What Exactly is So Unique About Jesus Christ?
The validity of Christianity as a spiritual order, a spiritual order which since has been organized into various denominations (systems of religion) is uniqueness of the person of Jesus Christ. Yes, it is true Jesus’ teachings were new and profound, yet if He had not resurrected from the dead, if Jesus simply had died, it is highly unlikely that motley bunch of disciples could have stayed true to mission of evangelizing the world.
I mean, how exactly do you credibly ask the world to love when you in your heart you know love died, did not resurrect?
But then again, Jesus was not the first Jew to resurrect from the dead. Moses, Christian Scriptures itself declares was resurrected from the dead right after he died, this without participation of any other person, with outcome the event was supernatural, much like resurrection of Jesus Christ Himself (if you are interested in references for any claims about people other than Jesus Christ, check end of this post).
Consider Jesus’ miracles, which include, raising the dead, turning water into wine, healing of lepers, and healing the sick. Well, each of Elijah and Elisha raised the dead, Elisha rendered brackish water fit for drinking, Moses prayed for his sister, Miriam to be healed of leprosy, Elisha healed the sick — you perhaps have heard the story of the Syrian General, Namaan.
Some time after Elisha had died, his grave was excavated by treasure hunters. This led to exposure of his bones. Well then, some people carrying a dead man inadvertently dropped the dead man onto Elisha’s bones, this because they were been chased by bandits. Well would you know, the dead man came back to life. Not even Jesus Christ is credited with such a miracle.
While Jesus’ birth could be regarded to be more supernatural, His birth was not the first to be supernatural. The birth of Samson the Nazirite, the guy who killed a thousand of his enemies with the jawbone of a dead donkey, was announced by an angel, was supernatural. So then you see, in realm of bragging rights, Mary, Jesus’ mother was not the first to have her baby announced by an angel.
Consider Jesus’ astounding of Jewish Rabbis at the age of 12 with His knowledge. Now, that was something wasn’t it? Consider how difficult it is for a 12 year old to surprise adults with knowledge or wisdom in today’s world.
Do teenagers of today even delight in spending time with adults?
Gone are the days when teenagers believed there was something to be gained from seeking company of adults, with objective of asking or discussing questions about life.
But I digress.
Guess what? There was a Jewish kid who became king, yes king over all of the Jews at age of seven. I mean, Jesus started His ministry at 30. This kid, by name Joash, king at seven years of age.
I could go on and on, but the principle stands unambiguously true, which is, juxtaposed with all of the people who lived prior to His birth, Jesus really was not all that much more supernatural.
But if Jesus really was not that much more supernatural, why believe in Him?
But then again, if there really was no chance we could be like Him, if no one else ever had attained to anything to which He attained, how ever could we believe it is possible to be like Him?
The promise to faith in Jesus Christ is, ‘those who believe can become like Him’ — John 1:12. Jesus would be the ‘only begotten Son of God’. Everyone who believed in Him would become adopted into God’s family as ‘sons of God’.
In the evidence that persons, other than Jesus Christ have attained to some of His supernatural qualities we find assurance that it is possible to become just like Him.
So then, other than His teachings, what exactly was unique about the person of Jesus Christ?
Well, you see Elijah was taken to heaven much like Jesus Christ, but did not die and resurrect prior to that event. Plus he needed a chariot and horses. Jesus? Just clouds baby. Elisha’s bones resurrected a dead man, but he himself died, did not resurrect.
Moses died and resurrected, but Christian Scriptures declare he needed an angel for that event. Jesus? the angels declared, “He is not here, He is risen” meaning just like He said, Jesus rose in His own power, in His own strength.
Moses prayed for his sister to be healed of leprosy, this while she remained in exile outside of the Israelites’ encampment for fear anyone, Moses inclusive, would catch the deadly disease. Jesus? touched lepers while healing them.
Elijah and Elisha raised the freshly dead. Jesus raised Lazarus back to life after he had been dead four days.
That boy, Joash who became king at seven, lost his way after his mentor died. Jesus, never needed a mentor, would become arguably the greatest teacher who ever lived.
Samson needed his parents to ‘get it on’ for actualization of his miraculous birth. Jesus needed Mary only, no husband was necessary.
How then was Jesus special? Prior to His advent on earth, no one person ever had demonstrated all of the supernatural qualities evidenced in the person of Jesus Christ. Just like God promised then, He was releasing all of the full potential of man to be realized in any one person. Add to all of the supernatural, the profundity of Jesus’ teachings, and you end up with a man the like of which the world never before had seen or encountered, a man many since have aspired to be like, both in character and wisdom.
The beauty and uniqueness of Jesus Christ reside in the fact that He made ‘living right’ look easy.
Jesus made living right look easy, effortless. Jesus made living right look like something you and I, everyone could achieve.
Prior to the ministry of Jesus Christ, people believed only the rich, those who by reason of their riches could meet just about all of their reasonable needs and wants, had capacity for living right. Jesus made people realize most of the rich of His time mistreated others to become rich, that only few attained riches the right way. This of course meant they of all people were not living right. Jesus made people realize that rich or poor, male or female, black or white, known or unknown, living right can be easy, can be within reach.
If you will trust Jesus Christ, living right really can be as easy as He makes it out to be.
References
Moses — Jude 1:9; Matthew 17:3; Numbers Chapter 12.
Elijah — 1 Kings 17:17–24; 2 Kings 2:11–12.
Elisha — 2 Kings 2:19–22; 2 Kings 4:18–37; 2 Kings Chapter 5; 2 Kings 13:20–21.
Samson — Judges Chapter 13.
Joash — 2 Kings Chapter 11.
