JESUS CHRIST

INTRODUCTION
Jesus of Nazareth also known as Jesus Christ or simply Jesus, is the central
figure of Christianity. Christians view him as the Messiah foretold in the Old
Testament and as the Son of God, who provided salvation and reconciliation with God to
humankind by dying for its sins.

BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD OF JESUS CHRIST

According to Matthew and Luke, Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea to Mary,
a virgin, by a miracle of the Holy Spirit. In Luke, the angel Gabriel visits Mary to tell
her that she was chosen to bear the Son of God. An order of Caesar Augustus had
forced Mary and Joseph to leave their homes in Nazareth and come to the home of
Joseph's ancestors, the house of David, for the Census of Quirinius. After Jesus'
birth, the couple was forced to use a manger in place of a crib because of a shortage of
accommodation. An angel announced Jesus' birth to shepherds who left their flocks to
see the newborn child and who subsequently publicized what they had witnessed
throughout the area.

In Matthew, the "Wise Men" or "Magi" bring gifts to the young Jesus after
following a star which they believe was a sign that the King of the Jews had been born.
King Herod hears of Jesus' birth from the Wise Men and tries to kill him by
massacring all the male children in Bethlehem under the age of two.The family flees to
Egypt and remains there until Herod's death, where upon they settle in Nazareth to
avoid living under the authority of Herod's son and successor Archelaus.

Jesus' childhood home is identified as the town of Nazareth in Galilee.

According to Luke, Jesus was "about thirty years of age" when he was baptized. In
Mark, Jesus is called a tekton, usually understood to mean carpenter. Matthew says he
was the son of a tekton.

Jesus born in a manger in Bethlehem

 BAPTISM OF JESUS CHRIST BY JOHN THE BAPTIST
All three synoptic Gospels describe the Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist,
an event which Biblical scholars describe as the beginning of Jesus' public ministry.
According to these accounts, Jesus came to the Jordan River where John the Baptist
had been preaching and baptizing people in the crowd. After Jesus was baptized and
rose from the water, Mark states Jesus "saw the heavens being torn open and the
Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, 'You are my
beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.'".

Mark starts his narration with Jesus' baptism, specifying that it is a token of
repentance and for forgiveness of sins. Matthew omits this reference, emphasizing
Jesus' superiority to John. Matthew describes John as initially hesitant to comply with
Jesus' request for John to baptize him, stating that it was Jesus who should baptize
him. Jesus persisted, "It is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness". In
Matthew, God's public dedication informs the reader that Jesus has become God's
anointed ("Christ").

Baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist

TEMPTATION OF JESUS CHRIST BY THE DEVIL

Following his baptism, Jesus was led into the desert by God where he fasted for
forty days and forty nights. During this time, the Devil appeared to him and tempted
Jesus three times. Each time, Jesus refused temptation with a quotation of scripture
from the Book of Deuteronomy. The Devil departed and angels came and brought
nourishment to Jesus.
 Jesus being tempted by the devil
JESUS’ MINISTRY
In the synoptics as well as in John, Jesus has a ministry of teaching and
miracles, at least part of which is in Galilee. In the synoptics, Jesus speaks in parables
and aphorisms, exorcises demons, champions the poor and oppressed, and teaches
mainly about the Kingdom of God. In John, Jesus speaks in long discourses, with himself
as the theme of his teaching.

Jesus teaching His disciple. (Sermon On The Mount)

JESUS’ DEATH
In Mark, Jesus is stripped, flogged, mocked, and crowned with thorns. He is
crucified between two thieves, and his cross states that he is being executed for
aspiring to be the king of the Jews. He recited Psalm 22, "My God, my God, why hast
thou forsaken me.", uttered a loud cry and died. According to all four Gospels, Jesus
died before late afternoon at Calvary, which was also called Golgotha. In Luke, Jesus
faces his crucifixion stolidly. He asks God to forgive those who are crucifying him,
possibly the Romans and possibly the Jews.

The Synoptic Gospels tell of the darkening of the sky from twelve until three
that afternoon; Matthew also mentions an earthquake, "At that moment the curtain of
the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split."
Mathew also says many dead saints were resurrected and went into the city to appear
before other people.
Jesus on the Cross