What Are We to Make of Christ?
A Summary of a Presentation by CS Lewis
Many see Christ as a moral teacher, highly ethical, full of wisdom, with a brilliant and sane mind.
But Christ can never be considered just a moral teacher. Some even consider Him a lunatic or a megalomaniac. See some of His offending remarks below:
Other religions claim to have the truth, but Christ proclaimed:
Could His followers have created such remarks? Unlikely as they came from a nation convinced of only one God. Initially they were also reluctant to embrace Jesus’s claims.
Could Christ be a legend? According to literary historian CS Lewis, too many descriptions in the story are clumsy, not artistic enough, and not properly explained to have been created as a legend.
Hardly any ancient literature includes dialogue like the four gospels. Someone building a legend wouldn’t allow this to happen. Also, realistic novels only came about a hundred years ago.
It is difficult to come up with an alternative explanation for Christ, other than He was telling the truth: God, coming to earth to become a man, died and resurrected.
If Christ is what He said He is, ignoring Him would be catastrophic. So, choose wisely.
A summary of a presentation by CS Lewis:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGU2JN2a3Cs
But Christ can never be considered just a moral teacher. Some even consider Him a lunatic or a megalomaniac. See some of His offending remarks below:
- Responding to the high priest, He said He was the anointed one, the Son of God (Mark 14:61-62).
- He forgave sins (Matthew 9:2, Mark 2:5, Luke 7:48). How could anyone forgive a transgression not committed against them?
- He claimed to have kept sending prophets and wise men to the Israelites (Matthew 23:34).
- He suspended Jewish rules, telling people not to fast while He was around (Mark 2:18-19).
- He considered Himself sinless (John 8:2-11).
- He called Himself “I am,” which is what God called Himself (John 8:58).
Other religions claim to have the truth, but Christ proclaimed:
- “I am the truth, the way, and the life” (John 14:6).
- Trying to retain your life will ruin it. Giving yourself away for Him will save it (Matthew 16:25).
- If we are ashamed of Him, He will be ashamed of us when He comes again as God without disguise (Luke 9:26).
- He will set things right if we go to Him with our heavy loads (Matthew 11:28-30).
- He is our food and our drink (John 6:53-58).
- He has overcome the world, and we don’t have to be afraid (John 16:33, 14:27).
Could His followers have created such remarks? Unlikely as they came from a nation convinced of only one God. Initially they were also reluctant to embrace Jesus’s claims.
Could Christ be a legend? According to literary historian CS Lewis, too many descriptions in the story are clumsy, not artistic enough, and not properly explained to have been created as a legend.
Hardly any ancient literature includes dialogue like the four gospels. Someone building a legend wouldn’t allow this to happen. Also, realistic novels only came about a hundred years ago.
It is difficult to come up with an alternative explanation for Christ, other than He was telling the truth: God, coming to earth to become a man, died and resurrected.
If Christ is what He said He is, ignoring Him would be catastrophic. So, choose wisely.
A summary of a presentation by CS Lewis:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGU2JN2a3Cs