The professor states, among other things, “The concept of God was, and perhaps still is, a radical social idea. The core of Jesus' message was directed to the economically downtrodden, the poor farmers, laborers and others who had little power in their own lives.”
There are also other fundamental issues that Havrelock questions. For instance she says, “Certain details of Jesus' life simply don't fit with idealized notions of a Messiah. The prophets of the Old Testament speak of a future king who will restore the Jews to their land and establish order and peace." Then she suggests, "The wording of the baptism accounts reveals embarrassment. Why should a son of God have to be baptized, since he should have been born without sin? It appears that John the Baptist was involved in creating another movement at around the same time as Jesus.” When asked just what permitted Christianity to spread so quickly, she relied, “Paul the Apostle was a marketing genius.”
The good scholar no doubt knows Bible history inside and out. But it would seem that she may lack some understanding of the Bible’s deeper spiritual truths concerning the person and purpose of Jesus Christ.
If she would read and understand Isaiah 53 she would see the clear concept of suffering by a sin-bearing Messiah. Verse two begins, “He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”
If she understood baptism correctly, she would see that John was embarrassed to baptize Jesus. But it was not because Jesus was a sinner in need of some ceremonial cleansing. John’s issue was that he himself was a sinner and was overwhelmed to be baptizing the holy Son of God in a highly symbolic and instructional act. “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matthew 3:11) As far as John doing his own thing on the side, she might want recall the separating of John’s head from his body for his unbending worship and in the vital preparation for the ministry of his Lord.
If the scholar knew anything about the Apostle Paul, she would also know that his ‘marketing’ skills would not be too popular with most mere mortals. He summed up some of the results of his ‘genius’ in 2 Corinthians11:23-28. “I speak as a fool — I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness…” It is difficult to imagine this course of action as acceptable in any MBA degree program today.
And if the professor correctly understood the work of Jesus, she would know His purpose as stated in 1 John 3:8. “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." She would also know that He did not serve select groups, rich or poor, but came to deal with the sins of the whole world. (John 3:16) His issue with wealth was only as it pertained to being a huge stumbling block to accepting His gift of salvation. And his attitude towards material things can be summed up in Matthew 6:33. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
So exactly who is this Biblical and historical Jesus?
He was fully man.
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
He is also full and absolute deity – known in theological circles as the “hypo-static union”.
“Taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death.” (Philippians 2: 6-11)
He is the Creator of the universe.
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” (Colossians 1:15-17)
He is head of the universal church.
"And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence." (Colossians 1:18)
He is the final judge of all men."I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom." (2 Timothy 4:1)
He is the Savior of sinners.
"And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." (1 John 5:11-12)
He is the keeper and the rewarder of all who know Him, trust Him, love Him, and who serve Him.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:3-5)
So once again, who is the historical Biblical Jesus? Perhaps it is best to simply allow Him to answer that all-important question in His own words!
"I am the way , the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)
Bill Breckenridge
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