Many Christians claim that they attempt to shape their lives by living as they think Jesus would, i.e., they allege that they live in answer to the question, What would Jesus do?
I used to inquire of these individuals, How do you know what Jesus would do? Who was Jesus? I have largely quit asking those questions because almost nobody to whom I asked the questions had a coherent response.
A new scholarly consensus about Jesus, that helps to answer the second of those questions (Who was Jesus?), is emerging. Biblical scholars like Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan have led in the development of that consensus; ecclesiastics like Bishop Spong have helped to popularize it. A synopsis of that consensus portrays Jesus as a Jewish first century Mediterranean peasant who was a mystic, healer, wisdom teacher, and prophet.
That portrait of the historical Jesus provides a substantive foundation for answering the first question, What would Jesus do? The portrait affirms Jesus’ identity as a passionate monotheist, an opponent of domination and proponent of inclusion, a courage denouncer of all that diminishes life and proclaimer of all that enriches or gives life.
Those who would act in Jesus’ name will do well to meditate on this portrait of the Galilean.
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