Anything purporting to be in the spirit of Lent must eventually get around to the subject of Jesus. He is, after all, the central figure of Christianity. But which Jesus should we contemplate? This may on the surface seem a frivolous question, but a deeper look will reveal a multitude of perceptions of who he was and his significance. Many consider the Bible to be the primary source of information, and while this is basically true the New Testament as we have received it today can hardly be considered a firsthand account.
From the beginning interpretation has played an undeniable role in the telling of the gospel story. It would have been helpful if Jesus would have written his own autobiography, but that too would have been influenced by his perception of himself. Alas, we read that at best he made a few scratches in the sand, and the telling of his life and what it meant was left to others who in all likelihood had no firsthand knowledge of their subject. Multiply this process by two-thousand years and your end product is fundamentally mythological in character.
But back to me; which Jesus is best suited to my needs, wants and desires? The personal savior model is extremely attractive. What could possibly be better than some mystical creature that is willing to die on a cross in order to save me? It is true that I am hard pressed to find in Scripture that he ever said as much, but the growing popularity of today’s Christianity has to have something to do with a Messiah that is committed to vanquishing anyone or anything that stands in the way of my salvation—whatever that means.
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