Who is Jesus?

Every once in a while (and by once in a while, I mean every day), I have to remind myself that MY WAY is NOT THE ONLY WAY. This realization is made clear as I judge how people address injustice, deal with conflict, interact on social media, or simply move through the world. Too often I find myself observing how someone approaches a situation, and I think to myself, “You know, the better way to respond would have been to . . .“ Funny how that “better way” always aligns with the way that I would respond as if the way that I would do things makes sense for everyone else.

While it may feel natural to give that kind of feedback and we can always offer solicited guidance, without taking into account context and lived experience, there is no way that my way could be the way for everyone. In every situation, there are, not only multiple ways to respond, but there are multiple good ways.

Albeit a pain in the booty, Jesus offers a constant reminder of this fact. While I would prefer to make Jesus into my preferred image and actions, the gift of the life of Christ is that we are shown multiple ways to move through the world, interact with others, and respond to what life offers.

I touch on this in my upcoming book, Everything Good about God Is True: Choosing Faith. Here is a brief excerpt from the section on Jesus —

We will get to salvation, resurrection, and other concepts related to Jesus soon. But let’s begin with talking about who Jesus is. First, it is important to acknowledge that when we try to define who Jesus is, he often ends up looking and believing and acting a lot like us. I hope to offer a framework for understanding who Jesus is and also examining the understandings we bring. Naming who we think Jesus is can help us both clear away some of our own preconceptions and also notice the various ways that Jesus meets us.

Let’s begin with some questions that help us figure out what we think of Jesus. Consider which of these statements seems right to you.Is Jesus a Prophet, a table-turning activist and political troublemaker who challenges us to express our righteous indignation with passion and courage?Is Jesus a Priest, a going-off-to-pray miracle worker and spiritual teacher who offers us a way to connect with God?Is Jesus a Pastor, a giving-the-benefit-of-the-doubt curator of relationships and bridge builder who yearns for us to cross cultural, economic, and theological divides?Is Jesus a Poet, a more-questions-than-answers sculptor of words and actions, one who opens the human imagination to see possibilities for the world?

Like so many multiple-choice tests you took in high school, I believe the right answer is actually E: All of the Above.

Naturally we tend to focus on the aspects of Jesus that we like and shy away from or reject those parts that challenge us. If we are activists, we likely focus on the prophetic nature of Jesus. If spiritual disciplines are our jam, we focus on the priestly aspects of Jesus. If relationships are the most important part of our faith life, then the pastoral Jesus is where we find connection. If we like using our imagination about what life could be, bring on Jesus the Poet! Expanding our understanding of Jesus might challenge us to consider who Jesus is calling us to be—and then we might have to adapt, change, and respond!

This idea of the fourfold nature of Jesus—Prophet, Priest, Pastor, and Poet—is not new. It has roots in the writing of John Calvin, a French theologian who lived during the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century. Even though I disagree with Calvinists about a lot, these frames help me embrace the breadth of who Jesus is rather than focus on the parts I like. Sure, we will all gravitate toward one or two aspects of Jesus’s life and teachings—a part of him with which we feel a special bond. But we must not do so to the extent of ignoring the other aspects of Jesus, who models for us the importance of holding in harmony the ways we move through the world.Excerpt from Everything Good about God Is True: Choosing Faith by Bruce Reyes-Chow © 2024 Broadleaf Books. Used by permission.

You can see more about the book, read a few of the early endorsements, and find out how you can get a review/endorsement ARC here.

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