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How would you respond to someone who says that Jesus Christ was a wonderful teacher but nothing more?
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I would say that Jesus either was who he said he was (God’s Son) or he was a lunatic.
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Christ’s wonderful teaching was not the complete work that He did. His work was to close the gap between God and humans, which no person could do. He fulfilled the promises of God, fulfilled the law of God with His great wisdom and love, and obediently “taught” through death and resurrection what the mystery of God is, that salvation and reconciliation has come through Jesus Christ.
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That statement is false. The Bible is clear that Jesus is the Son of God. I will tell this truth to that person straightforwardly, but I will also listen to what he/she has to say. Many people are not willing to listen to the Gospel because the church does not listen to their stories.
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Jesus did so much more that teach. He performed miracles that no one had ever seen. His walk to Calvary, his death and resurrection proved to be more than just a teacher. History is based on this mans life. It was a pivotal point in the history of mankind. No other “teacher” has been so highly exalted for just teaching. His life and purpose is what has changed hearts for thousands of years after he ascended to Heaven.
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I might respond by acknowledging that many people do regard Jesus as an exceptional teacher due to the wisdom and ethical teachings found in the Bible, such as the Sermon on the Mount. However, I would also gently point out that for Christians, Jesus is more than just a teacher. He is central to their faith as the Son of God, the Messiah, and the Savior of humanity.
I might explain that Jesus’s teachings and actions are inseparable from his identity as the divine Son of God, as depicted in the New Testament. His miracles, resurrection, and claims about himself as recorded in the Gospels are foundational to Christian belief. Therefore, reducing Jesus to merely a moral teacher overlooks the profound theological significance that he holds for Christians.