A Lesser Jesus?

Here’s something I’ve discovered, since my latest book came out. Not everyone likes “The Greater Jesus.”

 

Some Christians are offended by this title and concept.  As one critic bluntly put it, “I don’t believe there is a greater Jesus. . . . That’s baloney! There is only one Jesus!” They reason: If there is a “greater” Jesus, then there must have been or is a “lesser” Jesus. For them, that possibility is offensive and to be rejected. In their hearts and minds they cannot fathom Jesus ever being “lesser” in any way or at any time. So who or what is correct?

 

The fact is, I did not invent the idea of a greater or lesser Jesus. And, I never use the word lesser in relation to Jesus in the book. But, another fact is, we Christians have lessened Jesus, the contemporary Christ. How so? By our reductionist traditions and unscriptural teachings that my book exposes.

 

Secondly, Scripture clearly teaches that Jesus willingly lessened Himself. That’s one reason why, for instance, John the Baptist at the beginning of the Jesus’ earthly ministry prophesied, “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30 NIV– “He must increase, but I must decrease” in KJV, NAS – also see: Luke 22:26-27; John 1:49-51; 13:14-16; 14:28; 15:20).

 

A final fact is, that’s exactly what happened. The historical Jesus of the Gospels not only became greater than John, He became greater, greater, and even greater. How so? It’s because He first was willing to become less, lesser, and even lesser to the point of being rejected by most of his own people and allowing Himself to be crucified on a cross as a common criminal. As added confirmation of this degradation and humiliation, compare in the Gospels the accolades in his birth accounts to the angst in his death accounts.  But in the complete fulfillment of John’s “greater” prophecy all that and more would soon change, and dramatically so.

 

FOR MORE elaboration on this great-to-lesser-to-greater transcendence, and for FREE, go to “The Greater Jesus” on Amazon.com, use the “Look Inside” feature, and check out PAGE-11 in the Introduction and much more.

 

What do you think?