The Jesus that Christians do not want to know

Today’s New Testament scholars have lively arguments among themselves, but they have a near unanimous opinion about one thing: Jesus was a Jewish rabbi. Once that is settled, some important facts follow. As a conscientious rabbi, Jesus was a student, teacher and practitioner of Torah, Jewish law. By tradition and by reasonable assumption, we conclude that Jesus at an early age became engrossed in the study of Torah. He took on the challenge of living out the precepts of the Torah. No matter the explanation, Jesus became a beloved Jewish rabbi and developed a large following in rural northern Palestine.

How did Jesus become a recognized rabbi? Was he simply a bright and charismatic person who just happened to come along at the right time? Or was Jesus a reputational rabbi? Was Jesus one of those rare individuals who practiced what he believed, and thus gained attention, a reputation and a hearing? Many, including me, believe Jesus taught the meaning and application of Torah to his rural following and was willing to live out the precepts he taught. The life that Jesus lived was dramatically different from the lives of his contemporaries. The religious leaders who were contemporaries of Jesus were committed to cooperation with a corrupt and vicious Roman Empire that claimed divinity for its Caesars. Jesus could not bear the thought of being a cooperator with Rome or Jerusalem. It was contrary to his best understanding of Torah. His tool to bring change was the telling of stories.

Historically, rabbis are story tellers. Those who listened and paid attention to Rabbi Jesus were rural, poor and mostly illiterate. The stories he told and the sayings he repeated were highly critical of the religious, political and social leadership in first century CE. The life circumstances and experiences of his audiences fostered the remembering of the stories of Rabbi Jesus. They listened, they remembered and they shared his stories with others. Jesus became notable because he was a rabbi who stirred the imagination of his listeners and challenged them to live in an earthly kingdom in accordance with Torah. Jesus called this Torah-centered society “Kingdom of God.”

The Jesus that is found in modern Christian churches is not a Jewish rabbi telling stories that are contemporary commentary on Torah.

The Jesus that is typically found in 21st Century churches is a theological Jesus. We all recognize the outline of the theology. He was born of a virgin. He is God incarnate. He is the second person of a trinity. He is the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world by his death on the cross. He is the risen Lord. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who sits on a heavenly throne next to the Father God.

I am not suggesting that the creedal Christ of the Christian church be set aside. I am pointing out that the Christian churches are denying a historical reality. Jesus from Nazareth was a truly great Jewish rabbi. He understood the challenge of the rabbinic role of teaching and interpreting Torah, the law of God.

The Rabbi Jesus is the Jesus that Christians do not want to hear about. If the Rabbi Jesus is taken seriously, the followers of Jesus are immediately confronted with Torah and the challenge of living according to it. The role of rabbi and Torah are joined together at the hip. One cannot be considered without the other. The typical Christian is very happy to be saved and assured a place in heaven, but living in accordance with Torah is barely given notice.

The rabbinic tradition is fascinating. Torah never changes but the application of Torah changes constantly in accordance with the context of living. If Jesus is to be understood as a rabbi, we also need to recognize that he was a part of an ongoing tradition. Even though he was great and special, the rabbinic task did not begin or end with Jesus. Jesus was not the first rabbi, there have been many since Jesus, and there will be more rabbis in the future.

When Jesus was queried about Torah, he responded that it all could be summed up in two statements. Love of God and love of neighbor. Apparently these two statements in the mind of Jesus are never changing. When he was asked to expand on love of neighbor, he told a story. In my imagination, if rabbi Jesus were asked questions in 2010, he would tell more stories. He would not tell the same stories. His new set of stories would be set in earthquakes, oil spills and hurricanes. They would be about animals, delicate plants and our earth’s environment. They would be about courts and people in prisons. They would be about farmers, lawyers and bankers. They would be about immigrants and drug dealers. They would be about football quarterbacks, senators, homeless alcoholics and scientists. They would be about soldiers and protest marches. They would be about paying taxes, luxury cars and fatherless children.

Torah avoids no place or situation. Rabbi Jesus demands that his followers take Torah and the Kingdom of God everywhere they go. Christian churches are reluctant to go. They are too busy thanking God for salvation and a quick trip to heaven.

The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister, who lives in Palmer. His e-mail address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.