How is Jesus greater than all the other great people in history?

Supreme among men, because of who He is, and because of what He is in His deep perfections, there is none to compare with Jesus. When we recall the greatest and most remarkable of men, we remember the words of the Psalmist, "Verily every man at his best is altogether vanity" (Psalm 39). All have come from sinful Adam, from the man who is of the earth, but He was a Man out of heaven. The Son of God has companions, called in divine grace to this wondrous place, but "He is anointed with the oil of gladness above His fellows." He is the Firstborn among many brethren, transcending all because He is the only-begotten of the Father's bosom, because of all He has accomplished for the glory of God and for the blessing of His own, and because of His Personal intrinsic excellence. Jesus is the Chiefest among those with whom God has surrounded Him; the great men of earth are not worthy to be found in His company; He is not compared with them, for He stands out in His supremacy in marked contrast to all who have been acclaimed by the men of this world. The great of earth have trampled on their foes and on their fellows, wading deep in human blood to achieve their ambitions and attain the fame and glory of this world; in marked contrast, the Son of God "humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross," shedding His own precious blood for the sins of others. The world's philosophers, ignorant of God, and glorying in their independence. have spun from their hearts and minds theories and ideas for which they have received the adulation of their fellows; but the Lord Jesus came with the true knowledge of God, calling attention to the Father, and saying, "My doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me" (John 7:16). Among men there is none to compare with Him; in the circle of His own He stands supreme, the admired object of every adoring heart that has the privilege to be there; and soon He will be surrounded by the heavenly hosts proclaiming His worthiness (Rev. 5).

Cast your mind back over the past. Recall all the great names of history as far as you know them. Of all these great ones, to whom would you most confidently commit your destiny and the destiny of the world? Would you say Napoleon, or Mohammed, or Julius Caesar, or Nebuchadnezzar? We think not. These were tyrants all. We should be pretty well unanimous in saying that all our concerns could rest in no better hands than those of Jesus of Nazareth, if only He should reappear.

Every one who calmly reads the accounts of Jesus of Nazareth in the Gospels must be conscious how utterly different He is to himself, and to every one else whom he has ever seen or met. He must recognise unselfishness and love, righteousness and holiness, meekness and lowliness combined with a sense of infinite greatness the like of which was never seen before, and never will be seen again among the sons of men.

He is not one among many, not even the foremost of the human race, if nothing more is conceded to Him than that. He stands by Himself, unique, incomparable, a solitary Figure, grander than words can express, even in the lowliness to which He stooped in Divine love, a solitary Figure in unapproachable majesty, wisdom, tenderness, compassion. His honour never can be shared by another.

His Name is "Jesus Christ" or as His contemporaries called Him – "Jesus of Nazareth". We are in possession of the records of portions of the Life He lived on earth, and these records, the four Gospels, are historically fully trustworthy. Infidels of every description have tried to discredit them. They stand firm and unshaken. They reveal Him as the outstanding figure of history. He towers above the rest of humanity. No one like Him before and none after.

He was a wonderful Teacher. One of His followers, who listened to Him, said: "Thou hast the Words of eternal life." Great philosophers and religious leaders who lived before He was on earth also taught. They gave ethical precepts; they tried to explain the enigma of human existence and destiny, and uttered their speculations as to a higher being and the unseen. But none ever spoke words as He spoke; words of Life and Words of Wisdom, words which reveal God, His character, His love, His grace, His Fatherhood.

Now I look around at other of the world's great teachers. I find great names, Confucius, Zoroaster, Mahomed, Krishna, Buddha, Gautama. I find in their teaching beautiful words. But you will not find in all their teaching anything like the teaching of Jesus Christ. Suppose I take the testimony of a man well-known, Professor Max Muller, who did so much to make English people acquainted with the literature of the East. Well, what does he say? Why he says, no one in his senses would dream of comparing the Bible with the Sacred books of the East, they have a jewel here or there, but the Bible is all jewels throughout. Now I see these teachers, and I enquire as to their lives. Some lived good lives, and some horrible lives, but I do not find anyone, whose life was like that of the Lord Jesus Christ as I desire to follow Him.

The saint needs an object from God to form our souls and fashion our ways. And He sets before us Christ. What or who can compare with Him? Flaws were in the best of saints at their best, think of Peter, Paul, John. Christ "did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." Christ "when reviled did not revile again; when suffering, did not threaten, but gave over to him that judgeth righteously." Who among his most bitter foes that sought every occasion ever convicted Him of sin? He always did the things that pleased His Father, and never once did any will but His, the lowliest of men, yet above the highest. For there is nothing so lowly as obedience; nor is there any thing so pure and morally elevating as ever obeying God. He and He only was "His righteous servant," He absolutely and perfectly.

In the Lord Jesus as Man here was expressed all the moral character of God. Everything that can rightly be connected with the thought of God is found in its perfection in Jesus. Do we speak of holiness? He was holy in His very conception and birth, and holy in life and ways. Do we speak of mercy? When did the appeal for mercy fall unheeded or unanswered on His ears? Of truth? Of righteousness? Of tenderness? Of humility? Of obedience? Of faithfulness? Of confidence in God? Of authority? Of power? Of wisdom? Of love? All these things are seen in Jesus. Not some goodness or obedience, not some mercy or humility, but these very things themselves in their essence, in their essential perfection.

Moses, David and Daniel, who were outstanding among the children of men, but Jesus stands alone, unique in His moral perfections, the only One upon whom the Father could look with unbroken delight, and declare from the opened heavens His pleasure in Him. Every moment of that holy life was lived for the Father's will in perfect devotion and obedience; His every motive pure and unsullied, His every step taken in dependence upon God for God's glory and the blessing of men.

Every aspect of the life of the Lord Jesus brings before us His deep perfections, whether it be the moral perfections that are brought into relief against the dark background of the ruin of the human race, or the perfect revelation in Him of all that God is in His nature of love and in His disposition of goodness and compassion for fallen sinners. The perfect obedience of the Lord Jesus is wonderful to contemplate, especially when we consider who He is in the greatness and glory of His Person. Though never ceasing to be God, He was a real Man; and as Man He partook of human nature, being made in all things "like unto His brethren," yet without sin; and in the perfection of His obedience in Manhood, He was unlike every other man, for even man at his best is a sinner before God. This is seen strikingly in Moses, who though "faithful in all His house, as a servant," was yet refused entry into the land of promise for disobeying the word of God.