A Profile Of Jesus

"If God were a man, we would expect His personality to be true humanity. Only God could tell us what true man should be like. Certainly there are forerunners of piety in the Old Testament models. Foremost must be a complete consciousness, coupled with complete dedication and consecration of life to God. Then, ranked below this, are the other virtues, graces and attributes that characterize perfect humanity. Intelligence must not stifle piety, and prayer must not be a substitute for work, and zeal must not be irrational fanaticism, and reserve must not become stolidity."--Bernard Ramm

"In Christ we have the perfect blend of personality traits, because as God incarnate, he is perfect humanity." --Paul Little, Know Why You Believe, John Schaff describes Him as follows:

"Jesus' zeal never degenerated into passion, nor his constancy into obstinacy, or his benevolence into weakness, nor his tenderness into sentimentality. His unworldliness was free from indifference and unsociability or undue familiarity; His self-denial from moroseness; His temperance form austerity. Hie combined childlike innocence with manly strength, absorbing devotion to God with untiring interest in the welfare of man, tender love to the sinner with uncompromising severity against sin, commanding dignity with winning humility, fearless courage with wise caution, unyielding firmness with sweet gentleness!"

He washed the disciples' feet, yet claimed to be the Judge of the world. Though He claimed deity, He never showed aloofness or arrogance, but was humble and came to serve, not to be served (cf. Mark 10:45). Scholar John Schaff again portrays Christ:

"This Jesus of Nazareth without money and arms, conquered more millions than Alexander, Caesar, Muhammad and Napoleon; without science and learning, he shed more light on matters human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined; without the eloquence of schools, he spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since and produced effects which lie beyond the reach of orator or poet; without writing a single line, he set more pens in motion and furnished themes for more sermons, orations, discussions, learned volumes, works of art and songs of praise than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times."

His personality shows no sign of mental aberration, chemical imbalance, or illness, according to Dr. Gary R. Collins, a clinical psychologist and chair of the psychology division at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, who says there are a "variety of proofs. Among them are these: His teaching was impeccably moral and consistent with His claims; He demonstrated the gamut of human emotions; He was "never paranoid"; "He understood human nature"; "He never demonstrated inappropriate emotions"; He had meaningful, "healthy," multiple, "close personal relationships"; No one could accuse Him or convince Him of sin! He was the Exemplar without a flaw; "He spoke clearly, powerfully, and eloquently;" His fame and claims didn't go to His head and give Him a "bloated ego;" His sermons were not the rantings and ravings of a madman; He was a mystery--if He were a deceiver, liar, lunatic, or deceived Himself, the disciples would've figured it out by living with Him three years in close contact; and finally, He challenged His enemies to convince Him of sin (cf. John 8:46).

He was the most outstanding personality of all time: not to be surpassed or improved upon by either predecessor nor disciple; the greatest leader in history; He did the most good for mankind; He was the greatest teacher; He lived the holiest life; He was the best example for mankind; He was the greatest moral teacher, guide, and incentive to morality; He had the biggest impact on history. And His cruel death was not the end of Him. Calling Him the greatest man who ever lived doesn't do Him justice or saying Jesus the Great! You don't compare Him, you contrast Him! He is simply God's last word to man and all we need to know of God!

C. S. Lewis, in Mere Christianity, writes: "A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic--on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg--or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse." He goes on: "The discrepancy between the depth and sanity of His moral teaching and a diagnosis of rampant megalomania" are patently incompatible.

No one can peg Jesus, put Him in a box, nor adequately describe Him nor figure Him out (cf. 2 Cor. 9:15), but whatever is perfect is what He demonstrated, and what He lived out was perfection personified. He cannot be improved upon! He demands worship, not admiration, discipleship, not study!   Soli Deo Gloria!