The Challenge of Jesus: Rediscovering Who Jesus Was and Is

A fan of the author N. T. Wright, I found myself once again captivate by Wrights insight and unique expression on such an ancient subject: Jesus. Although Jesus is neither irrelevant nor ancient there is certainly no shortage of material written about him. Often, I like many have sought to define both the "who" and "why" of God in this eternal person with the hopes and expectation of understanding my existence, purpose and plans for the future.

Perhaps a key word within the title expresses it best for me: "Rediscovering". Is Jesus, new? Has he changed? No! Yet like all human beings, I am on a journey . . . a journey that accepts newness and seems to be always confronted with change (although I'm not sure I like or even embrace the second as much as I do the first). And so I expect this eternal, non-changing Christ to impact my world in the midst of new discoveries and changes often beyond my control.

In reading the book over the past few months, I found myself wrestling through a Message Series (which I would eventually call‘Sacred Encounters’) in dealing with the confusion and partial truths of the ‘New Age’. Wright presents the beliefs and historical setting in which Jesus lived and during which period of time the Christian Gospels were written. The last four chapters are practical applications with cultural relevancy to the ideas presented earlier. Wright offers precise historical evidence for the prevailing viewpoints held by the religious authorities and political leaders of Jesus' time and what the overarching purpose and mission of Jesus were.

Wright’s premise, although historical in nature moves the reader to deal with the current realities as in conflict critiquing the information of the Jesus Seminar and John Dominic Crossan (as well as others) in their published works about their respective studies of Jesus. Wright, however, proposes that many of the battles being fought today are out of step with the reality of our present world. Theological wars, arguments over whether or not Jesus was divine or human, whether or not the Gospels are reliable and a host of other subjects simply have been moved into a different sphere by the study of first-century Judaism and Christianity in particular. "There are new battles not totally different, of course, from the old ones but with significant new elements."

As he draws his thoughts to a close in the chapter entitled ‘The Light of the World’ he articulates the work and the power of the death and resurrection of Christ, suggesting many have missed the point. Wright’s conviction of a ‘new life’ in Christ moves us from simply enduring this life (awaiting the next) to a passion to begin living in eternity ‘now’ – He writes “From now on we are living in the new age, the already-begun new world. The light is now shinning in the darkness. Do not put all the eschatological weight in that which is still to come. The whole point of New Testament Christianity is that the End came forward into the present in Jesus the Messiah” (page 178).

N.T. Wright no doubt writes, speaks and lives in the world of academia, yet with an openness for insight and growth ‘The Challenge of Jesus’ will challenge you, no matter what your educational level or your spiritual maturity. Thumbs up!