While reading a completely unrelated online discussion, I came across this strangely worded description of Jesus.  The writer, who is not a Christian and was uncertain whether Jesus even existed, referred to him as “this alleged mortal.”  This phrase stuck with me.

Who else in history could be called an “alleged mortal”?  Who else lived a life, proclaimed teachings, and died a death so striking that even someone who doubts his very existance can only say that Jesus was “allegedly” mortal? 

I recently attended the IICS Vision Conference and listened to Dr. J. P. Moreland of Biola University.   Dr. Moreland is a gifted philosopher who deals in both academic philosophy and popular apologetics.  His topic – “How to Present an Exclusive Jesus in an Inclusive World” – laid out a philosophic argument for Christianity as the true religion.  Towards the end, he described 4 criteria for choosing which religion to follow.  The fourth and final criterion was

Pick a religion where you get all of Jesus, instead of a watered-down version of him.

A person in the audience asked whether he was stacking the deck here by making Jesus a focal person in any religion.  Dr. Moreland replied, no, because every religion claims Jesus as their own.  Muslims call Jesus the greatest of prophets.  Buddhists claim Jesus as a bodhisatva.  “Jesus is the greatest figure who ever lived,” said Dr. Moreland, and everyone wants a piece of him.