Was Jesus a man suffering from mental illness?

Question

some suggest schizophrenia

Benito......my deepest gratitude for an excellent and insightful answer. I've heard this before but never in such detail...where did you get the info...Thanks

Answer 1

Was Jesus a liar, insane, or who He said He was?
Source:
http://www.libchrist.com/bible/apoligetic.html

Christ can not be accepted as just a great teacher and historic figure like other religious leaders. In determining who Christ was this leaves only two choices: either he was a lying, deranged mentally ill person......or He was the son of God. There is no other choice. Many prophets have claimed to have talked to God and received great revelation, which, combined with their charisma, have founded many religions with mass followings. Then they died and their thoughts are passed on. However Christ came back to life again. That's a good trick. If the resurrection is true, that should be unmistakable evidence Christ was not mad, but God's son.

At first the resurrection idea of the Bible seems like a fairy tale. Were the people of Jesus's time gullible, superstitious, and naive - were they the victims of fraudulent claims? No other religion claims that its founder has been raised from the dead. Any argument for the validity of Christianity stands or falls on the proof of the resurrection. Therefore His resurrection has been ridiculed and contested through the centuries by all kinds of skeptics. Consider the strong evidence that Jesus was raised from the dead, thereby proving for all the world that He was the Son of God as he claimed.

The resurrection was foretold by Jesus in Math 16:21 where he told the disciples that He would go to Jerusalem, and suffer, be killed and be raised again on the third day. No other explanation for the empty tomb. History records that a massive stone was laid in front of the tomb and it was heavily guarded by Roman soldiers who feared someone might disturb the tomb.

History shows that Jesus appeared to his disciples on at least 10 occasions after the resurrection. He ate with them and allowed them to touch Him, when they could not believe their eyes. The resurrection is the only reasonable explanation for the beginning of the Church. After His death his disciples were bewildered that their leader had died. Without such a miraculous event the disciples would have had no reason to believe their dead leader.

The resurrection is the only reasonable explanation for the transformed lives of the disciples. After the crucifixion, they were discouraged and fearful., They did not expect Jesus to rise from the dead, even though He had said He would. It was these men who after the resurrection went out to turn the world upside down. Many lost their lives for their faith, and others were terribly persecuted. Their behavior does not make sense unless they knew the resurrection to be a fact.

The transformation of Paul's life can only be reasonable explained by the resurrection. Saul, devoted his energies and time to the self appointed task of seizing and killing those who proclaimed Jesus as the promised Jewish Messiah. But his life was irrevocably changed when he met the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. From that time on, he was a new person, outspokenly preaching the resurrected Christ and willing to die for his faith in the one whom he had earlier sought to destroy.

Dr. William Lyon Phelps, the former distinguished professor of English literature at Yale, wrote, "It may be said that the historical evidence for the resurrection is stronger than for any other miracle anywhere narrated." John Singleton Copley, recognized as one of the greatest legal minds in British history, commented:"I know pretty well what evidence is; and I tell you, such evidence as that of the resurrection has never broken down yet."

We now have two choices, ignore the historical evidence and the above facts, going our own way. Or experience the joy and abundant spiritual life God has promised to us, through Christ, the resurrected Jesus, who in the form of the Holy Spirit, lives in the soul of anyone who invites him in.

Answer 2

I guess if you're trying to rationalize why Jesus acted the way he did, you can suggest that he was a schizo. But seeing how most schizophrenics have a great deal of disorganization, I would sincerely doubt that's a probable explanation. Think about it this way, would you follow a man wholeheartedly if he started talking abstract?

Answer 3

Unfortunately no, not at all. The jesus of history is completely different than the jesus of religion. The true jesus of history lived in a time where jerusalem was occupied by the Roman Empire. Just before his birth multiple military campaigns were held by the jews to attempt to crush the roman occupation and drive them out. They did have some limmited sucess but the Romans always came back with greater numbers and stomped out the uprising or insurgents. Jesus was born into this time. The majority of jews at this time were violently apposed to the roman occupation and were waiting for 2 men that were prophesied to be born to lead the jews and regain indepencance. One "Messiah" was to be king of the jews pollitically, and he would be from the blood line of David. The other "Messian" was to be king of the jews spiritually and from the blood line of Aaron and the Levite priests. The militant Jewish leaders at this time set up a marrige between Joseph,(who was from the bloodline of David) and Mary (who was from the bloodline of Aaron) in order to concieve one child from both bloodlines and having one man complete both messiah prophecies. Jesus was raised for one purpose, to lead the jews and destroy the Romans. He purposely went about fulfilling old testament prophecy in order to demonstrate to the people that he was their king (including riding into Jerusalem just before his death at passover on a donkey). The historical Jesus was a militant Jew, an insurgent in an occupied country if you will, who was betrayed by the jews that trained and followed him because jesus's stance on the Roman tax that was hated by the jews and that the militant group he belonged to refused to pay. He publicly stated to give to ceasar what is ceasars and to god what is gods. This so enraged the militant jew community that he was supposed to be leading that they betrayed him and arranged for his crucifiction by the Romans. Crucifiction was a political execution. No Roman crucifiction has ever been recorded for religious infractions, only for seditious political acts. Jesus was just a guy who was born and raised to be a leader, an insurgent. The Romans would have viewed him and the militant jewish community that he was a part of and eventually led as terrorists. The same way the US (who occupy Iraq) view the insurgents as terrorists. But the vatican has completely erased the historical jesus from popular knowledge and replaced him with the miracle working, peace loving biblical jesus. At no time in the original biblical scrolls was there ever mention of a virgin birth, or even mention of the divinity of Jesus. These were man made concepts decided to be enacted at the council of nicea by the then pope and his bishops (along with creating the concept of the holy trinity). The vatican and the catholic church serve their own agenda. The jesus of history is nothing like the biblical Jesus.



Note: HymieB, most of this info can be found in a recent book called the Jesus Papers, the authors name escapes me but I will get u his name as soon as i can. I really recomend that you give it a read. The author is not some crackpot and his sources are more than credible, they include high ranking catholic priests, and world renowned proffesors. The author is Michael Baigent.

Answer 4

How come human beings go through psychological ailment? God hasn't spoke back that one totally for me yet. yet I study it to questions like why are some toddlers born without legs or hands, deaf or blind. there is not any rhyme or clarification for it. It would not make experience. yet God rather does comprehend. i did no longer see the quicker question, yet relating to rabbits, they have not got the means of human intelligence, to make judgements or make the main of their dedication, to the quantity that we do. So, rabbits may well be happier, yet they gained't comprehend it in its richest sort, the way we do, as quickly as all of us comprehend how lots God loves us.

Answer 5

At least this is closer then the people who say "He was a good teacher" Or "He was a Prophet."
Yes it is true that Jesus is
1. Totally Nutz!
2. GOD in the flesh, come to redeem a lost and dying world back to himself.

That's the only Biblical choices there are!

May the Lord richly bless you on your quest.

Answer 6

If u define mental illness as

coming down from heaven to save us, helping the sick, helping the needy, forgiving people of their sins, not being judgmental, then He may have had a mental illness.

Answer 7

They may suggest that, but I do believe it too be fact that no of them have ever meet him nor diagnosed him, and why would those people who saw hm after he rose from the dead, allow themselves to be killed (yes they were beheaded and hung for saying jesus was the son of god) after they wouldn't stand by him when he was crucified?
bet you didn't know that, forget to read the rest of the bible?

Think about that..None of them would stand by him, and after he rose all of them were later killed for saying he was the son of god. Would you do that if you didn't truly believe?

Answer 8

I have never met a mentally ill person who could heal the sick and raise the dead.Jesus is Lord.

Answer 9

How could you be mental and teach thousands and help millions, and deal with your mentality from creation to now. I don't think Jesus was mental.

Answer 10

Jesus was quite a guy, he invented a mental illness that could be spread: blind faith.