Why Was Everything About Jesus Made So Controversial?

By Bola BOLAWOLE
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‘In a country where religion and tribe determine a lot of things, you are dead on arrival when the criminals and those tasked with the responsibility of reining them in come from the same region and belong to the same religion’

The long holiday declared by the government for us to celebrate the feast of Easter is over; work, hustle and bustle have resumed in earnest! Unlike in times past, the parlous state of the economy did not allow many to celebrate because they had nothing to celebrate with. For those who even have, the insecurity nightmare enveloping and walloping virtually every part of the country was a disincentive for travels and any carefree display of ostentation!

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These days, people are waylaid and kidnapped in broad daylight on the highway, in the streets, in the comfort of their homes, in churches and mosques. Nowhere is sacred anymore and no place is a no-go area for criminally-minded elements. Blood flows freely in every part of the country – not in Benue and Plateau states alone anymore – but other parts of the country now compete with the traditional killing fields that once were restricted to the northern parts.

Regrettably, my own dear Ondo state has joined the league of killing fields and no one seems to be doing anything serious about it. But you should ask me if anyone is actually doing anything tangible about the gory killings in other parts of the country! The tragedy of the situation is that the criminals are known; they do not hide but come into the open now and again not only to lay claim to ownership but to also to flaunt their ransom largesse as well as taunt the authorities, daring them to take action!

In a country where religion and tribe determine a lot of things, you are dead on arrival when the criminals and those tasked with the responsibility of reining them in come from the same region and belong to the same religion.

The security situation in Ondo state was one reason I was prevented from going home to Owo to celebrate Easter and also get a few other important issues sorted out. The other reason was that I belong to a Mission which does not “allow” its members the luxury, freedom, and liberty to celebrate – be it Easter or Christmas – the way the people of the world do. Go-A Fishing or church planting activities take up the two festive periods, such that there is hardly any time left for travels, festivities or even rest.

Since year-in, year-out church planting has crowded up the cities, the only places where space is available these days are the surburbs and rural areas. So to the Gberigbe/Imota axis, border towns between Lagos and Ogun states, my own Go-A Fishing group went last week. But when will the Mission pause, re-think its church-planting strategies and consolidate on existing parishes instead of its insistence on parish-planting all over the place? There is strength in size and solidity but that is for the authorities to decide!

I was apprehensive when it dawned on me that I had to put my cars on the road when we could not afford the high cost of hiring a bus. My fear was the bad state of the road. The last time I went that route, the roads were more terrible than terrible. But my surprise last Friday was that the road to Gberigbe/Imota was spotless. No gullies, no potholes, no bumps. It was a smooth ride all the way. On a small portion of the road yet to be paved with interlocking bricks, work was ongoing. When you see something good, please say so! It should not be government-bashing all the time.

This, however, contrasted sharply with my travel the next day to Ile-Ife. I had been invited by my classmate and friend, Professor Gafar Siyan Oyeweso, to his book launch at the Oodua Heritage House, right inside the palace of the Ooni of Ife, where the Arole Oodua himself was honouring the astute historian. Siyan, who is the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of our alma mater, the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife, launched four books at a go: Expanding the pantheon of Yoruba gurus in Nigeria; Perspectives on higher education and good governance in Nigeria; Ede Mapo Arogun: Celebrating a city, its history, monarchy, and people; and Eminent Yoruba Muslims. The creme-de-la-creme of our society was there.

The Ibadan-Ife road is not only in a pitiable condition, it has now become a death-trap. What that road needs is not any Sukuk patch-patch here and there but total reconstruction. My friend and professional colleague, Lekan Shote, popular PUNCH columnist, told me he travelled on the same road a fortnight ago and took ill on his return to Lagos. As I have said here repeatedly, the Lagos/Ibadan expressway, which took decades to construct, is already unravelling, wobbling at many spots just a year or so after its completion. The Ogere axis was particularly bad. So also the Guru Maharaj section. Around the Foursquare church area was already showing signs of stress. Shouldn’t we demand an explanation from Dave Umahi, the Minister of Works?

Back to Easter. If we had nothing to celebrate with, at least they gave us time to relax! That is something! I had ample time to reflect on why virtually everything about Jesus Christ, the reason for the season, appears controversial, starting with His date of birth and circumstance of birth. Some Christian sects and scholars posit that He was not born on Christmas Day, December 25th but most likely around October/November. His virgin birth was also doubted by many.

Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry was no less controversial, leading even his neighbours to question His meteoric metamorphosis into a miracle worker (Matthew 13: 55-56). The miracles He performed made Him popular with many but it also left the Pharisees and Sadducees wondering and gasping for breath (Matthew 12: 22-30). His mode of operation was not conventional, breaking known rules and stirring controversies (John 9:16).

Did Jesus marry or did He not marry? What was his relationship with Mary? Merely platonic or something deeper? Did he sire children or did He no? Can we trace His offsprings today? Or were His “children” simply spiritual as the Bible posits?

Jesus Christ’s messiahship remains controversial. His earthly tribe or people, the Jews, did not accept Him as the Messiah (John 1: 11-13). To this day, they are still awaiting the promised Messiah! Majority Jews are not Christians, In fact, they mock Christians and their Jesus Christ! So, there is controversy; nay, confusion, when Christian church leaders support or ask their followers to support or pray for Israel. Which Israel? Biblical Israel or the State of Israel created by fiat in 1948?

John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus, who pointed Him out to the world, and who baptised Him in River Jordan, at a point doubted Jesus’s messiahship (Luke 7: 18-23). The controversies surrounding Him could not have been lost on Jesus Himself because, at some point, He had to ask His disciples whom the people thought He was. And when they answered, He asked them: Who do you yourself think that I am (Mark 8: 27-29)? The same disciples, confused or unsure of His mission, asked Him after His crucifixion whether He would at that time deliver the kingdom unto Israel, thinking His kingdom was of this world (Acts 1:6).

The death of Jesus, his crucifixion, and resurrection from the death – which are the reasons for this season – are no less controversial. Did He die on the cross or did He survive the excruciating ordeal? Did He rise from the dead or was He stolen from the grave? Did He or Did He not ascend into heaven? Is He or is He not coming back?

For decades and centuries people have heard that Jesus is “soon” coming back. How soon is “soon”, no one can say for certainty. The endtime signs that are said to signal the “soon” also remain controversial. There are as many interpretations as there are pastors, preachers, and Bible scholars of the endtime events that will herald the coming of the soon-coming King.

Is there heaven? Is there Hell? Is there judgment? Will it take place here on earth or in heaven?

In all of these, I hold on to the words of the Apostle Paul: We know in part and we prophesy in part (1 Corinthians 13: 9-12). No man living has a 100% knowledge of all the things of God.

I also hold on firmly to what Grandma, a devout Muslim, taught me: Okan eni ni igbagbo eni. The Bible corroborates it: A pure heart, and clean hands, is true worship. Not the self-serving cacophony of doctrines; and the garrulous gallivanting of preachers that confuse and exploit the gullible rather than convict the perishing of their sins and lead them to salvation.

I also have learnt from the life and times of Jesus Christ that no one needs to run away from being controversial. Had Jesus done, He most likely would not have fulfilled His manifest destiny (John 12:37).

Compliments of the season to all my esteemed readers! May the next one be better than the last in Jesus’s mighty name!

* Former Editor of PUNCH newspapers, Chairman of its Editorial Board and Deputy Editor-in-Chief, BOLAWOLE was also the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Westerner newsmagazine. He writes the ON THE LORD’S DAY column in the Sunday Tribune and TREASURES column in the New Telegraph newspaper on Wednesdays. He is also a public affairs analyst on radio and television.