The Character Of Jesus Defended -- By: Benjamin B. DeVan
Journal: Christian Apologetics Journal
Volume: CAJ 05:2 (Fall 2006)
Article: The Character Of Jesus Defended
Author: Benjamin B. DeVan
CAJ 5:2 (Fall 2006) p. 109
The Character Of Jesus Defended
Benjamin B. DeVan and Thomas W. Smythe are professors at North Carolina Central University.
In his book, Atheism, Morality, and Meaning, philosopher Michael Martin argues that a number of biblical passages reflect negatively on the character and moral teachings of Jesus. Although Martin claims to be skeptical of the Gospels’ historical accuracy, he supposes “for the sake of argument” that the Gospels present “an accurate picture of what he (Jesus) said and the way he acted.”1 Martin asserts that Jesus is a dubious model of ideal conduct and that attempting to imitate Jesus is “infeasible and morally inappropriate.”2 In the section, “The Moral Appropriateness of the Command to Imitate Jesus,” Martin concludes, “If we imitated Jesus, we would be punitive, unforgiving, violent, mean-spirited, hypocritical, and inconsistent; and we would tacitly approve of slavery, forsake reason, and have no opinion on the central moral issues of the day.”3
Many scholarly and popular authors have leveled criticisms at the Bible or biblical teachings,4 but Martin uniquely maligns the very
CAJ 5:2 (Fall 2006) p. 110
character of Jesus himself. Martin’s comments demand answers, particularly since they are relayed by a prominent contemporary philosopher of religion. Responding to Martin may also parry related and future detractors. When The Da Vinci Code5 is the bestselling novel ever written and Misquoting Jesus6 trades faster than any other biblical studies book, direct attacks on the character of Jesus as he is portrayed in the Gospels can and should be anticipated.7
This paper repudiates Martin’s analysis point by point with a more careful examination of the biblical passages in question (Matt. 10:5–6; 5:22; 10:14–5; 11:22–24; 15:22–28; 18:3; 19:23–24; 21:12–15; You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
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