Who “Thinkers” Say Jesus Is

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. [John 1:1–2]

We have studied who people say Jesus is, who Jesus himself claimed to be, and who the Father said Jesus is. Let us look briefly at who Christian philosophers and theologians have said Jesus is.
The oldest philosophical question is the problem of unity and diversity. This is the problem of understanding how all the diverse aspects of life hang together. The ancient philosopher would ask, “Is there any rhyme or reason to all this? How do all these things fit together? How are we to make sense of all these different parts of human experience?” In other words, they were asking the question, “Does life make sense? Is there any ultimate coherence in life?”
The very word universe is composed of uni from unity, and verse from diversity. It expresses the idea that all the diverse things in existence are related to one another, and are united in some sense. In the same way, universities were originally intended to show the coherence of all the disciplines under one overarching worldview.
The Christian answer addresses this issue in two ways. First, Christianity calls attention to the Trinity, that God is both one and three. Ultimately, the unity and diversity of all things find their resolution in God himself.
But beyond this, however, the Christian sees that the Word of God is the reference point for all creation. As John puts it, “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:3). While the idea of an abstract reference point for the universe was not new to the ancient world, the teaching that this reference point is a person was radical. How do we make sense out of the diversity of life? John answers that we must have a personal relationship with the person who gives unity to all things.

Coram Deo

The Christian has no need to shrink from the most profound philosophical questions. For centuries Christian philosophers have taken on secular thinkers and shown the truth of biblical religion. Yet the most profound philosophical question has the most simple of answers: a personal relationship. Every Christian walks daily with the cosmic Christ, the Person who gives meaning to all life.
Sproul, R.C., Before the Face of God: A Daily Guide for Living from the Book of Romans, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books) 1992.