The person of Jesus of Nazareth is a bit perplexing. It is absurd, yet almost impressive, that someone could begin a movement in Galilee – with just a handful of people – that has endured for about 2000 years.

What’s more, it has spread through the whole world, transcending cultures and languages. Yet even more, the founder was on active mission for only three years, died at the age of thirty-three and somehow managed to immortalise himself with the help of the ruling religious and political order that made him a martyr.

Jesus of Nazareth appears to be a thorough socio-political leader reminiscent of 20^th century activists and even dictators and supreme leaders. What makes this man more special, more dependable and more believable than Martin Luther King Jr and Gandhi, or Kim Jong-Il and Stalin? All these men were seen to have some form of divine touch or an extraordinary beginning. What’s so different about Jesus?

I cannot lie. Honestly, I don’t know. The little I do know, I can’t seem to be able to put in words.

This July, I wanted to focus all my posts on Jesus. I found that I was writing so much about life as a Christian and the twists and turns of life in general; but I hardly ever addressed Jesus himself. I usually publish an average of eight posts every month. Coming to the end of the month, this is just my fifth post in July 2021. I kept hesitating to write because I just couldn’t find a clear, conclusive and absolutely convincing answer that I could give a non-Christian. What’s so different about Jesus?

As you read through my writing, you might notice that I have a habit of questioning my faith. There are few things that irritate me more than blind religion, i.e., closing your eyes and ears to all contradictory things and just going with it, not fully understanding why you are doing what you do. I question my faith every day, looking for reasons to keep holding on.

Thus, here I find myself: What is so different about Jesus?

Even his twelve disciples struggled with this. Most of the time, they just thought that Jesus was a very great teacher. They followed him for three years not really understanding the person they were following. Their eyes eventually opened when he rose from the dead and they suddenly realised that Jesus was no mere ‘great teacher’. They finally understood his being, his mission and the words he had spoken over the years.

I cannot fully explain Jesus to you. It is beyond my vocabulary. However, I find that understanding Jesus begins with seeing his resurrection. Once you begin to consider the fact of the dead coming back to life, who Jesus is will become clear to you.

The only major problem is that the concept of the resurrection is too great an absurdity for any normal, rational human being to even consider.

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