Images of Jesus — From Pagan Precursors to Postmodern Projections
Lecture given on March 19, 2024 at the Corinthian Lodge in East Nashville
History has seen the appearance of many images of Jesus. These are sometimes used as evidence that Jesus himself is a mere social construct. In this lecture, I argue that these many images of Jesus do not discredit or diminish the spiritual depth of Christ, but rather, that raising awareness of these many faces only add to that depth.
Many scholars have pointed to the ancient "dying and rising gods" — Adonis, Osiris, Dionysus — as precursors to the crucifixion and resurrection. Hercules and Plato were believed to have come into the world through miraculous births. Roman emperors were called "saviors." In the far east, Krishna, Buddha, and even Lao Tzu were said to be incarnations of divine beings.
The four canonical gospels, for all their coherence, each present a subtly different image of Jesus. The Gnostic gospels reveal a dramatically different face.
For the next two millennia, wherever the Gospel was carried, each culture saw Jesus through its own lens — Christ as the king, Christ on the cross, Christ as tribal chieftain, as medieval lord, as physician, as revolutionary, as political liberator, and on down to the bizarre images of a technological Christ.
I trace these many images, not to discredit or disparage the reality of Christ, but rather to stimulate a conversation about who Jesus really is, and who he is not.
Correction: *Hermes* not Orpheus. This is how variations creep into an oral tradition.
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Jesus was/is a Jew (Hebrew). Jesus has Divine Blood which was offered in sacrifice as the Final offering for the sins of ALL mankind. He died on the cross a cruel and horrible death thus fulfilling the Commandments of God by shedding His Divine Blood. No other Christ like figure can make these claims and NO other Christ actually rose again to life from the dead. This teaching was left out of your presentation but is critical in understanding the story of Jesus Christ.
I met Him personally much like the Apostle Paul. I am of the generation that you mentioned who sought the Jesus of the rock n roll era. I began my personal relationship with Him in 1978 during a drunken drug filled party I was hosting at my home to the Hair of The Dog blaring out of my amp.
I know you were a rigger for sound stages. I'm sure you know what I am talking about.
Satan is not Christ's equal nemesis. Christ is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent.
The use of technology is the ONLY way that Satan can even come close to being any of those things. He is trying to build the surveillance system that will give him this sense of power and control. He will fail. His days are short. Jesus wins.
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Love ur book