Jesus is the smartest man who ever lived

Right? If you are a Christian you believe that right? During the last Christian Worldview class DM asked us this open question, "Who is the smartest man who ever lived?" In innocently asking this he trapped us. DM acts so mild and innocent. But he sneaks up on you. No one responded with Jesus. I acted all know-it-all and suggested a couple of names. (slaps on forehead)

How could I have missed that one? No one else thought of it either. We were neatly set up. Very nice. I have blogged about the intelligence of Jesus before, but its been over a year. If there is any excuse I tend to place Jesus in a different category, he is God-man, not just man. But a Christian believes Jesus was fully man and fully God. What does it mean to be fully man?

I guess God being fully man is not truly settled in my heart. I feel like I should repent and ask for forgiveness or something.

DM spoke about asking questions in his last class. He is obviously a past master at the skill. It's a good one to develop.

Speaking of intelligence, Peter the old fisherman, in 1 Peter is able to create some amazing word pictures. He quotes some telling scriptures in order to encourage his readers. "All flesh is as grass ... but the word of the Lord abides forever." This reminds me of so many passages in Psalm 119.

God's word is enlightening.

Then he uses the image of a cornerstone to describe Jesus. That reminds me of a song. 1 Peter 2:6 - "Behold I lay in Zion a cornerstone ... And he who believes in Him shall not be disappointed."

Then he gives the opposite for those who disbelieve, this same stone will be a stone of stumbling, a rock of offense. Those who reject the good news tend to get offended and may get angry.

Then Peter calls them (us) a chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation. Peter well knows these names were originally applied by God to the Jews only, by the Jews. Peter is writing to a mixed group but perhaps mostly Gentiles. Peter now understands that all those who believe in Jesus have replaced the Jews as his chosen people. They can be Jew or Gentile. The new chosen race are those who have accepted God's chosen savior.