Many people today think of Jesus as the best man that ever walked the earth. That’s easy to understand. He is so easy to admire, overflowing with qualities most think of as noble, even divine. The Bible reports that he was gentle, calm, meek, thoughtful—in a word, holy. His healings happened as effortlessly as his smile. Multitudes pressed to be near him. Wouldn’t most of us do the same if he strolled through our neighborhoods? I sure would. At least, I hope I would.
Some say Jesus was Christ. Christian Science expands and deepens this wonderful idea of the Messiah, or Savior, with the understanding that the Christ was not only embodied in the man Jesus, but is the eternal truth and love that God forever feels for every detail of His infinite universe. It’s what He cherishes about His creation—that everything is in reality an idea of His, perfect, holy, lovely.
Jesus loved the Christ. In fact, he so totally embraced and expressed it that some folks then and now call him Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus. One of his disciples, the fiery Peter, even said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16).