Liar, Lord or Lunatic
Why we can’t say that Jesus was a good moral teacher.
Most people, when push comes to shove, have some opinion about who Jesus of Nazareth really was. Let’s be honest. We have probably thought about God and Jesus at least a couple of times in life, if only in passing.
Sure, our presuppositions may be biased. Of course, whatever faith or non-faith tradition we grew up in will play a major factor. But Western culture still has enough Christendom rooted in it for people to have at least been taught about Jesus through some kind of religious education.
I would imagine that if we were to go outside right now, hail some random passersby and ask them who they think Jesus of Nazareth was, they would mostly say either a) he was fabricated, b) they like some of the things he taught, or c) they are Christians and say that he was the son of God.
We might get a few oddball or eloquent answers in between, but I reckon most people would put Jesus in one of those three categories. And maybe the majority in the ‘good moral teacher’ category.
The thing is, that option isn’t really available to us. Neither is the argument that the gospel stories were made up and Jesus wasn’t a real person. No New Testament scholar, either secular or Christian, actually supports that argument. There is more empirical evidence that Jesus existed than any other person of antiquity.
But back to the ‘good moral teacher’ option. Yes, Jesus gave some great moral teachings that most of us would tend to agree with. He taught us to be generous to the poor, forgive people who harm us, and to love one another. He said that he was gentle and humble, he healed the sick and hung out with a diverse mix of people from all different backgrounds.
But he also stated that he was the son of God. Quite unequivocally so.
He declared that he was the God that the Jews worshipped, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: “Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” John 8:56–58.
He said that God the father and himself were one: “the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God” John 5:18. “I and the Father are one.” John 10:30.
And that no one could actually get to God except through him: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6.
So although he was certainly a great moral teacher, the rest of what he said and did means we can’t just leave it there. Anyone who goes around saying that they are one with God and people can only approach God through them are either lying or crazy. Or they actually are who they say they are.
We simply can’t appreciate what he teaches about being generous and forgiving and also turn a blind eye to his consistent claims of deity. We have to choose.
