Questions, questions, questions! The Gospel narratives are full of questions about Jesus even from the very beginning of his public ministry: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). Some questions come from Jesus disciples, while others come from his enemies. Even the Baptist had questions about Jesus, vis-à-vis John, the very man who pointed to Jesus, saying he was the Messiah (John 1:29 36), once asked later, as he kept track of Jesus’ ministry through his own disciples, while he waited in Herod’s prison, “Are you he that should come, or do we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3).[1]
Not only so, but, as though questions like these coming from everyone imaginable wasn’t confusing enough, Jesus asked his own questions about himself: “Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? (Matthew 16:13); and “Whom say you that I am?” (Matthew 16:15); and “What do you think about Christ? Whose son is he? (Matthew 22:42); and “If David then calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” (Matthew 22:45)?
Questions like these are both discouraging for folks wanting answers about Jesus and very telling, in that Jesus simply didn’t fit any mold that folks made for him. He simply didn’t fit into any category, including the office of Messiah, as folks understood that office to be. Jesus was both more than what folks expected and a lot less than what folks looked for. He both fulfilled what the prophets foretold and contradicted everything folks interpreted the prophets to say. So, who was Jesus? Who did he perceive himself to be? Often, we hear said, if we wish to understand the Bible, we need to try to understand it from the point of view of the folks who lived during those times. What did it mean to them? While this is very true in many respects, how do we answer the question: Who Is Jesus? when the folks who witnessed his life got it all wrong, according to the other books of the New Testament? Even the disciples had it wrong, but began to understand as they should, only after they saw the resurrected Jesus!
Whatever we conclude about Jesus, today, his words and works prompted questions like these. And there are others: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Mark 2:16). Eating and drinking with folks in first century AD culture denoted intimacy and familiarity. Therefore, the Jewish authorities wondered, exactly, what did Jesus have in common with these folks? We have a saying, ourselves, birds of a feather flock together. If this is true, Jesus didn’t fit the mold, did he? Another question: “Where did this man get all this wisdom, when he has never had formal instruction?” (John 7:15), vis-à-vis he wasn’t instructed in any of the rabbinical schools at that time. So, the questions continue: “Who are you?” (John 8:25); and “Should we pay tribute to Caesar?” (Matthew 22:17); and “Are you the King of the Jews?” (Matthew 27:11); and finally, as he hung dying on the cross, he was asked: “Are you not the Christ? (why don’t you) save yourself and us?” (Luke 23:39).
These and other questions arose from folks, as they witnessed Jesus being Jesus, in the context of his fulfilling his ministry, according to his Father’s will. In other words, what Jesus said and did caused folks to wonder about him and ask these kinds of questions. Therefore, if Jesus naturally drew out these kinds of questions, what should we conclude about him? He was called the Messiah, but he died without saving his people from Roman oppression. What kind of Messiah is that (John 12:34)? He was called Rabbi (Matthew 26:25, 49), but he didn’t attend any of the rabbinical schools of the time (John 7:15), and the inconsistencies and questions go on and on. Priest? Prophet? Jesus fulfills those offices, but not as many folks expected or interpreted how they should be fulfilled. Jesus simply didn’t fit any of the molds.
So, what are we able to conclude about this? Who is he? According to John 1:1, 14, the Word was with God and was God, and that same Word became flesh and dwelt with men. A clear and unobtrusive way to read that is: God became flesh and dwelt with men. In other words, God returned to his people to dwell with them (Malachi 3:1) in the person of Jesus (John 1:14). It wasn’t possible to put God into a mold that would define him, which is why we don’t erect any idols and worship God in the idol. God cannot be placed in a mold. According to Jesus, men will continue to come to know God more and more throughout eternity without ever completing the task (John 17:3). Moreover, the same could be said of knowing Jesus in his fullness. Therefore, if God can’t be forced into a mold, it would be fitting that Jesus couldn’t be forced into any mold made for him. God, in Christ, has come to dwell with men (Revelation 21:1-3). This is who Jesus is, really!
[1] We are presently going through N.T. Wright’s book, Simply Jesus, and conducting a Bible study by using Dr. Wright’s words, interpreting his conclusions, usually agreeing, but sometimes disagreeing with what he claims. Presently, we’ve begun chapter 13 entitled: Why Did the Messiah Have to Die?Instead of retaining that title, I changed it to Who Is Jesus, Really?
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