Week #2- Which Jesus Should I Believe In?

Versions of Jesus?

Though I have never been a deeply religious person, I have a deep need to become more spiritual because I do believe in God and that Jesus is my savior. But I have always been confused about how to come about learning about Jesus because he is depicted so

inconsistently. That is why the most significant and memorable part of the reading selection this week was within Borg's "Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings, and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary", when he broke down the depictions of Jesus into four major themes. These themes included: The Dying Savior, Jesus as the Divine Human, The Apocalypse Jesus, and Jesus as Teacher. Each of these sections sounds like a separate person, so the way in which Borg broke down the different portrayals of Jesus significantly assisted in my understanding. The following paragraphs are jumbled reflections on each of these segments.

The Dying Savior

This portrayal emphasizes the act of His death, rather than His life. The concept confuses me because if He merely was placed on Earth in order to die for our sins, why would so many of His acts and miracles be so significant? I believe that because Jesus died for our sins, we are granted the ability to be liberated from the shame of every single sin. This perspective also makes life for Christians guilt ridden, when we should be rejoicing for what He gave to mankind. "As the one sinless human being, without spot or blemish, he is the sacrifice who atones for the sins of the world and makes forgiveness possible" (Borg 8).

Jesus as the Divine Human Being

Was Jesus God in human form? This concept has always confused me. In the past, in my ignorance, I have been comforted by the idea the Jesus was born among men and therefore was one of us, teaching lessons of human morality. Why was this comforting? I am unsure. Apart from being the Son of God is it possible that His divine power and divine knowledge was all that separated Him from the rest of mankind? Borg explained this discrepancy in a way that I was able to understand: "A figure who has superhuman power is ultimately not one of us. Jesus's humanity disappears" (10). Once the concept is phrased in that way, it is much easier to grasp the concept that Jesus could have been more than the Son of God, but instead the embodiment of God as well.

The Apocalyptic Jesus

I know that this concept and perception of Jesus is supposed to strike fear into the souls of Christians and make our faith stronger... but it instead causes me to push away from my faith in fear that whatever I do will not be enough. "Being Christian means being ready, being prepared, for the "rapture," the second coming, and the final judgment. Only by belonging to the category of "true believers" will one be saved when the end arrives" (Borg 12). How does an individual who has not been immersed in the faith for their entire life come to believe in this theory? I feel as though this interpretation makes the Christian faith into an exclusive club that is selfish with their membership. In relationship to selfishness, Borg also stated that "this view normally leads to a relative disregard for taking care of this world" (12). Just because these

"true believers" are confident in the fact that they will soon be rewarded for their faithfulness by the second coming of Christ does not mean that they should tarnish the remaining time that the rest of us have by harming our planet. If you cannot tell, I find this theory both ridiculous and aggravating.

Jesus as a Teacher

This is the depiction of Jesus that I can most relate to and that I find the most comfort in. Jesus obviously was placed on Earth with the intention of being sacrificed for the well-being of humanity; however, I believe that his presence itself had a higher meaning as well. Upon reading the description, I was immediately interesting in reading "The Jefferson Bible", because the contents are purely the teachings and "moral wisdoms" of Jesus himself. The teachings of Jesus are pillars in current society, yet they are often brushed over. Do we always "love one another"? Or do we merely tolerate each other? Maybe I lean towards this depiction of Jesus because it is the most tolerant and forgiving, but at the same time it is the theory that also carries the most weight on how to morally conduct your life.

Conclusion

Overall, this minor section in Borg's book made a substantial impact on my perspective of Jesus and how he is portrayed in society. I think that it is acceptable to combine aspects of all four depictions, as long as the moral lessons and teachings of Jesus remain moderately consistent. I have very little experience in reading scripture, so as I continue in this course, I look forward to seeing which interpretation that I find most apparent in the New Testament.