The Great Controversies of Jesus, Deciphering the Mysteries of Christianity...

By Rolando José Olivo

More than two thousand years ago, the most extraordinary man of all time was born. Much has been written and spoken about Jesus, immersed in a religious environment of fascination. Even with a short ministry, He managed to permanently change the history, leaving a sensational legacy.

Paradoxically, Jesus has been subject of many debates and discussions over several centuries, and various questions have arisen among academics and researchers, which have even led to doubt about his existence.

The great controversies of Jesus are the following: Who is Jesus? Why didn ́t Jesus leave written documents? Are the canonical Gospels valid? Who is the Messiah announced in the biblical prophecies? Is Jesus religious or esoteric? What is the role of Jesus in human suffering? Is Jesus God? Is Jesus a member of the trinity? Is Jesus a descendant of the king David? When and where was Jesus born? Did Jesus have brothers? Who is the Virgin Mary? Who is Mary Magdalene? How long did Jesus’ ministry last? What happened during the lost years of Jesus? Why and how was Jesus condemned? How did Jesus die and why is the Christian cross so important? What happened when Jesus died? Why don ́t the Gospels coincide on the resurrection of Jesus? When and where did Jesus ascend to Heaven? What was Paul’s role in Christianity?

Additionally, Jesus proclaimed a masterly speech to an immense crowd, in which he established a new covenant between God and the Christians, announcing several of the controversial foundations of the Christian doctrine.

Moreover, his Essence is so sensational that it far surpasses the fictitious modern superheroes (which come from the Greek mythology), designed to give hope in a world out of control with these messages: a) the good always defeats the evil, b) it is possible to build a new civilization, based on love and justice, and c) progress is being made in the right direction. However, no human invention can end the wickedness and injustices of this world, nor propose a successful path, different from the one posed by Christ, the true Savior of the humankind.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rolando José Olivo
• Release date: Mar 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463427811

Rolando José Olivo

[e-mail] Instagram: @rolandojolivo Systems Engineer with 3 postgraduate degrees: Master's Degree in Applied Economics, Diploma in General Management and Specialization in Management of Social Programs (Summa Cum Laude). Work experience in companies in the oil sector, occupying these positions: Planning and Logistics Manager, Project Coordinator, Financial Advisor and Consultant. Consultant in the economic and financial area. Writer of books on economics, management, self-help, novels and Christianity, among others.

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I. INTRODUCTION

More than two thousand years ago, the most extraordinary man of all time was born. Without having known Him personally, nor knowing what his appearance was, nor having read any document written by Him, profound feelings of admiration, love and respect for his person still prevail.

Much has been written and spoken about Jesus, immersed in a religious environment of fascination. Even with a short ministry of three years and few months, He managed to change the history definitively, founding Christianity, expanding the Jewish belief of the existence of a One True God, all over the world, dividing the history into two eras (before and after Christ), promoting new celebrations (the Holy Week and the Christmas), rescuing the principles and moral values, and favoring many processes of transculturation, modernization, progress and human development.

So much so, that Christianity is the most relevant social and religious movement in the history of the humankind, being promoter of: a) the origin and development of science, b) the constitution of a new religious, political, social and economic system, c) the defense of human rights, d) the definitive rejection of violence, e) the universal sense of human justice, f) the dignification of work, g) the non-deification of the rulers, and h) the implementation of the Christian ethics.

In short, the influence of Jesus is impressive (analyzed in the Chapter II. The Sensational Legacy of Jesus), being the only person who has conquered death (by his own resurrection and returning others from the beyond), having Him the same Essence of God.

Apart from these unprecedented achievements, the figure of Jesus has been object of several debates and multiple discussions over several centuries, and various questions have arisen among academics and researchers (which have even led to doubt about his existence).

These issues stand out (analyzed exhaustively in the Chapter III. The Great Controversies of Jesus):

1. Who is Jesus?

2. Why didn´t Jesus leave written documents?

3. Are the canonical Gospels valid?

4. Who is the Messiah announced in the biblical prophecies?

5. Is Jesus religious or esoteric?

6. What is the role of Jesus in human suffering?

7. Is Jesus God?

8. Is Jesus a member of the trinity?

9. Is Jesus a descendant of the king David?

10. When and where was Jesus born?

11. Did Jesus have brothers?

12. Who is the Virgin Mary?

13. Who is Mary Magdalene?

14. How long did Jesus' ministry last?

15. What happened during the lost years of Jesus?

16. Why and how was Jesus condemned?

17. How did Jesus die and why is the Christian cross so important?

18. What happened when Jesus died?

19. Why don´t the Gospels coincide on the resurrection of Jesus?

20. When and where did Jesus ascend to Heaven?

21. What was Paul’s role in Christianity?

Although there are no exact answers to these questions, in this literary work the best possible approximations are provided, highlighting that the four canonical Gospels (more theological than historical) are reliable sources about the life, works and teachings of Jesus, being very difficult that these are fictitious stories invented to indoctrinate people.

Moreover, some researchers argue that it would have been impossible to invent Jesus and as his ideas were highly innovative (during that time and in later centuries). In the same way, it is also extremely difficult for a small group of radical Hebrews to have conceived them, promoting an ideological confrontation with the Jewish authorities, and desisting from acting violently against the Roman occupation.

Certainly, Jesus’ messages are revolutionary and controversial. On the one hand, He was a biblical scholar, faithful connoisseur of the Old Testament and respectful of the commandments of God. And on the other hand, He stood out for his extraordinary ideas, questioning beliefs and practices of Pharisees and Sadducees, giving a new approach to religion (emphasizing that love, mercy and respect for others or human rights are more important than religious customs, which were part of strict routines).

Masterfully, Jesus said many things with few words and taught his disciples to reason. He stood out for his style of personal preaching, helped the needy, shared with people and enjoyed the company of others.

Even Jesus addressed mainly to the excluded, condemning the oppressors and those who abused of their privileges and harmed the most vulnerable ones. Therefore, his message is of hope, faith, optimism and justice; focused on facing suffering, overcoming pain and waiting for the restitution of the Divine Justice.

Additionally, on one occasion, Jesus proclaimed a sensational discourse to an immense multitude, in which He established a new covenant between God and the Christians, and announced several foundations of the Christian doctrine (Chapter IV. The Sermon on the Mount), which is compatible with the complex human behavior (according to Abraham Maslow’s Theory of Human Needs and the fundaments of the microeconomic Theory of Consumer Choice).

However, due to the neglect and abandonment of Christian religious practices, the grave moral crisis (which arose in the Modern Era and accentuated during Postmodernism), and the feeling that humanity has lost the war against evil, the stories of superheroes (derived from Greek myths) have reemerged, whose characters can´t be compared with Jesus, nor replace Him.

In that sense, the famous modern superheroes (avengers, violent and violators of human rights) don´t act in accordance with the Christian message and constitute an attempt to demonstrate that the good triumphs over the evil, in order to recover hope in a morally destroyed world, and to give the feeling that the humankind is moving in the right direction (Chapter V. Jesus and the Modern Superheroes).

Finally, the facts related to the life, works, miracles and teachings of the Lord have generated multiple controversies, debates, opinions and opposing points of view (in favor and against the existence of Jesus). What is clear is that his legacy is undeniable and the good Christian is distinguished by being an exemplary and virtuous person, fulfilling his obligations to society and God.

II. THE SENSATIONAL LEGACY OF JESUS

The influence of Jesus on the civilization and the human culture is truly exceptional.

So much so that his legacy is responsible of:

a) expanding the Jewish belief of the existence of One True God throughout the world (especially in the Western civilization),

b) dividing the history into two eras (before and after Christ),

c) including celebrations such as the Holy Week and Christmas,

d) rescuing principles and moral values,

e) favoring many processes of transculturation, modernization, progress and human development. Even more, the Western contemporary culture is fundamentally Christian and Greco-Roman.

In general terms, the Christianity has promoted:

1. The origin and development of science.

2. The constitution of a new religious, political, social and economic system.

3. The defense of human rights.

4. The definitive rejection of violence.

5. The universal sense of human justice.

6. The dignification of work.

7. The non-deification of the rulers.

8. The implementation of the Christian ethics.

1. The origin and development of science:

The scientific thought arose from medieval Christianity, which was based on theology and later on the use of reason.

In this regard, the studies in the convents and the creation of the universities in Europe were fostered by the Christian churches.

Moreover, since several centuries ago, the premises of the rational cosmos (the universe functions in an orderly way by congruent, mathematical and exact laws, understandable to the human mind) that sustain modern science, introduced in principle by pre-Socratic philosophers, were ratified by the medieval Christians.

Therefore, in opposition with modern popular beliefs (which support the conflict and incompatibility between science and religions), Christianity gave birth to science[1].

2. The constitution of a new religious, political, social and economic system:

Masterfully, Jesus said that He and his disciples aren´t part of the world (John 15:19 and 17:16), and He also expressed that He has overcome the world (John 16:33).

Certainly, Jesus referred to the world of that time and not to the current one. While the word world, translated from Greek, has three meanings (the place, the people, and the human organization or religious, political, social and economic system).

Therefore, Christianity, democracy and capitalism[2]. constitute a new system different from the old (atheist or anti-religious or based on false religions), which also displaced Judaism.

3. The defense of human rights:

Although innumerable injustices still persist, there are international organizations such as the Organization of the United Nations (UN), the Organization of American States (OAS), among others, national autonomous institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that watch and protect the human rights of citizens.

Therefore, the long road that led to the consideration of human rights in constitutions and laws, and the formulation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, began with Christianity.

4. The definitive rejection of violence:

Christianity is characterized by an antagonistic position on violence. Jesus’ phrase of turning the other cheek to the enemy (Matthew 5:38-39 and Luke 6:27-29) is famous. This is oriented towards desisting from revenge, not to respond badly with evil, and avoid violent actions at all costs (which produce more harm than benefits).

In this time, the warlike conflicts and the loss of human lives have been condemned, in diverse places of the world.

Therefore, the feeling of repudiation to wars, armed confrontations and unnecessary deaths of human beings (in concordance with the defense of human rights) was germinating by the Christian thought.

5. The universal sense of human justice:

Currently, in democratic nations, the judicial system seeks to punish the real culprits and not scapegoats or false culprits (as happened in primitive cultures).

The French historian and philosopher Rene Girard acknowledged that Christianity is unprecedented and highly innovative, indicating that without this doctrine, it could not have been possible to end human sacrifices, nor with the legitimacy of punishing innocent victims (which was characteristic of other times).

Therefore, Christianity contributed to improve the judicial system, directing it in the right direction: identify and punish those who have caused harm to society.

6. The dignification of work:

The founders of classical economics (the economists of the United Kingdom, Adam Smith and David Ricardo, and the English scholar Thomas Malthus) ratified the medieval conception of work (it dignifies the human being and is a pillar of the progress of society), moving this Christian notion (Catholic and Protestant) to the modern thinking.

Therefore, unlike the atheist and communist approach, which devalues work, Christianity defends and honors it, recognizing its importance.

7. The non-deification of the rulers:

Democracy and capitalism support this Christian position: the rulers are public servants and administrators of the resources of society. They aren´t kings, nor dictators, nor possess divine character, rather they are citizens with duties and rights (although they may have certain prerogatives to perform their functions).

This guarantees that the rulers, who have great responsibilities, must be respectful with citizens and take care of public goods.

Likewise, this approach is also related to the rejection of narcissism[3].

Therefore, Christianity strongly refutes the personal cult and that the rulers are considered as gods (insisting that they are human beings, who must be accountable for their management).

8. The implementation of the Christian ethics:

Broadly speaking, the Christian message stands out for:

a) confirming the belief of One True God, ratifying that the gods and idols of the polytheistic religions are false,

b) reaffirming the principles, the moral values, the sense of justice and the need to act correctly,

c) denying the