essay topic on jesus

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105 Jesus Christ Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on jesus christ, ✍️ jesus christ essay topics for college, 👍 good jesus christ research topics & essay examples, 💡 simple jesus christ essay ideas, ❓ questions about jesus christ.

• Jesus’s Teaching Methods and Messages
• Jesus Christ’s Ministries and Chaplain Behaviors
• The Healing Ministry of Jesus
• Jesus Role in Fulfilling God’s Plan to Save the World
• Jesus and Confucius Comparison
• The Transfiguration of Jesus – Literary Criticism
• Is Jesus Both Human and Divine?
• Jesus Christ’s Natural Divinity The divinity of Christ is vital for Christians because it shows that the deification of the human body is possible, as well as the divine embodiment in the personality.
• Is Jesus God? Critical Evaluation, Arguments for and Against This paper will show that Jesus is God and biblical teachings manifest that Jesus possessed the characteristics and abilities of God.
• The Salvation of Humans by Jesus Christ The history of our salvation and redemption in Jesus Christ makes it easier to understand who people are in this world and what they were created to be.
• Transformational Leadership of Jesus Christ Christ’s view of leadership is expressed in leadership in service, which is the desire to enrich and improve the lives of guided people through unselfish service.
• How the Jesus Movement Became The Church The paper relates to the Jesus movement and responds to why the action continued and flourished; people’s faith in Jesus was strong, and they wanted to unite with Jesus Christ.
• The Deity of Jesus Christ in New Testament Jesus deity is expressed in New Testament with links from the Old Testament. Monotheism renders any form of claim to be blasphemous.
• In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do? by Charles Sheldon “In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do?” carries the message for everyone: before doing something, it is necessary to consider whether this action is virtuous.
• Principle of Utility and Golden Rule of Jesus This paper discusses the principle of utility and how it relates to maximizing social goods, higher and lower pleasures, and Mill’s empirical method.
• The Exhibition Christian Sorrow: Panorama of the Crucifixion of Jesus The exhibition Christian Sorrow: Panorama of the Crucifixion of Jesus shows the saddest scenes of Jesus’s life, who suffered due to his immense love for people.
• Discussion of Jesus as a Servant Leader The paper argues Jesus is an undoubted servant leader who wanted not to be served like a king but rather to serve others.
• The Gospel of Matthew: The Temptation of Jesus One’s personal growth is accompanied by various distractions of the present-day world, which prevent them from achieving important goals and having meaningful lives in general.
• “Sharing Jesus Without Fear” by William Fay William Fay has done remarkable work as an evangelist, seeking out to reach the masses to invite and arouse their interest in the words of the Gospel.
• Catechism of the Catholic Church on Jesus Christ The only one lord Jesus had a paramount duty to serve and suffer for man, born of a virgin woman through the power of the Holy Spirit as such one substance with God the father.
• In the Name of Jesus: Critical Review Nouwen’s thesis is that the historical situation on the eve of the 21st century necessitated the reinvigoration of Christian leadership
• Jesus and Expectations of Messiah Through the Jews’ expectations, three significant types of messiahs could be defined: the prophet, the priest, and the King.
• Qureshi’s Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus Book Nabeel Qureshi transformed from a devout Muslim into a confident Christian. His book “Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus” offers a reevaluation of Muslim beliefs.
• The Crucifixion of Jesus in Old and New Testament The paper analyzed the theme of Crucifixion in the Old and New Testaments. The New Testament repeats the message given in the Old Testament.
• Lead Like Jesus: Critical Book Review by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges In the book Lead Like Jesus, the authors Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges develop an entirely new approach to leading and influencing servant leadership.
• Jesus’ Concerns for the Women and Sick Jesus demonstrated his concern for the women and attended to them. He also had a great concern for the sick and told the Jews to lend a hand to the sick.
• Jesus Christ in “Resurrected as Messiah” by Ortlund Article “Resurrected as Messiah: The Rise Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King” by Ortlund is about the rise of Christ in three different forms, as a prophet, a priest, and a king.
• How Jesus Would Fit in Today’s Society Jesus would be able to cope with the modern features of society and successfully interact with followers on social media.
• The Core of Christian Belief: Where Is Jesus? The Creeds not only teach Christians that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and a divine man but also propose the meaning of authentic kingship or leadership.
• Role of Jesus Christ in Religion Jesus Christ, revered as a prophet and religious leader, established Christianity and is recognized as the Son of God in certain denominations or as a physical manifestation of God.
• Christian Evidences of Jesus in the Bible There are references to him in historical documents from the time period in which he lived, including Roman census records and letters written by first-century historians.
• Jesus’s Parables in Modern Settings In the Bible, Jesus tells his followers a number of parables. These parables were aimed at explaining God’s plan to the common folk based on examples they could understand.
• Overcoming Racism in “The Blood of Jesus” Film Belittling the status of a person based on his gender or race is impossible and terrible in modern society, but it is the tendency of the present time.
• Education for Truth and Service: Jesus and Martin Luther King Jesus and Martin Luther King insisted on service delivery to the poor, aware of their impending deaths; Jesus was sacrificed, and King was assassinated.
• “Jesus’ Son” and “The Lame Shall Enter First” Comparison Despite the apparent differences in style and the approach, Johnson and O’Connor’s stories bear a resemblance one should acknowledge.
• King James Bible: Did Jesus of Nazareth Actually Exist? One significant point mentioned is that God knows the hearts of men, and there is no point in expecting that people will come to Christ when we expect them.
• Christianity: Afterlife and Relationship With Jesus Theoretically, having a personal relationship with Jesus is enough to keep a person spiritually right with God according to Christianity.
• The Figure of Jesus in Islam and the Quran This paper discusses the figure of Jesus in the Islamic religion by highlighting His reference in the Quran, specifically his birth, death, and return.
• Comparative Analysis of Socrates and Jesus of Nazareth Jesus and Socrates were considered a threat to society due to their uniqueness, and the knowledge they brought helped everyone understand their shortcomings.
• Comparison of Jesus and Mohammed This paper intends to compare and contrast the two Religious personalities (Jesus and Mohammed) in terms of history and influential capacities on their followers.
• “Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament” by Christopher J.H. Wright Dr. Christopher J.H. Wright Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament is a complete analysis of the roles of prophets and law had in Jesus’ experiences with self-reflection.
• Deviations in the Perception of the Personality of Jesus Christ of Nazareth The issue regarding the veracity of the claim that Jesus is the Son of God will only affect those who are brought up in a monotheistic faith.
• Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman The book Jesus and the Disinherited written by Howard Thurman is devoted to the religious and race aspects and their positions in the modern world.
• On the Death of Jesus in Early Christianity This writing reflects on the book ‘The Death of Jesus in Early Christianity’ by Carroll and Green and proposes a unique approach and interpretation of the primary text.
• Buddha’s Four Noble Truths and Jesus’ Teachings In Buddhism, the Noble Eightfold Path is the last of the Four Noble Truths. The principles laid out in the Eightfold Path find some reflection in Jesus’ teachings.
• “How God Became Jesus?” a Book by Michael Bird How God became Jesus is Michael Bird’s book that deconstructs claims by Bart Ehrman in his How Jesus Became God: The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee.
• Jesus’ Identity: God, Man, or Both? The Gospel of Matthew poses to us and say that Jesus is a divine creature who came to us as a human being and showed the way to save our souls and find the way to God.
• Jesus’ Teaching About the Kingdom and About Himself Faith and religion are very personal concerns that could be treated in different ways depending on what a person wants to see, understand, and believe in.
• The Gospel of Matthew: Jesus Christ’s Thinking This paper observes chapters 3-5 of the Gospel of Mathew in the New Testament to narrate the author’s insights into Jesus’ thinking as he moved from baptism to Sermon.
• Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew The Gospel of Matthew is the first book of the New Testament. This paper tries to tell about Jesus and what the Gospel writer attempts to say to his audience by putting the parables together.
• The Evidence That Proves the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
• How does Jesus Christ answer Prayers From the Story of Lorraine?
• The Importance of Seven Deadly Sins and Jesus Christ
• How Jesus Christ Fulfilled the Covenants God Made With?
• Jesus Christ: Scripture’s Most Controversial Bachelor
• Jesus Christ: Fully Human and Fully Divine
• How Practical Are Jesus Christ‘s Teachings Today‘s World?
• The Holy Eucharist: The Metaphorical Cannibalism of the Body of Jesus Christ Justified
• How the Novel Godhanger Is an Allegory for the Life of Jesus Christ?
• Problems Associated With Determining the Birthplace of Jesus Christ
• The Biblical Prophecies and the Coming of Jesus Christ
• Dealing With Death Penalty in the Trials and Death of Socrates and Jesus Christ
• The Divine and Human Nature of Jesus Christ
• Suffering Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ
• Why the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ Are Significant for Christianity?
• Contemporary World and Jesus Christ’s Wisdom
• Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ According to the Gospels of John and Mark
• Comparing the Death and Burial of Jesus Christ
• Solace and Peace Through Our Jesus Christ
• Preachers Should Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ
• Jesus Christ and Functionalist and Conflict Theory
• The Different Encounters With Jesus Christ in the Four Gospels of the New Testaments
• Jesus Christ for Eternal Life Through His Death and the Power
• The About Attending the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day
• Communicating the Good News Through the Message of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit
• How Many Times Is Jesus Christ Mentioned in the Quran?
• Why Was Jesus Christ Crucified Under Roman Law?
• Did Jesus Christ Walk on Water?
• What Are the Strongest Biblical Arguments for the Divinity of Jesus Christ?
• Was Jesus Christ Buried in the Shroud of Turin?
• Can Jesus Christ Be Considered the Messiah?
• Is There Any Historical Evidence of Jesus Christ?
• Is Yeshua Hamashiach the Proper Hebrew Name of Jesus Christ?
• What Were the Key Events in the Life of Jesus Christ?
• Where Was Jesus Christ for the Three Days Between His Death and Resurrection?
• How Can Jesus Christ Be Both God and Man at the Same Time?
• Has the Lost Tomb of Jesus Christ Been Discovered?
• What Does It Mean That Jesus Christ Is the Lamb of God?
• What Trials Did Jesus Christ Face Before His Crucifixion?
• What Language Did Jesus Christ Speak?
• What Does It Mean That Jesus Christ Is the “First-Born” Over Creation?
• How Is Jesus Christ Different From Other Religious Leaders?
• What Is the Meaning and Importance of the Ascension of Jesus Christ?
• What Does It Mean That Jesus Christ Is God’s Only Begotten Son?
• At What Age Did Jesus Christ Die?
• What Are the Different Names and Titles of Jesus Christ?
• Is Jesus Christ Just a Copy of the Pagan Gods of Other Ancient Religions?
• Do the Narratives of Jesus Christ’ Birth Contradict Each Other?
• What Was the Significance of Jesus Christ Being Dead for Three Days?
• What Are Some of the Most Famous Sayings of Jesus Christ?
• What Does It Mean That Jesus Christ Is Prophet, Priest, and King?
• Why Did Jesus Christ Curse the Fig Tree?
• What Is the Meaning of the Crown of Thorns on the Head of Jesus Christ?
• Why Is Jesus Christ Often Referred to as Jesus of Nazareth?
• How Did Jesus Christ Interact With Children?

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These essay examples and topics on Jesus Christ were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

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115 Christianity Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Christianity is one of the world's largest religions, with millions of followers spread across various denominations and beliefs. As such, there is a wide range of topics that can be explored and discussed within the realm of Christianity. Whether you are a student looking for essay ideas or simply curious about the faith, here are 115 Christianity essay topic ideas and examples to inspire your writing:

• The significance of the birth of Jesus Christ.
• The life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
• Exploring the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
• The role of faith in Christianity.
• Understanding the concept of salvation in Christianity.
• The importance of prayer in Christian worship.
• The differences and similarities between Catholicism and Protestantism.
• The impact of the Protestant Reformation on Christianity.
• The significance of the Bible in Christian faith.
• The role of women in Christianity throughout history.
• The role of music in Christian worship.
• The impact of Christianity on Western civilization.
• Exploring the seven sacraments in Catholicism.
• The role of forgiveness in Christian ethics.
• The concept of sin in Christianity.
• The importance of community in Christian faith.
• Christianity and social justice: exploring the teachings of Jesus.
• The influence of Christianity on art and literature.
• The role of missionaries in spreading Christianity around the world.
• The intersection of Christianity and politics.
• Understanding the concept of grace in Christianity.
• The role of the Church in contemporary society.
• The impact of Christianity on the abolition of slavery.
• The development of Christian theology throughout history.
• The significance of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• The role of miracles in Christian belief.
• The connection between Christianity and environmental stewardship.
• The impact of Christianity on human rights.
• The role of Christian education in shaping moral values.
• The concept of love and compassion in Christian teachings.
• Exploring the parables of Jesus and their meaning.
• The influence of Christianity on the concept of marriage and family.
• The role of Christian denominations in promoting unity and diversity.
• The impact of Christianity on medical ethics.
• The concept of heaven and hell in Christian belief.
• The importance of Christian rituals and sacraments.
• The role of Christian apologetics in defending the faith.
• The connection between Christianity and science.
• The impact of Christianity on the development of Western philosophy.
• The role of Christian missionaries in colonialism and imperialism.
• The challenges of interpreting and understanding biblical texts.
• The role of Christian ethics in decision-making.
• The concept of Christian love and its application in daily life.
• The influence of Christianity on the concept of time and history.
• Exploring the concept of faith and reason in Christianity.
• The role of Christian leadership in society.
• The impact of Christianity on the concept of human dignity.
• The connection between Christianity and social media.
• The role of Christian art in worship and spirituality.
• The significance of Christian holidays and celebrations.
• The impact of Christianity on the concept of forgiveness.
• The role of Christian meditation and contemplation.
• The influence of Christianity on the concept of justice.
• The connection between Christianity and mental health.
• The role of Christian charities in addressing global issues.
• The impact of Christianity on the concept of freedom.
• The importance of Christian hospitality and welcoming strangers.
• The role of Christian literature in shaping moral imagination.
• The influence of Christianity on the concept of beauty.
• Exploring the concept of faith and doubt in Christianity.
• The impact of Christianity on the concept of human sexuality.
• The role of Christian music in worship and spirituality.
• The connection between Christianity and the concept of peace.
• The importance of Christian fellowship and community.
• The impact of Christianity on the concept of truth.
• The role of Christian ethics in addressing social issues.
• The significance of Christian symbols and rituals.
• The influence of Christianity on the concept of power.
• The connection between Christianity and the concept of suffering.
• The role of Christian missions in promoting cross-cultural understanding.
• The impact of Christianity on the concept of vocation and work.
• The importance of Christian storytelling and narrative.
• Exploring the concept of Christian hope.
• The role of Christian education in promoting critical thinking.
• The influence of Christianity on the concept of leadership.
• The connection between Christianity and the concept of equality.
• The impact of Christianity on the concept of beauty.
• The role of Christian art in social and political activism.
• The significance of Christian pilgrimage and sacred sites.
• The influence of Christianity on the concept of suffering.
• The connection between Christianity and the concept of redemption.
• The impact of Christianity on the concept of human rights.
• The role of Christian ethics in addressing environmental issues.
• Exploring the concept of Christian love and its application in daily life.
• The connection between Christianity and the concept of justice.
• The importance of Christian literature in shaping moral imagination.

These essay topics cover a wide range of aspects within Christianity, allowing for deep exploration and analysis. Whether you are interested in theology, history, ethics, or any other aspect of the faith, there is a topic on this list that will inspire your writing and spark meaningful discussions.

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Home — Essay Samples — Religion — Jesus Christ — Identity and Purpose of Jesus

Identity and Purpose of Jesus

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Published: Mar 20, 2024

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Jesus in the Gospel Essay

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Introduction

The obedient nature of jesus, jesus as compassionate, intimate nature of jesus, jesus as god, jesus as the greatest and the highest.

Jesus was the famous human being who lived in this universe. Many Christians confront the question of whether he was actually a real person or not. In my opinion, I suppose that there is a possibility of Christians loosing Jesus because Jesus is blight on the tainted history that they have.

Jesus emphasized on sin that was original and the notion that someone else could pay for the sins of another person. Although Jesus had no external beauty that could make people desire Him, His personality drew people closer to him because he had a great character. Jesus was faultless and via studying the type of a person that he was, we are able to shape our lives to be like Him.

One of the features that we observe via the limited accounts of Jesus that we have is that Jesus was concerned about other people’s needs. Besides, He noticed the needs of others before the people in need could ask for His help and He was ever prepared to assist regardless of whether He was tired or not. Therefore, this essay will examine the type of a person that Jesus was.

The most imperative quality that Jesus demonstrated was obedience to the Father who was in heaven. This obedience was because of the love for God and for humankind. Jesus demonstrated obedience in all His daily missions including the day that John the Baptist baptized Him. When Jesus discussed with John the Baptist about His baptism, John hesitated. This was because John knew that baptism was for remission of sins yet Jesus life was sinless.

Nevertheless, Jesus explained to John the Baptist that baptism was Gods commandment and he ought to respect it. Although it was not necessary for John the Baptist to baptize Jesus, Jesus decided to be exceptional and obeyed all the commandments even the commandments that were for the people who were wrong.

For instance, In the book of Mathew chapter three verse thirteen to fifteen (Mathew 3: 13-15), Jesus went to river Jordan to be baptized by John but John tried to make Jesus change His mind by telling Him that he was the one to be baptized by Him and not the other way round. Nonetheless, Jesus told John to let it be that way because that was God’s expectation (O’Day & Peterson, 2008).

According to Mark chapter one verse nine (Mark 1: 9), Jesus was baptized by John in river Jordan after he arrived from Nazareth which was in Galilee. Besides, in the book of Luke chapter three verse twenty one (Luke 3:21), Jesus was baptized after everyone was baptized (O’Day & Peterson, 2008). This further portrayed the obedience of Jesus because He did not segregate himself but followed the law, which required that people received the sacrament of baptism.

Satan, who tried to lead Jesus into sin, successfully ending His mission before it even began, tested the extent of Jesus’ obedience after His baptism. Without victory, Satan ridiculed Jesus to turn stones into bread because Jesus was hungry.

Besides, Satan attempted to convince Him to jump from the top of the temple and authorize the angels to save Him to prove that he was the son of God. Finally, Satan offered to give Jesus supremacy and magnificence if He worshiped Him instead of God. On the contrary, Jesus refused Satan’s request and commanded him to depart because no rewards or honors could wave Jesus form his principle.

For example, in the book of Mathew chapter four verse one to eleven (Mathew 4: 1-11), Jesus told Satan that human beings could not leave by bread alone but by every word that came from the mouth of God. This imply that Jesus obeyed the word of God and did not value earthly materials. Additionally, Jesus told Satan that He should not put the Lord into test because God deserved worship, respect and not challenge.

Finally, Jesus told Satan to worship God alone and serve Him (O’Day & Peterson, 2008). According to the book of Luke chapter four verse one to thirteen (Luke 4:1-13), Jesus did not fall into the temptation of Satan because He obeyed God so much that he could not accept the request of Satan. As a result, He told Satan that He ought to obey God and serve Him.

In the gospel, some parents brought their children to Jesus when it was late and Jesus was tired. As a result, the apostles of Jesus ordered the parents to go away but Jesus asked His disciples to allow the children to be with Him despite the fact that He was exhausted. This was because Jesus wanted the children to have some time with him so that He could teach them how to be good Christians because it was easier for children to learn and understand when they were still young.

Additionally, throughout the ministry of Jesus, He conversed about children and cautioned people to take care of them spiritually and physically. For instance, in the book of Mathew chapter nineteen verse thirteen to fifteen (Mathew 19: 13-15), Jesus told His disciples to let the children be with him because heavenly kingdom belonged to children like them and as a consequence, He blessed them and went away (O’Day & Peterson, 2008).

Besides, in the book of Mark chapter ten verse thirteen to sixteen (Mark 10:13-16), Jesus told His disciples who were trying to chase the children away that whoever did not receive Gods kingdom like the little children will not enter in to it (O’Day & Peterson, 2008). Finally, Jesus love for the children is also found in Luke chapter eighteen verse fifteen to sixteen ( Luke 18: 15-16) where Jesus stopped his disciples from chasing the children away.

Jesus grieved when King Herod’s servants beheaded John the Baptist. As a result, he went to a lonely place but his followers went after Him. Although Jesus was grieving, he became compassionate and healed the sick. Eventually, Jesus’ disciples wanted to chase the people away because food was unavailable but Jesus fed them through a miracle before they left. It was after everyone’s problem received attention that Jesus went in a lonely place to pray.

Additionally, In the book of Mathew chapter, fourteen verse thirteen to twenty four (Mathew 14:13-24), Jesus fed people with five loaves of bread and two fish yet the disciples wanted to chase them away. This show that Jesus had love and concern about other people (O’Day & Peterson, 2008). Additionally, in the book of mark chapter six verse fourteen to forty four (Mark 6:14-44), Jesus taught both the people who were following Him and the disciples yet He was grieving.

This portray that Jesus always put other people before Him and therefore, He had selfless love for human beings (O’Day & Peterson, 2008). Finally, Jesus set an example of Love because he did not turn away the people who required Him in His greatest time of sadness.

Additionally, Jesus had a nature that was compassionate because He healed the sick, fed the hungry and preached to everyone. For instance, in the book of Mathew chapter five verse one to eleven (Mathew 5:1-11), Jesus preached about happiness because love prevail through happiness.

Moreover, He preached that happy people were those who had a desire of doing what God wanted because God would satisfy their needs. This mean that people should love one another because love is the greatest commandment and that is the reason why Jesus loved humankind and urged people to love each other (O’Day & Peterson, 2008).

Furthermore, in the book of John chapter nine verse one to twelve (John 9:1-12), Jesus healed a man who was born blind. Although the disciples of Jesus were trying to blame other people for the man’s blindness, Jesus did not side up with them because He believed that the man’s blindness had no connection with someone else and as a result, he healed the man.

The miracle show that Jesus love for humankind was genuine and he did not try to find any excuse for whatever he did if it was for the benefit of other people (O’Day & Peterson, 2008). Finally, in the book of John chapter six verse one to fourteen (John 6:1-14), Jesus created sufficient food to feed the hungry people and this portray His love and concern because He did not want the people to go away on empty stomachs.

Furthermore, in the gospel of John chapter two verse one to eleven (John 2:1-11), Jesus changed water in to wine and all the people drank with happiness. This further show Jesus loves for humankind because He wanted every person at the wedding to be happy regardless of the situation that wanted to pave way for sadness (O’Day & Peterson, 2008).

Jesus demonstrated intimacy with both His followers and God (O’Day & Peterson, 2008). To begin with, He spent a lot of time with people teaching them and helping them to focus on the kingdom of God. For example, in the book of Mathew chapter five verse forty three to forty eight (Mathew 5: 43-48), Jesus told the people to love their enemies and pray for them so that they could become the children of their Father in heaven.

Additionally, in the book of mark chapter four verse one to twenty (Mark 4: 1-20), Jesus preached to the people about the parable of the planter and urged them to focus on the kingdom of God by being like the seeds planted in the good soil because those people heard the word of God, accepted it and produced good fruits. Finally, in the book of Luke chapter twelve verse thirty two to thirty four (Luke 12: 32-34), Jesus urged the people to keep their treasures in heaven because their hearts would always be where their treasure was.

On the other hand, Jesus was also intimate to His Father in Heaven because He always prayed to him, listened to him, obeyed Him and was concerned about God’s reputation (O’Day & Peterson, 2008). For example, in the book of Mathew chapter twenty one verse twelve to seventeen (Mathew 21: 12-17), Jesus drove people away from the temple because they were buying and selling.

This show that Jesus knew His father was not happy with what was happening in the temple because the temple was a place of worship and not a business place (O’Day & Peterson, 2008). Additionally, in the book of Mark chapter fourteen verse thirty two to forty one (Mark 14: 32-41), Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane where He prayed. This show that Jesus trusted that God could take the cup of suffering away from Him.

Finally, Jesus was intimate with God because he accepted Gods wish of dying for the sins of men and taking all their pains. For instance, He went to Gethsemane garden where He experienced the pain of sin because He took the sins of all the people who lived or were to live in this universe (O’Day & Peterson, 2008). This was so painful but because of His intimacy with God and humankind, He accepted to go through it and as a result, God sent His angels to sustain Him.

John’s gospel attempts to demonstrate that Jesus was God. Certain verses of the book of John indicate that Jesus resided in heaven before coming to earth and He eventually went back to heaven where he was before. For example in John chapter one verse one to seventeen (John 1:1-17), it is written that in the beginning there was a word and the word was God and it was a source of light. Besides, God sent John to inform people about the light (O’Day & Peterson, 2008).

This verse show that Jesus was God and he existed since the time of creation. Finally, the resurrection of Jesus clearly provides evidence that Jesus went back to heaven where He existed before (John 20: 1-7).

On the other hand, if Jesus was the Messiah, His earthly experience could be different from other people. Therefore, our capability to identify with His temptations and righteous life is under a compromise. As a result, the notion that Jesus was God is not consistent.

For example, in the book of John chapter eleven verse twenty eight to thirty seven (John 11: 28-37), Jesus wept when He heard that Lazarus was dead (O’Day & Peterson, 2008). This show that Jesus was human and that was the reason why He cried because grieving is a normal human response to death. Additionally, In John chapter four verse one to twenty (John 4: 1-20), Jesus asked the Samaritan woman for a cup of water.

This portray the human nature of Jesus because just like any other person, he felt thirsty and for that reason, He asked for a cup of water to drink (O’Day & Peterson, 2008). On the contrary, Jesus was Lord because of a variety of incidences. To begin with, in the gospel of John chapter five verse one to fifteen (John 5:1-15), Jesus healed a man who had been sick for thirty eight years and this show that Jesus was God because He had power to heal.

Additionally, Jesus performed so many miracles that show He was God and not Human. For example, He walked on top of the water (John 6: 16-20), He healed a blind man (John 9: 1-12), He brought Lazarus to life (John 11: 38-44) and He appeared to Mary, His disciples and Thomas after His resurrection (John 20: 1-29).

The gospel of John vividly demonstrates that Jesus was the son of God. Besides, it is clearly stated in the book of John chapter twenty verse thirty one (John 20: 31) that the gospel was written so that people could believe that Jesus was the messiah and the son of God and people had life because of the faith in Him. Therefore, the suffering of Jesus was for the glory so that people could believe and have faith in Him because he was truly the son of God.

Finally, there are many signs in the book of John that portray Jesus as God. For example, in the miracle where Jesus healed the son of the royal official of Capernaum (John 4:43-54), Jesus rebuked the man because he was seeking miracle and He told the people that unless they saw miracles, they would never believe.

Jesus anticipated that people would comprehend that the miracles demonstrated His close relationship with the father (O’Day & Peterson, 2008). Additionally, Jesus’ intimate relationship with God was also stunning when Jesus healed a man crippled for thirty eight years at the pool of Bethzatha (John 5:1-21).

Since Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath day, Jews started to prosecute Him but Jesus told them to relate that miracle with the relationship that he had with God. For instance, Jesus said that His father always worked and he too had to work (John5:17). Additionally, He told them that the Son could not do anything on His own and He only did what the father did (John 5:19). Furthermore, when Jesus raised Lazarus from death (John 11:1-44), He declared himself as resurrection and life (O’Day & Peterson, 2008).

From that declaration, Mary affirmed that Jesus was truly the son of God and she replied to Jesus that she believed that He was the Messiah and the Son of God who was to come in the universe (John 11:27). Finally, after Jesus fed five thousand people (John 6: 1-14), He rebuked the people who had wrong motives towards Him (O’Day & Peterson, 2008). For instance, He told the people that they were looking for Him because they ate and had all that they wanted and not because they understood the miracle (John 6: 26).

According to the gospel of John, Jesus was the most powerful person and had authority from His father in heaven. For instance, when Jesus raised Lazarus, His power and authority from God was evident through His prayer. Besides, in the book of John chapter eleven verse forty one to forty two (John 11:41-42), Jesus told his father in heaven that He knew He always listened to Him, but He was saying that for those people who were present so that they could believe that He was sent by the Father (O’Day & Peterson, 2008).

This shows that Jesus had authority from God and He was close to His Father because His Father granted His request. Besides, Jesus had a habit of listening and honoring Gods voice because He heard his heavenly Father and His Heavenly Father heard him too (O’Day & Peterson, 2008).

Additionally, John portrays Jesus as a living word in the way He preached and accomplished His mission in the world (O’Day & Peterson, 2008). For instance, in the book of John chapter three, Jesus lectured Nicodemus about being born again and in John chapter four He explained to the Samaritan woman the importance of worship and the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Beside, in John chapter five, He disclosed about the significance of the Sabbath and in John chapter six, He elaborated about His being the heavenly bread. From the above chapters, it is evident that Jesus attached importance to the word that He preached as well as the word of God (O’Day & Peterson, 2008).

In the Gospel of John, Jesus knew the heart of every person and for that reason, He knew who to trust and who not to put His trust on. For example, in the book of John chapter two verse twenty three to twenty five (John 2:23-25), Jesus was in Jerusalem where the Passover festival was held and many people believed in Him because of the miracles that He had been performing.

On the contrary, Jesus did not trust them because He knew them and He did not require any person to tell Him about them because He knew what was in their hearts (O’Day & Peterson, 2008). This shows that Jesus had power from God to know that which mortal men could know.

In conclusion, Jesus is perceived as God who is the Greatest and highest. Besides, He is obedient, compassionate and intimate. As a result, we should emulate the example of Jesus if we want to enter in to the kingdom of God.

To begin with, Jesus is God because He existed during the creation time, He came to earth and went back to heaven after the resurrection and He is with God waiting to come back again to judge people (O’Day & Peterson, 2008). Besides, Jesus is the highest because through Him God achieved His purpose for humankind and people were able to receive salvation. Additionally, Jesus is obedient because He obeyed Gods commandments while He was on this earth and He accepted to die for the sins of man.

Moreover, Jesus is compassionate because He loved both the children and other people because he preached the good news to them and he gave them His blessings. Finally, Jesus is intimate because He spent most of His time preaching and urging people to turn away from sins. Additionally, He is intimate with God because He always prayed to Him while asking for His guidance and protection.

O’Day, G., & Peterson, D. (2008). The Access Bible: A resource for Beginning Bible Students, New Revised Standard Version with Apocrypha. New York: Oxford University Press.

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IvyPanda. (2018, October 25). Jesus in the Gospel. https://ivypanda.com/essays/jesus-in-the-gospel/

"Jesus in the Gospel." IvyPanda , 25 Oct. 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/jesus-in-the-gospel/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'Jesus in the Gospel'. 25 October.

IvyPanda . 2018. "Jesus in the Gospel." October 25, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/jesus-in-the-gospel/.

1. IvyPanda . "Jesus in the Gospel." October 25, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/jesus-in-the-gospel/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Jesus in the Gospel." October 25, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/jesus-in-the-gospel/.

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• Don't Play Favorites

Ray: Make blue links out of the two Campbell book titles, and the poem title "First They Came."

Lectionary essay for the September 8, 2024 RCL

TITLE: Don't Play Favorites"

Images and descriptions for the lectionary essay: (1) Will Campbell,   https://mississippiencyclopedia.org/entries/will-d-campbell/ . (2) Martin Niemoeller,  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Niem öller#/media/File:Martin_Niemöller_(1952).jpg

Image for upper left module:  https://mississippiencyclopedia.org/entries/will-d-campbell/

Poem for upper right module: The Peace Prayer of Saint Francis,  https://journeywithjesus.net/poemsandprayers/554-saint-francis-of-assisi

Image for upper right module:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_of_Assisi#/media/File :S.Francesco_speco.jpg

Teaser text for upper right module: We do not know the author of this classic prayer, and it was not until the 1920s that it was even ascribed to Saint Francis, but it expresses his longing to be an instrument of reconciliation in our fallen world.

Weekly Prayer  at end of essay: GM Hopkins,  https://journeywithjesus.net/poemsandprayers/605-gerard-manley-hopkins-thee-god-i-come-from

Proverbs 22:1–2, 8–9, 22–23 or Isaiah 35:4–7 Psalm 125 or Psalm 146 James 2:1–10, (11–13), 14–17  Mark 7:24–37

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This Week's Essay

Acts 10:34, “Now I truly understand that God doesn’t show favoritism."

For Sunday September 8, 2024

Lectionary Readings ( Revised Common Lectionary , Year B)

This summer marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of Will Campbell (1924–2013) on July 18. He might be one of the most provocative saints that you've never heard of. Campbell was many things to many people, but for me his greatest contribution was how he struggled mightily to incarnate the reading for this week from James 2:1,4: "As believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism," for in showing favoritism "have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?"

Campbell told his story in two memoirs —  Brother to a Dragonfly (1977), which was a finalist for a National Book Award, and Forty Acres and a Goat (1986). He was born and raised on a cotton farm in Amite County, Mississippi, a place known for its poverty, segregation, and lynchings. The Bibles in his family church were emblazoned with a symbol of the Ku Klux Klan. When he was seven, Campbell decided to be a preacher, and at age seventeen he was ordained by family members at East Fork Baptist Church. After serving in World War II as a combat medic, he completed studies at Yale Divinity School.

Campbell then pastored a small church in Louisiana for two years, but that "just didn't work out," he writes. Nor did his two years as Director of Religious Life at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), where his radical views on civil rights and racial integration led to hate mail and death threats. He resigned and took a post at the National Council of Churches. That too eventually fizzled out, but not before he participated in four iconic moments in the civil rights movement.

In 1957, Campbell was the only white person present who was invited by MLK at the founding of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. A few months later, he was one of four people who escorted "The Little Rock Nine" group of African American students attempting to enroll in Little Rock Central High School. In 1961, he accompanied the "Freedom Riders" in their efforts to integrate interstate bus travel despite white mob violence. And in 1963, he joined Dr. King’s boycotts, sit-ins and marches in deeply segregated Birmingham, where, as his obituary in the New York Times put it, "In scenes that stunned the nation, protesters were met with snarling police dogs and high-pressure water hoses."

Campbell broadened his bona fides by protesting the Vietnam War, helping draft dodgers, opposing capital punishment and abortion, and campaigning for equal rights for women, gays, and lesbians. But bit by bit across those volatile twenty years, he sensed that something wasn't quite right. He found himself with "a call but no steeple," a sense of failure, self doubt, and "a penchant for self-destruction." He came to distrust all movements and institutions, especially the church — he once referred to television preachers as liars, frauds, and "electronic soul molesters." He dismissed all politics as impotent.

He eventually regrouped on a rundown two-hundred year old farmhouse with forty acres and a goat named Jackson. There, in rural Tennessee, Campbell freelanced as one of the most irreverent Christians ever to infuriate the church. He farmed, wrote over twenty books, hosted a steady stream of troubled people both famous and unknown (Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Carter, etc.), wrote country music, visited the sick and the imprisoned, and continued his curmudgeonly protest against the principalities and powers.

What had happened? Why the radical conversion? In the language of James for this week, he concluded that he had been playing favorites, and become judgmental of others. And since God does not play favorites, neither should he. "Mr. Jesus," he said, "loves the bigots, too."

As he matured, Campbell discovered how readily he hated those who hated, how easily he agitated for the oppressed but hated the oppressor. Strange, he thought, how he enjoyed thinking that God hated all the same people that he hated. He had the uneasy feeling that he had created God in his own image, and after his likeness. Through a series of encounters with unlikely "teachers," he admitted that after twenty years in ministry he had become little more than a "doctrinaire social activist." He had subverted the indiscriminate love of God for all people without conditions, limits, or exceptions into a ministry of "liberal sophistication."

Campbell then had the temerity to act upon his newfound convictions. He started sipping whiskey with the Ku Klux Klan, and became something like their unofficial chaplain who officiated at their weddings and funerals. He befriended the Grand Dragon of North Carolina, J.R. "Bob" Jones, visiting him the night before Jones was imprisoned. He visited MLK's assassin James Earl Ray in prison. There was a big difference, he realized, between being a "doctrinaire social activist" and a follower of Jesus. The key? "I came to understand the nature of tragedy. And one who understands the nature of tragedy can never take sides."

In 1976, he wryly observed, "It's been a long time since I got a hate letter from the right. Now they come from the left." Not everyone will appreciate Campbell's rapier wit, but in the year 2000, PBS profiled him in their documentary "God's Will," and President Clinton honored him with a National Endowment for the Humanities medal.

I'm not sure that I could make nice with the KKK like Will Campbell, but I think he pointed us in the right direction. He reminds me of the German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984), who started at the opposite side of the political spectrum and traveled to a similar theological destination.

Many people are familiar with Niemöller's famous poetic confession  First They Came , but by his own admission, for much of his life, speaking out for the powerless, resisting Hitler, and defending the Jews is exactly what Niemöller did not do. He was a deeply conservative right wing nationalist. He voted for Hitler and the Nazi Party twice. Even when he was imprisoned, in 1939 he volunteered to rejoin the German military in World War II.

But in 1945 Niemöller took his beloved wife Else back to Dachau to show her the cell where he had been imprisoned. There they saw a simple plaque that read, "Here in the years 1933 to 1945, 238,756 people were cremated." Niemöller recalled that when he read the plaque "a cold shudder ran down my spine." It wasn't just the number of people murdered that haunted him, it was the dates. Dachau opened in 1933. At that time Niemöller was a free man and a prominent pastor. "My alibi accounted for the years 1937 to 1945," he said, "but God was not asking me where I had been from 1937 to 1945 but from 1933 to 1945… and for those [earlier years] I did not have an answer."

Eventually Niemöller  did  change, even radically so .  He repudiated his ultra-nationalist and antisemitic views. He admitted his personal responsibility for not resisting more, along with the collective guilt of the entire nation for the Holocaust. Sounding like the leftwing liberal Will Campbell, he confessed that "it took me a long time to learn that God is not the enemy of my enemies. He's not even the enemy of his own enemies." In the words of the epistle James, we can't play favorites with the love of God.

Weekly Prayer Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844–1889) Thee, God, I come from, to Thee I go THEE, God, I come from, to thee go,            All day long I like fountain flow     From thy hand out, swayed about   Mote-like in thy mighty glow.  What I know of thee I bless,       As acknowledging thy stress         On my being and as seeing   Something of thy holiness.    Once I turned from thee and hid,      Bound on what thou hadst forbid;        Sow the wind I would; I sinned: I repent of what I did.       Bad I am, but yet thy child.    Father, be thou reconciled.       Spare thou me, since I see                With thy might that thou art mild.    I have life before me still  And thy purpose to fulfil;   Yea a debt to pay thee yet:    Help me, sir, and so I will.            But thou bidst, and just thou art,       Me shew mercy from my heart          Towards my brother, every other    Man my mate and counterpart.

Dan Clendenin:  [email protected]

Image credits: (1)  Mississippi Encyclopedia  and (2)  Wikipedia.org .

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