FRONTLINE Documentary on Jesus

Here is a new for-TV documentary that NBC Frontline has just come out with called From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians. The second portion will air in a week or so. I haven't yet watched the whole thing but I am interested to see it - most definitely don't agree with everything from reading the synopsis.

Religion is a crutch for the weak

How would Jesus respond to such a comment?


The Pharisees derided Jesus for spending time with tax collectors and sinners.

 "²⁹ Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house; and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others sitting at the table^j with them. ³⁰The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" ³¹Jesus answered, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; ³²I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:29-32

 Jesus basically answers the Pharisees with the same response, but he uses a person (physician) instead of an inanimate object (crutch). He is implying that he is the physician and that sinners (the sick) need his help.


I think that Jesus would agree with the "Religion is a crutch for the weak" comment because he really said it first. Jesus is the crutch or the doctor that lame and sick people need.


The passage from Luke shows that Jesus asks the pharisees to decide in their own hearts if they think they are among the righteous or among the sinners when he says,

"³²I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:32

He both gives information of the purpose of his ministry as well as allows his listeners to interpret who the categories of "sinners" and "righteous" belong to, instead of just saying "them" and "you". Jesus is hoping that his listeners will reanalyze their presuppositions and come to the truth that all his listeners are included within the category of "sinners".


Jesus would ask the same question after agreeing with the "religion is a crutch" comment. Asking something like,

"Are you among the weak or among the strong?"

Who instituted the organized church?

Is the organized church necessary in the Christian faith? I think this question hinges on where the authority and inspiration of the church comes from. Was it Jesus' idea or someone else's? 

When did the apostles "see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom?"

"For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom." Matthew 16:27-28

Lets make some observations about the text. 

1. Who was Jesus talking to? "His disciples" (16:24), but Jesus said only "some of you standing here" (16:28), therefore not all of them would see. When Matthew says "disciples" he does not necessarily mean just the twelve apostles, though I think we can assume that the twelve were implied to be there. I think it is safe to assume as well that Jesus was including at least one of the twelve in the group that would see him coming in his kingdom. 
2. What is the context? Jesus is explaining what he demands from his followers and giving them perspective and reasons for why they should follow him. (16:24-26)
3. Who is "the Son of Man?" The Son of Man is Jesus himself (16:13-15)
4. What event is "the Son of Man coming in his kingdom?" It seems to be the second coming of Christ, since it is the same event as verse 27 in which Jesus says that he will come with his angels in the glory of the Father to judge the world. (Could possibly be figurative but would be very difficult to justify that)

The second coming of Christ hasn't happened yet and haven't all the apostles died? Did Jesus prophesy falsely then? 

I think we need to take a little bit of a closer look at the text. Specifically Jesus says that some of them will "see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom." This implies an event similar to when Jesus ascended into heaven (Luke 24:51), specifically when he descends in the second coming (Acts 1:11). 

"Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name inscribed that no one knows but himself. he is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, wearing linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, "King of kings and Lord of lords." Revelation 19:11-16

Who said "I saw" in this passage? John (Revelation 22:8). Well anticlimactically I think that this is the answer to the question. John saw a vision of the second coming of Christ before he died; he wasn't actually present for the second coming.  From what Jesus prophesied we can conclude that other disciples also saw visions of the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. 

Early on the apostles thought that "the kingdom of Israel" was going to be restored in their life time, 

"So when they had come together, they asked him, 'Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?' ". Acts 1:6

They probably thought that Jesus' prophesy supported this idea. But they had both the timing and the fundamental details wrong. 

Why I try to not always give answers to questions

Socrates and Jesus asked many questions and gave more questions when asked for answers. They did not do this because they didn't want people to know the truth, quite simply the opposite was true. They desperately wanted the masses, both the elite and the common people to know the truth and to engage it.


Asking questions causes the hearer to think more deeply. It also causes people to suppress or forget their preconceived ideas in order to deal with the question at hand. This helps foster an inductive approach to learning and study.


Jesus and Socrates both noticed that people who want answers to questions many times have ulterior motives. For instance, when Socrates is approached by a young man who asks him for knowledge. Socrates proceeds to dunk the man repeatedly in the ocean asking him each time what he wants. The man terrified and gasping for breath says he wants air! Socrates then concludes that this young man will not receive knowledge until he desires truth more than air. (Apocryphal from  Diogenes Laertius)


The religious leaders asked Jesus for answers in order to trap him and discredit him (John 8:6). Another man who was an expert in religious law came to Jesus seeking answers but his motives were to "justify himself" (Luke 10:29). 


The simple and sad truth is that not everyone who asks for truth wants truth. Someone who doesn't want truth probably will get what they want. I think it was G. K. Chesterton who said, "To give answers to someone who doesn't love truth is to give more reasons for doubt." I hope that my questions will aid those who desire to know the truth and frustrate those who don't. 


P.S. However, a little frustration for all of us should be welcomed when dealing with questions.