What Did Jesus Actually Do?

[Thief]

He was born, he preached, he was executed.

yeah....
and the parables are the items of importance

 

[Spartan]

The only evidence of his existence is a handful of people wrote about him, decades after his alleged death (and, remarkably, none while he lived which is a point of interest). At best we can say there probably was someone who did actually live who inspired the Christian mythos. Not many scholars doubt it. But plausibly existing isn't concrete evidence he did.

"decades after his death"?

The earliest mention of the Resurrection was only a handful of years after the event.

Earliest Mention of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

 

[sojourner]

From a historical standpoint, what, in his own lifetime, did Jesus of Nazareth achieve? I am having trouble figuring this out, because I can see objectively that Muhammad had a huge impact upon not only his own society but others, all within his lifetime. That the impact was either good or bad is not my point here, but that had had one. Baha'u'llah had some direct impacts, if small, upon his society. In contrast, I can't think of anything Jesus did that no-one else could have done.

He was born, he preached, he was executed.

This is probably going to turn into an 'It was all Paul not Jesus' thread, but have at it anyway.

Jesus reportedly had a great following. He gathered disciples, sent them out, taught, and healed. What do you want for your plug nickel?

 

[sojourner]

I can find this in Judaism though, which came before Christianity, what makes Jesus' parables so exciting? They exist in all religions.

What makes the Judaic texts so exciting as opposed to the koran? Or the Vedas? Or the Gospels, for that matter?

 

[Rival]

Jesus reportedly had a great following. He gathered disciples, sent them out, taught, and healed. What do you want for your plug nickel?

And other people couldn't have done this? Jesus was one of hundreds of such men.

 

[Rival]

What makes the Judaic texts so exciting as opposed to the koran? Or the Vedas? Or the Gospels, for that matter?

I was speaking from my own religion. I'm sure other texts have exciting parts.

 

[sojourner]

What original "teaching" did he come up with?
"golden rule" is as old as dirt.

Why does a teaching have to be "original" in order to be legit? I don't get it. Truth is as old as the hills. Why does it have to be "new?" Are we intimating that Jesus was a "copycat" or some such?

 

[sojourner]

And other people couldn't have done this? Jesus was one of hundreds of such men.

That's the point! We can ALL do that. Jesus said we would even do greater things. "Miracle man" isn't synonymous with "Son of God."

 

[Rival]

That's the point! We can ALL do that. Jesus said we would even do greater things. "Miracle man" isn't synonymous with "Son of God."

So Jesus don't actually do anything spectacular is your argument? People just felt the need to write about this random lay preacher who was one of hundreds because he didn't do anything spectacular?

 

[sojourner]

"decades after his death"?

The earliest mention of the Resurrection was only a handful of years after the event.

Earliest Mention of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

"Written" and "mentioned" are two different things.

 

[sojourner]

So Jesus don't actually do anything spectacular is your argument? People just felt the need to write about this random lay preacher who was one of hundreds because he didn't do anything spectacular?

Not at all. But perhaps his "spectacularness" had more to do with his personhood, and not particularly because of anything he did.

 

[sojourner]

I was speaking from my own religion. I'm sure other texts have exciting parts.

Well? What's the dealio with the Pentateuch or Tanach being so great, as opposed to other texts?

 

[Rival]

Not at all. But perhaps his "spectacularness" had more to do with his personhood, and not particularly because of anything he did.

So what was so good about him that people wanted to record it for all generations and turn him into a god?

 

[Rival]

Well? What's the dealio with the Pentateuch or Tanach being so great, as opposed to other texts?

It's my religious text, but this isn't the point of the thread. It isn't even about texts, it's about Jesus.

 

[sojourner]

None of this is true. This is Christian slander against Judaism.

How do you know? Evidence, please.

 

[sojourner]

So what was so good about him that people wanted to record it for all generations and turn him into a god?

Maybe Jesus is God?

 

[Rival]

Maybe Jesus is God?

But how do you get to that conclusion?

 

[sojourner]

This is ridiculous. There are millions upon millions who believe in G-d, the supernatural, spirits and so forth without being Christian.

And there are millions who are Christian. What's your point?

 

[sojourner]

But how do you get to that conclusion?

Tradition. Like any other religion, including Judaism.

 

[Rival]

Tradition. Like any other religion, including Judaism.

How do you get from 'he did nothing all that great' to 'he's a god' though? How does that tradition develop? Neither Moshe nor any other prophet were taken for gods and they did wonderful things. Eliyahu raised a dead boy and he's not taken for a deity. What gave Jesus this distinction?