“The reality, however, is that Jesus is far beyond what the human brain and earthly language can grasp. This calls for integrity and humility. Humility challenges us to admit that our perception of Jesus is limited and flawed. Integrity demands that we keep seeking the deep, authentic, and revealed nature of our Messiah.”- Kyle Idleman and Mark E. Moore
Kyle Idleman and Mark E. Moore conclude Chapter 4 of The Missing Messiah as they discuss how Christianity spread like wildfire beyond the Roman Empire. In the process, theological ideas about Jesus became more sophisticated and complex. Thus, Christology — the detailed study of Christ’s nature and role — developed. It reflected:
- continuity with Jewish messianic hopes.
- major innovations influenced by Greek and Roman thinking.
As a result, the early church councils, starting with Nicaea in AD 325, began to define official doctrines about Christ’s nature using Greek philosophical terms. Hence, ideas like homoousios (meaning “of the same substance”) were employed to describe Christ’s connection to God the Father. Most significantly, a completely new concept to first-century Jewish Christians. Yet, these words became crucial to what we now recognize as orthodox Christian belief.
In conclusion, Kyle and Mark acknowledge, there’s something to be said for finding a church where you feel at home. A place where the worship connects with you. But the authors also see a potential dark side when you:
- find yourself in an echo chamber where everyone thinks like you and the Jesus portrayed agrees with you on all points.
- make Jesus your servant rather than submitting yourself to His service.
Therefore, Kyle and Mark counsel:
“Understanding the original settings of biblical texts can dramatically enrich our grasp of their meaning. We must challenge our own cultural assumptions to see how the influence our view of Jesus. . . . The original Jewish context of Jesus’ messianic identity remains essential to truly knowing who he was.”
Today’s question: What Scriptures help you in calls for integrity and humility? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “WEIRD people in our Western culture”