To understand jesus's message, we must look at what he said and does in the context of his time.This means we need to look at the Gospels. Then we apply what we've learned to first century AD Palistine. In that context wecan better understand Jesus.
Jesus held an aura of authority. He spoke from his own authority, not the authority of others, like the Pharisees taught. He didn't quote prophets often, mostly he spoke from his heart to his listeners'. This endeared many of his listeners to him.
Jesus taught that the most basic and supreme law was that of love. He taught that at the final judgement, people would be divided on how they cared for others on earth.He taught that all had a chance for redemption if they opened thier hearts.
The ways to know God are more common sense, that unless its pointed out to us we ignore it. Mostly the arguments state that the universe is too complex and too ordered, for it not to have had an outside force. Another way is that there is a order of complexity in beings and there must be a higher one that we search for.
The rest of this section I went through ways of seeing Jesus as just a person. I found that he was a true radical of his day. He said that love of God and one's neighbors was the most important thing to do. The teachers of the time preached that the letter of the law was supreme. He accepted the outcasts of society. He dined with sinners, and even ask why he did this he replied, "A doctor comes to help the sick not the well." He rarely cited authority from prophets and holy men, but spoke with his own authority.
