Messiah?

[PantheistsRule]

Thanks for the answers!

I was aware of that fact Buddha and Mohummud did not claim divinity at all. Your history checks out about all that, pretty much.

So I guess the messiah thing is more historical than philosophical?

 

[jimmy]

Thanks for the answers!

I was aware of that fact Buddha and Mohummud did not claim divinity at all. Your history checks out about all that, pretty much.

So I guess the messiah thing is more historical than philosophical?

It is definitely a philosophical matter. The word messiah really doesn’t get to the point. Messiah simply means annointed. Maybe in some sense it would be claimed by Islam that Mohammed was anointed or by Buddhism that Buddha was anointed. But that is different than the claim of Christianity that God became man. Christianity believes that God is absolutely other and absolutely beyond creation. That one God who is the ground of all existence became man in Jesus Christ and united the human nature to Himself. In that man can become divine in as much as he can participate in the divine nature through Jesus. So it is a question of philosophy.

 

[grace_singh]

well, because Jesus fulfils a number of unique Jewish prophecies.

the first prophecy of Messiah is in Genesis 3:15, not long after Biblical history began. this prophecy was given to Eve, stating that her Seed would have his heel bit by Satan, but that her Seed would enetually crush Satan’s head.

as history went on, it became clear that Messiah would be a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Judah, and a descendant of King David. He would have the powers and attributes of God Almighty, would save His people, hail from Bethlehem, would also be rejected by His poeple, suffer for them, live forever, and draw all nations to Himself.

Jesus fits the picture of Messiah to a “t”. many Jews reject Him as Messiah, because another Messianic prophecy which He has not fulfilled yet is to restore Israel and bring peace to the world, which He will do when He comes again (Jesus spoke often of His second coming). in other words, both Jews and Christians wait for Messiah. for us it will be His second coming, for Jews it will be His first, but we both wait for Messiah to come and restore Israel, judge the nations, and rule the world as King and Lord.

Jesus is so unique because it is He who fulfils all these porphecies, who is the unique Son of God through whom God came down to save His peoples. Jesus did not seek enlightenment or write a book- He is the Light of the World and the Living Word. He did not come up with a philosophy or a religion to try to explain truth and meaning, rather He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Jesus is also the eternal Son of God, meaning He had glory in and with the Father (Creator) before the world was made. in order to know God personally and finally and have eternal life, we must trust the One God sent, His image, the Messiah. no other man was sent by God so save humanity and reconcile us to Him. the Buddha and Lao Tzu had some very good ideas, and were very bright and sincere men. but they can not save us, nor did God send them from Himself.

I’m trying to phrase my question correctly

I guess I’m wondering why only Jesus is God, why only he claimed to be/his followers made him God, while Buddha(’)s and Muhammud(‘s) did not, AND did not acknowledge Jesus’ divinity.

Peace, sorry about the vague nature of the question!

 

[peary]

Hey,

I’m not a Christian, but I was wondering about how you Christians reasoned this:

How is Jesus the “Messiah”, but Buddha, Mohummud, Lao-Tzu etc. not?

Christianity is the only religion whose prophet is also their God.

You answered your own question. Christianity is based on the revelation of God to man in the person of Jesus Christ, Who is God incarnate in the world. Buddha, Mohammed, Lao-Tzu are not God incarnate in the world.

 

[PantheistsRule]

It is definitely a philosophical matter. The word messiah really doesn’t get to the point. Messiah simply means annointed. Maybe in some sense it would be claimed by Islam that Mohammed was anointed or by Buddhism that Buddha was anointed. But that is different than the claim of Christianity that God became man. Christianity believes that God is absolutely other and absolutely beyond creation. That one God who is the ground of all existence became man in Jesus Christ and united the human nature to Himself. In that man can become divine in as much as he can participate in the divine nature through Jesus. So it is a question of philosophy.

I meant the whole “messiah” part is historical. The divinity part is philosophical.

 

[StrawberryJam]

I’m trying to phrase my question correctly

I guess I’m wondering why only Jesus is God, why only he claimed to be/his followers made him God, while Buddha(’)s and Muhammud(‘s) did not, AND did not acknowledge Jesus’ divinity.

Peace, sorry about the vague nature of the question!

The followers of Jesus did not make him God. Please rephrase.

 

[PantheistsRule]

You answered your own question. Christianity is based on the revelation of God to man in the person of Jesus Christ, Who is God incarnate in the world. Buddha, Mohammed, Lao-Tzu are not God incarnate in the world.

Well, I could argue Jesus was not divine/never claimed to be (which I personally believe), but that would simply be challenging your answer to my question, which would not really accomplish anything.

I’d rather not argue on this thread I do enough of that on others,

 

[PantheistsRule]

The followers of Jesus did not make him God. Please rephrase.

Okay

Essentially, I am posing a philosopihical question: how is Jesus the only prophet who was also claimed to be divine? Others have answered it by referencing prophecy, etc.

By challenging prophesy (which I could), I would not really be being fair. That would leave you with no reasoning to make Jesus God and Buddha, etc, not. So, I won’t do that

I made this thread wondering how Christians reasoned Jesus’ divinity, and you guys have answered my question, so thank you!

 

[StrawberryJam]

Okay

Essentially, I am posing a philosopihical question: how is Jesus the only prophet who was also claimed to be divine? Others have answered it by referencing prophecy, etc.

By challenging prophesy (which I could), I would not really be being fair. That would leave you with no reasoning to make Jesus God and Buddha, etc, not. So, I won’t do that

I made this thread wondering how Christians reasoned Jesus’ divinity, and you guys have answered my question, so thank you!

Why didn’t you just come out with your real question from the start?