How is Jesus different from other religious leaders?

Answer

In a way, questioning how Jesus differs from other religious leaders is akin to pondering how the sun distinguishes itself from other stars in our solar system—the key point being that there are no other stars in our solar system!

No other “religious leader” can be likened to Jesus Christ. Every other religious leader is either living or deceased. Jesus Christ is the sole individual who was once deceased and now lives. In fact, He declares in Revelation 1:17–18 that He lives forevermore! No other religious leader would dare to make such a statement, which, if false, would be entirely absurd.

Another crucial contrast between Jesus and other religious leaders lies in the essence of Christianity itself. The core of Christianity is Christ, the One who was crucified, resurrected, ascended to heaven, and will return one day. Without Him—and without His resurrection—there would be no Christianity. This stands in stark contrast to other major religions. For instance, Hinduism could stand independently of any of the “great Swamis” who established it. The same applies to Buddhism. Even Islam is founded on the teachings and sayings of Mohammed, not on the assertion that he was resurrected from the dead.

In 1 Corinthians 15:13–19, the apostle Paul emphasizes that if Christ had not risen from the dead, our faith would be in vain, and we would still be in sin! The truth of Christianity hinges solely on the resurrected Jesus Christ! If Jesus had not truly returned from the dead—in a specific time and place—then Christianity would lack any truth. Throughout the New Testament, the apostles and evangelists anchor the gospel’s truth in the resurrection.

Another significant aspect is that Jesus Christ asserted to be the “Son of God” (a Hebraism denoting “characterized by God”) and the “Son of Man” (a Hebraism denoting “characterized by Man”). In numerous passages, He affirms tTo be equal with the Father (see, for example, John 10:29-33). Jesus is ascribed all the prerogatives and attributes of Deity. Yet He was also a man, born of a virgin (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-56). Having lived a sinless life, Jesus was crucified to pay for the sins of all men: “He Himself is the satisfaction of God’s wrath for our sins; and not for ours only, but for those of the whole world” «and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. », (1 John 2:2), and then He was resurrected from the dead three days later. He is fully God and fully Man, the theanthropos [from the Greek for “God” (theos) and “Man” (anthropos)]; yet He is one person.

The Person and Work of Christ poses an unavoidable question: What will you do with Jesus? We cannot simply dismiss Him. We cannot ignore Him. He is the central figure in all of human history, and if He died for the sins of the whole world, then He died for yours as well. The apostle Peter says, “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” «Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. », (Acts 4:12). If we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior from sin, we will be saved.