What Did Jesus Actually Do?

[Nakosis]

From a historical standpoint, what, in his own lifetime, did Jesus of Nazareth achieve? I am having trouble figuring this out, because I can see objectively that Muhammad had a huge impact upon not only his own society but others, all within his lifetime. That the impact was either good or bad is not my point here, but that had had one. Baha'u'llah had some direct impacts, if small, upon his society. In contrast, I can't think of anything Jesus did that no-one else could have done.

He was born, he preached, he was executed.

This is probably going to turn into an 'It was all Paul not Jesus' thread, but have at it anyway.

Joseph Klausner, a Jewish researcher, sums up some of the conclusions which can be drawn from the Talmudic theories about Jesus: “There are some reliable theories regarding the fact that his name was Yeshua (Yeshu) of Nazareth; that he practised sorcery (that is to say that he performed miracles, as was common in those days) and seduction and led Israel astray; that he mocked the words of the wise and discussed Scripture in the same way as the Pharisees; that he had five disciples; that he said he had not come to revoke the Law, nor to add anything to it; that he was hung upon a piece of wood (crucified) as a false authority and seducer on the eve of the Passover (which fell on a Saturday); and that his disciples cured disease in his name”
What do Roman and Jewish sources tell us about Jesus?

 

[Enoch07]

From a historical standpoint, what, in his own lifetime, did Jesus of Nazareth achieve? I am having trouble figuring this out, because I can see objectively that Muhammad had a huge impact upon not only his own society but others, all within his lifetime. That the impact was either good or bad is not my point here, but that had had one. Baha'u'llah had some direct impacts, if small, upon his society. In contrast, I can't think of anything Jesus did that no-one else could have done.

He was born, he preached, he was executed.

This is probably going to turn into an 'It was all Paul not Jesus' thread, but have at it anyway.

He got you to start a thread about Him?

 

[Audie]

Nearly all mythical characters and their stories are part history and part fantasy. But the important point to keep in mind is that myth has a purpose, and that purpose is NOT to convey accurate historical fact, but to convey an important ideological truth held by the people who created and maintained the myth. The 'exaggerations' are there to highlight the points of key ideological import.

The percent that are based on actual people,
or what percent of reality in each case, I will
leave to others than you or me to say.

Mermaids, hippogryphs, god-kings who will return,
giants, elves-

I know that myth has various purposes.
One is as I said, to find a specific figure to
which to attribute various teachings.

I personally do not see a whole lot that is
special or interesting or different in the
teachings attributed to "Jesus".

THE MOST over studied and over rated
thing ever.

 

[PureX]

The movement, like many messianic movements before and after it, would have died imo if not for Paul. I think Jesus himself had very little impact upon it and it's doubtful he intended to create a new religion.

Here we agree. Though it's debatable how 'messianic' the man himself actually was, as opposed to the man he became in the minds of the followers, after his death.

But honestly, I don't credit Jesus of Nazareth with starting religious Christianity. I agree with you in that I doubt very much that he had any such intention in mind. And I suspect he would be shocked and appalled by what it has developed into. He was Jew, and he remained a Jew. He never spoke against Judaism even if he may have occasionally spoke against certain members or sects. I honestly think he was trying to bridge the conceptual distance between the traditional Judaic view of God and a more personal, functional conception of God.

 

[Kenny]

Would you like me to try a third time or is it pointless?

What did Jesus do that isn't a part of nominal Christian belief that awards him a place in history both secular and religious?

For His time...

The receiving of those who were rejected. The uplifting of the position of women. The breaking of tradition for love's sake. The empowering of men beyond their wildest dreams. Healing of the sick with miracles. I guess, if I were to enumerate the things he did, there wouldn't be enough books to write them all?

 

[PureX]

The percent that are based on actual people,
or what percent of reality in each case, I will
leave to others than you or me to say.

Mermaids, hippogryphs, god-kings who will return,
giants, elves-

Still, most of these are based on actual encounters with actual creatures, or natural phenomena of some sort. Or so most anthropologists would assert. All myth is based in reality, ultimately.

I know that myth has various purposes.
One is as I said, to find a specific figure to
which to attribute various teachings.

I personally do not see a whole lot that is
special or interesting or different in the
teachings attributed to "Jesus".

THE MOST over studied and over rated
thing ever.

That would, of course, be your bias, and your right to presume. An opinion that would not, however, justly be applied to the subject universally, as you seem to be doing, here, since that would simply be blind hubris.

What you "do not see" does not define what is or isn't there.

 

[Rival]

I guess, if I were to enumerate the things he did, there wouldn't be enough books to write them all?

Could you at least write some of it...?

 

[Jeremiah Ames]

He established a new covenant. He laid down what Thomas Jefferson called, "the most pure, benevolent, and sublime (precepts) which have ever been preached to man."

He healed the sick, raised the dead, and defeated Satan at Calvary so that all who believed in Jesus could be saved unto eternal life.

And he changed the world for the better.

This comment raises 2 questions for me.

Who is satan?

For all the people living on earth prior to Jesus, are they all doomed to being ‘unsaved unto eternal life’?

Bonus question: How is the world better today?

 

[74x12]

From a historical standpoint, what, in his own lifetime, did Jesus of Nazareth achieve? I am having trouble figuring this out, because I can see objectively that Muhammad had a huge impact upon not only his own society but others, all within his lifetime. That the impact was either good or bad is not my point here, but that had had one. Baha'u'llah had some direct impacts, if small, upon his society. In contrast, I can't think of anything Jesus did that no-one else could have done.

He was born, he preached, he was executed.

This is probably going to turn into an 'It was all Paul not Jesus' thread, but have at it anyway.

You can't think of anything ... or you don't believe it? Threads like this are really a waste of my time. No offense; but the facts speak for themselves. If people are going to deny it all and sweep it under the rug they have that choice.

 

[Rival]

You can't think of anything ... or you don't believe it? Threads like this are really a waste of my time. No offense; but the facts speak for themselves. If people are going to deny it all and sweep it under the rug they have that choice.

So tell me some of those facts then.

What did Jesus do that is tangible and verifiable that had a meaningful impact upon people at the time, that can be accepted by both the non-Christian and the Christian?

 

[74x12]

So tell me some of those facts then.

What did Jesus do that is tangible and verifiable that had a meaningful impact upon people at the time, that can be accepted by both the non-Christian and the Christian?

Exactly, you need tangible and verifiable. Really, walking on water is tangible and so is feeding 5000 with the loaves and fishes. That's tangible; but obviously not verifiable without a time machine or something. But, it's like I said. You just choose not to believe. So I'd be wasting my time here.

 

[Rival]

Exactly, you need tangible and verifiable. Really, walking on water is tangible and so is feeding 5000 with the loaves and fishes. That's tangible; but obviously not verifiable without a time machine or something. But, it's like I said. You just choose not to believe. So I'd be wasting my time here.

I don't need to believe that Muhammad had a noticeable impact upon Arabia and promoted monotheism there, destroyed idols and so on.

I don't need to believe that William the Conqueror conquered England.

Tell me what Jesus did that I don't need to believe.

 

[74x12]

I don't need to believe that Muhammad had a noticeable impact upon Arabia and promoted monotheism there, destroyed idols and so on.

I don't need to believe that William the Conqueror conquered England.

Tell me what Jesus did that I don't need to believe.

Book of Acts church. They were already converting thousands of people before Paul was even converted yet.

 

[Jeremiah Ames]

First, this could be said about pretty much anyone in his shoes so it's almost irrelevant and second, it could be taken to mean he did nothing but followers did everything. I am asking, from the perspective of a historical Jesus, what did he himself do that is worth remembering?

Well, he must have done something, since the name Jesus has been known or is known by more people than anyone else ever.
Including you, since you wrote the OP about him.

 

[Rival]

Book of Acts church. They were already converting thousands of people before Paul was even converted yet.

I asked what Jesus did.

What did Jesus do when he was alive.

What the hell did Jesus do?

 

[74x12]

I asked what Jesus did.

What did Jesus do when he was alive.

What the hell did Jesus do?

See, this makes a really interesting point. How Jesus is indeed different than the others. From a "tangible, verifiable" point of view all Jesus did was go around preaching/teaching in a relatively small region of the Roman empire called Judea. Unlike Muhammad or others; the claims about Jesus are fantastic. Miracles, healings and people rising from the dead.

 

[Jeremiah Ames]

I'm not saying this in the larger context, but in the context of my original question it is useless.

'It's not the man it's the idea.'

I'm asking what the man did.

What the man did has been written in the gospels.
You can read it (and probably have) just as easily as I.
I cannot tell you anything that you don’t already know.

 

[Rival]

What the man did has been written in the gospels.
You can read it (and probably have) just as easily as I.
I cannot tell you anything that you don’t already know.

These don't tell me what he did though; they tell me what people believe he did. I mean, that's fine, I have no problem with people believing stuff; I'm just asking, since no-one seems to know, what he did on a level that both Christians and non-Christians can agree, even on basic things.

 

[Jeremiah Ames]

The teachings of Jesus are profoundly mystic. There is nothing exoterically religious about his teachings.

Very good point.
Jesus was extremely anti religious.

 

[Jeremiah Ames]

He started what has become the most popular religion?

I recently heard a lecture that indicated that Islam emerged out of an active dialog with Jewish and Christian and its backstory isnt what it is famed to be...rather than a revolution started by one man it was a gradual process of a people trying to understand how they were growing and prospering and beginning to challenge the powers that be.

Your first sentence ends with a question mark, so I will answer your question.

No. Jesus absolutely did NOT start a religion. He was very anti religious. Because he was well aware of the dangers of religion.