Get ready because it’s coming.
It happens every year at about this time. I’m talking about the publishing of articles, the airing of documentaries and the interviewing of historians that essentially say, “We know better than to believe what the Bible says about Jesus. Yes, Jesus was a real person, but most of the things that Christians believe about Him simply aren’t true. We, of course, know better.”
And so “the real Jesus” is made out to be anything from an interesting teacher to a mad zealot to a social justice warrior. Some say He was married to Mary Magdalene while others insist He and some of His disciples were gay. Simply put, “the real Jesus” is anything except what the Bible says about Him. This happens every year as Easter approaches.
Let me offer two brief observations. First, the timing of this is telling. There’s clearly a growing hostility to Christianity in our country, and this is just one example of it.
Second, the lack of agreement from these supposed experts is striking. The only thing they seem to agree on is that they will ignore what the Bible says about Jesus no matter what. They do this even though the Biblical writings are by far the most reliable documents from antiquity based on the methods used to evaluate ancient documents, whether religious or otherwise. Why ignore the most reliable documents in the pursuit of truth? Perhaps truth is not what is being pursued.
ADVERTISEMENT
If you’re a Christian, this can sometimes be rather frustrating, but I have learned to not be surprised by all of this. Opposition to the Bible and distortions of Jesus are nothing new. This has been happening for 2,000 years. In fact, the Bible specifically says that “the love of the truth” will not be a characteristic of the time preceding the return of Jesus (2 Thessalonians 2:10). The Bible also states “the grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8).
The real Jesus is the Jesus described in the Bible. He is the eternal Son of God who became a man for the purpose of providing salvation for sinful people. He taught people the truth and called them to repent of their sins and believe in Him for eternal life. He healed people and performed many other miracles. He lived a perfect life so that when He suffered and died on the cross, His death was the payment for the sins of the world. He rose again from the dead in victory!
This Jesus declared, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:16-17).
