Dinner With a Radical by Mary

Dinner With a Radical by Mary - February 2016 Scholarship Essay

Out of every historical figure that is in our history books there are many who stand out.
Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Plato, Martin Luther King Jr., and so many others who
have turned the tide of history. Each one has a story to tell, but if I had the option to sit down to
dinner with one of these many historical figures I would choose a person with one of the most
long lasting historical impacts. I would choose to sit down to dinner with Jesus Christ and maybe
over some pizza he would answer my questions and tell me about himself and his radical ideas.
Jesus Christ was born in a time where change was on the horizon. A change that
wouldn't come easy, but with a heavy cost. I would like to sit down and take note of all the
visible details of this man who challenged a nation and made an impact that that has lasted for
over two thousand years. A man who had the power to change the hearts and minds of the
people. Israel needed such a man, but while they wanted a king he wanted to die. Jesus Christ
was a radical in every sense of the word and with a single word he challenged the people of his
nation to look beyond their everyday lives to seek something new and perhaps better.
Among the questions I would ask him would be what was it like to grow up in Israel?
Why did he choose to travel the country seeking followers for the start of a new religious
movement? I would ask him what it was that motivated him to allow himself to be crucified and
what his purpose was behind it. What was his perspective on the political status between the
Jewish people and Rome? I’d like to believe we would discuss his thoughts on what his religion
has become and where it may be headed. If it was his intention to change the world is this how
he envisioned it? What does he think about the course our world has taken?
There are so many questions that I would ask, but a major topic we would discuss would
be the belief that he is the Son of God. Many times throughout his travels and ministry he
claimed to be the son of God. Something that was considered blasphemy among the Jewish
people. Where did this come from and why did he make this claim. Perhaps he truly believed he
was the son of God, perhaps he was simply mad, and perhaps he really was the son of God. It
would be amazing to hear the truth from his own mouth about his reasons for claiming to be
related to God and if he were God then I would ask him how he managed to perform so many
“miracles” during his ministry. Obviously he healed people and even went so far as to raise a
man from the dead. Was all this fact or fake? Only he could answer that question for me.
The religion he started has survived two thousand years of persecution and oppression.
What started as a radical notion became one of the major world religions. How has this
happened? What is it about this man’s ideas and lifestyle that has led so many people to
unquestioningly follow him? His comforting ministry to the suffering gave them hope. His
peaceful words spoke truth to those who were searching. His very life was a statement to his
ideals. Perhaps this is why so many people even in today’s modern world have called him
Savior. he became a martyr for his beliefs and this more than anything speaks volumes to the
world. I’d ask him what his thoughts are regarding his death and the manner in happened.
Would he be sad, angry, thoughtful? I would like to gauge his emotions as I talk with him to see
if there is any hint of deception.
Love your neighbor, do good to those who persecute and harm you, always be kind and
loving. These are very radical ideas and many of us today have no concept of what they mean,
but he was one of the first to promote these and especially the idea that you are accepted by
God no matter who you are or where you come from. You didn't have to follow a set of rules, but
just have faith. I want to ask him how this applies to us today and where this idea began.
In conclusion, he healed the sick, cast out demons, called sinners to himself. His very
presence changed the course of history and if it wasn't for him perhaps our world would be a
very different place. Talking to Jesus Christ the radical would give me a better understanding of
human nature and how religion plays a part in all our lives. It would be the opportunity of a
lifetime to sit down for a few hours and talk to a man who claimed to be a deity and has earned
a place in our history books.