WHO IS THIS

Mark 4:35-41 NKJV

GOODSPEED offers this interesting translation of v. 41:
The disciples take an eventful evening boat ride across the Sea of Galilee. Terrorized by a sudden storm, they observe the storm become quiet at the command of Jesus. "Who can this be," Goodspeed translates it, "For even the wind and the sea obey him" (Mk 4:41; Luke 8:22; Mt 8:27).

THIS IS THE DEFINITIVE QUESTION OF ALL HISTORY.

The disciples saw him as different;
"even the wind and the sea obey him." Elton Trueblood made the observation: Jesus Christ an be accepted; he can be rejected; he cannot reasonably be ignored."

The Church has not always understood Jesus, but has always recognized him as different.
He was born of a maiden who never had sex with a man. He was called Jesus (Mt. 1:21--save people from their sins). The disciples saw him do miracles (text, as did others. Unusual circumstances followed his death, in that he was seen by many during 40 days following; Paul claims at least 500 saw him; Paul and Peter both testified that "God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ (2 Cor. 5:19).

History gives us four historically definitive statements:
321 Arius
said Christ was less than God but more than man, but the Nicene Creed declared him fully                  divine (God and man).
381 Apollinarius 
thought Jesus had human body/soul but divine mind (not fully human), but the Council of Constantinople declared Jesus fully human.
431 Nestorius 
said Jesus was two-people: one human, one divine and thus schizoid, but the Council of Ephesus declared Jesus one person.
In 451 Eutyche
thought Jesus  had two natures: Pre-incarnation and during the incarnation, but the Council
of Chalcedon reaffirmed Christ had two natures in one person and Christian Theology has built around these four theological concepts throughout church history.

Doubters still ask:  Is Jesus human, divine, both, neither? Is he a lunatic? a Liar? or Lord of Life? Mk 3:22--possessed of 'Beelzebub--not who he claimed.
Paul said he arose or our faith is false and he is a liar (I Cor 15:12-18).

Was Jesus paranoid, like the man who thought he was Napoleon? If so; he was a lunatic!

Was Jesus a false prophet? (John 9:16--he broke the Sabbath)
He didn't know what kind of woman Mary was that annointed his feet.

1988 Martin Scorsese produced film "The Last Temptation of Jesus" showing Jesus struggling with his humanity. The film portrays him in his dream as a depraved, lusting swinger who commits fornication/adultery etc as the grossest of sinners, but very different from the Bible.

GOODSPEED TRANSLATES, 'WHO CAN THIS BE?"
Is Jesus the historical man living in Mark 4, or is he the lusting swinger of Martin Scorsece?

I submit that Jesus is neither liar, nor lunatic, nor false prophet, but can on be the Lord of Lords.  If he was only deluded about being God; he was not only a liar and a false prophet but            Christianity is built upon a delusion and a scam. It is a fraud. If Jesus built his ministry on
deceit and trickery, the world has been cruelly deceived and Jesus is guilty of being an unmitigated scoundrel of the worst proportion in history and is deserving of hell fire for eternity (remember his temptation in the wilderness?)

Reason offers no middle ground: Jesus is fully God, fully man; with two nature's in one person as taught by early Councils, or he falls to the level of Martin Scorsece 1988 movie.

MOST IMPORTANTLY; WHO IS JESUS TO YOU AND ME? cf John 20:30-31.

Col. 1:16--The Bible reveals him as our clearest picture of God.
To the Artist ... he is the "one altogether lovely"
To the Architect ... he is the 'Chief Corner Stone"
To the Astronomer ... he is the "Sun of Righteousness"
To the Baker ... he is the :"Living Bread"
To the Banker ... he is the "Unseachable riches"
To the Biologist ... he is "The Life"
To the Builder ... he is the "Sure foundation"
To the Carpenter ... he is "The Door"
To the Editor ... he is the "Good Tidings of great joy"
To the Educator, he is the "Great Teacher"
To the Electrician ... he is the "Light of the world"
To the Engineer ... he is the "New and living Way"
To the Farmer ... he is the "Sower and Lord of the harvest"
To the Florist ... he is the "Rose of Sharon, Lilly of the Valley"
To the Geologist ... he is the "Rock of my salvation"
To the Horticulturalist ... he is the "True Vine"
To the Jeweler ... he is the "living precious stone"
To the Jurist ... he is the "Righteous Judge of all men"
To the Lawyer ... he is the "Faithful and True Witness"
To the Philanthropist ... he is the "unspeakable gift"
To the Policeman ... he is the "Power of God"
To the Preacher ... he is the "Word of God"
To the Sculptor ... he is the "Stone cut without hands"
To the Servant ... he is the "Good Master"
To the Sheep-raiser ... he is the "Good Shepherd"
To the Statesman... he is the "Desire of all nations"
To the Student ... he is the "Incarnate Word"
To the Theologian ... he is the "Author-finisher of our faith"
To the Toiler and Workman ... he is the "Giver of rest" and need we go on?
There is yet one more:
To the Sinner ... he is the "Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world" (Jn 1:29).

In 1988 I attended Ontario, Canada Camp Meeting and met John and Betty Walker Campbell. I knew John but had never met Betty. On meeting her, she recognized me from a picture with her brother with whom I had spent the summer of 1945 with at AC. Thus, she accepted me as a fellow believer.

On this saame trip I visited with a young Dutch woman, raised by atheist unbelievers. She immigrated to Canada, married, divorced and was now struggling with addiction to tobacco. She had met a Christian friend and was searching to know who God is. i learned she discovered God dealing with her life---this god who is no God, for she was an atheist. Yet she found him real and discovered freedom from addiction, forgiveness of sin, and became  a
dynamic follower of Jesus.

FOR YOU SEE, GOD IS REAL AND TO THE BELIEVER HE IS 
"SON OF THE LIVING GOD"
"SAVIOR  WHO REDEEMS US"
"LORD OF ALL HOPE AND GLORY."
I am walkingwithwarner.blogspot.com