Unbelievers have raised two greatest arguments against Jesus Christ in the history of the Church.
Unbelieving Jews started the first argument during the first-century while unbelieving Gentiles began the second argument after the first-century which continues till today.
The Jews argued against the proclamation that Jesus was the Christ. Consequently, they refused to believe in Jesus as the promised Messiah, but regarded Him as a mere man. Several passages of Scripture confirm this.
“So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe” (John 10:24-25).
““If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe” (Luke 22;67).
For further references, see John 7:26-27; John 7: 40-42 and Mark 14:61.
Now, you have clearly seen that most Jews in the first-century doubted that Jesus was the Christ they were expecting.
Interesting, however, the Lord Jesus did not personally attempt to reason with them from the Scriptures to prove to them that He was the Christ.
Rather, it was the Lord’s servants, the apostles, who while preaching the gospel spent quality time to take the unbelieving Jews into the Scriptures to prove to them that Jesus was the Christ.
Luke, the writer of the book of Acts, wrote about several attempts made by the apostles particularly Peter and Paul to explain and prove to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. See Acts 2:36; Acts 9: 20-22;; Acts 17:3; Acts 18:5; Acts 28:23; 31; 1 John 4:2-3
However, today, the argument unbelieving Gentiles put up against Jesus is not about whether He is the Christ or not. Their argument is that Jesus did not exist at all and that He is just a myth.
Others have a problem with His name, arguing that His name is not Jesus Christ but Yeshua Hamashiach. They further argue that Jesus is not the Son of God and for that matter He is not God but a great prophet of God.
This is a realm or dimension of the depth of Christ Jesus the early ministers did not have to teach about to silence the unbelieving world. This is because such arguments were not raised in their day.
The issues came up for discussion after the first-century when the ministries of the early apostles had ended. It is, therefore, the responsibility of today’s ministers to boldly and clearly answer the questions to defend the gospel.
A minister who studies or receives knowledge, understanding and insight to communicate this wisdom of God is indeed a faithful servant of Christ.
Therefore, in preaching the gospel today, it is important that ministers teach and prove that Jesus walked the earth, that Jesus lives today, that Jesus is God, that the name Jesus Christ and Yeshua Hamashiach refer to the same Saviour of the world.
Teachings like these are important in countries and continents where most people who believed in Jesus Christ are being deceived by atheists and other unbelievers to become apostate, faithless or leave the church as a result of unanswered questions regarding Jesus Christ as pointed out above.
By James Quansah