Jesus was either a lunatic, schizophrenic or He was what He said He was.
Or...
Jesus was an Jewish preacher of the apocalyptic variety (quite popular in 1st century Judea) who was likely a disciple of John the Baptist and eventually branched off on his own. He preached that the end of the world was coming soon and that the Son of Man, not speaking of himself, would come to judge the living and the dead. He lived, begrudgingly, under Roman rule. He, and nearly all Jews, saw this as an occupation of God's people and land. Jesus privately claimed to be the Messiah, the one who would push the Romans out of Judea and start the Kingdom of God. He promised the twelve apostles that they would be leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel (Judas included), and that we would rule God's kingdom above them as King.
As Jesus' ministry picked up steam among the poor, coincidentally Pontius Pilate came to town (from his administrative post in Caesarea) during Passover, the time of year when Jews celebrated Moses freeing them from the Egyptians and thus when anti-Roman sentiment reached an annual high point. Pontius Pilate, already having been removed from office twice by Augustus for being
too brutal, brought troops with him to crucify those who wished to attempt to overthrow Roman rule. Judas, for reasons unknown, told the authorities that Jesus had been privately telling them that he was the Jewish Messiah who will do just that. He brought them to Jesus and he was swiftly crucified, with "King of the Jews" being written above his cross as a warning to others.
Immediately upon Jesus' death his followers believed in his resurrection from the dead. They claimed that he was the Son of Man he was referencing, and they he will return shortly to judge everyone. The Kingdom of God moved from a Earthly realm to a celestial realm. Early followers believed that God had anointed Jesus and raised him up past the likes of Moses and Elijah. Others believed he was now
a god. Others believes he was an angel who took human form and was then anointed by God. Other believes that he was adopted by God, became Son of God, and was to inherit the whole Earth, in a similar way that Caesar adopted Octavian to inherit Roman rule. Mark hints that he became Son of God at his baptism, Matthew and Luke indicate that he became Son of God at his birth, and in John Jesus was the Son of God since before creation. They sorted all this out centuries later at Nicea and the rest is history.
He made some very bold statements about being the only way to the Father, eating his flesh and drinking his blood, etc.
I have problems with that line of thinking. What about people to which he did not reveal himself? Whiskey, I believe, told me that Catholicism is not the only way to "the Father," but simply the best way. It's how he explained that even pre-Columbian Native Americans could go to Heaven, due to objective moral truths. Which one of you is wrong?
I would also claim that Jesus only made "bold statements about being the only way..." in the Gospel of John. John being the last of the gospels, written during the height of the "was he actually God?" debate. Why won't his claims of being God show up in Mark?
Your idea that Jesus was just a cool guy with a message of peace doesn't mesh well with the records of His life.
I would agree, but I don't think your views line up with history either.
I don't think there is a consistent framework for viewing Jesus as something good but not the perfect good, ie - God.
That's a fair statement.
Not fair, you spoiled the surprise ending that hasn't really been surprising in the last couple millennia.
