Who is Jesus?
By Amitabh Singh
People from every age, culture, government, and profession appreciate and admire the life and legacy of a man who lived over two thousand years ago in the ancient land of Israel. The biblical texts detailing his life continue to impact millions around the world. Many study his teachings, others adopt his precepts, and some dedicate their lives to teaching others about him. But why?
Why did Handel weep as he composed “The Messiah,” Leonardo da Vinci sigh as he portrayed the “Last Supper,” and William Wilberforce fight with passionate conviction to free slaves in England?
Who is Jesus?
He was not a European, Westerner, or white man. Some malodorous shepherds were the first to hear about his birth. Wise men from the East, led by a supernatural star, visited him in a stable in a shoddy region of Israel. The king of the land sought to kill him as a baby. He grew up a tradesman in a small insignificant town within the Roman Empire. People heard him talk as much about money as he did about God. He rarely mentioned conversion but often spoke of discipleship. Hated by religious leaders, the outcasts revered him. Neither an author nor a world traveler, he retained the humble title of a “teacher.” His name was Jesus.
Jesus, the teacher, still has more than two billion students and followers around the world. Though he lived many years ago, he continues to permeate the fabric of life. Among a long list of attributes, Jesus defined and personified the great qualities of a leader, and his words seem both helpful and central to the marketplace of life. Whether in church, business, or elsewhere, Jesus informs how people should embody his leadership and, in so doing, find greater delight, purpose, and satisfaction in him.
The story of Jesus is confusing, polarizing, and convincing. Jesus inspires many to lead, and lead well. In “What If Jesus Had Never Been Born”, Dr. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe discuss a long list of areas in which Jesus inspired others to a positive impact on humankind. They include:
Literacy and education for the masses
Universities
Capitalism and free-enterprise
Civil liberties
Abolition of slavery, both in antiquity and modern times
Modern science
Elevation of women
Benevolence and charity: the Good Samaritan ethic
Hospitals
High standards of justice
Condemnation of adultery and other perversions
High regard for human life
Civilization of many barbaric and brutal cultures
Development of the art and science
Jesus changes the course of human history, inciting a higher standard of goodness and freedom where oppression once held the reigns.