusion that Jesus was just a human, itinerant rabbi at best.

 

[Harel13]

In other words, if and when they do open the book for the first time, do they have preconceived ideas about Jesus?

I would assume that usually, yes. Most people hear about Jesus before opening the NT. As to whether or not they think he's god (without having ever read the NT), that's up to their personal beliefs, often based on what exactly they were told about Jesus.

 

[Rival]

I would assume that usually, yes. Most people hear about Jesus before opening the NT. As to whether or not they think he's god (without having ever read the NT), that's up to their personal beliefs, often based on what exactly they were told about Jesus.

In my experience, most people are told Jesus is a god and the two are the same in their minds. How he's both a god and a man may be explained differently - if at all - but I'd say, from my culture, Jesus being a god is the mainstream view. Children in nursery classes and older perform the nativity play in schools across the country at Christmas and they learn it from there.

 

[Harel13]

In my experience, most people are told Jesus is a god and the two are the same in their minds. How he's both a god and a man may be explained differently - if at all - but I'd say, from my culture, Jesus being a god is the mainstream view. Children in nursery classes and older perform the nativity play in schools across the country at Christmas and they learn it from there.

Yeah, you have a point. 'A god' is a better way of looking at it.