Jesus of Nazareth

The Messiah

Jesus Christ

Jesus of Nazareth (c. 5 BC/BCE c. 30

AD/CE), also known as Jesus Christ or
simply Jesus, is the central figure of
Christianity, which views him as the
Messiah foretold in the Old Testament.
Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of
God (in the concept of the Trinity, he is God
[as] the Son), who came to provide
humankind with salvation and reconciliation
with God by his death for their sins

Ichthys

IsousChristos,TheouYios,Str
Fish are mentioned and given symbolic
meaning several times in the Gospels.
Several ofJesus' twelveApostleswere
fishermen. He commissions them with the
words "I will make you fishers of men ".
Having resurrected, Jesus is offered some
broiled fish and honeycomb in
Luke24:41-43 .

Jesus Fish

At thefeeding of the five thousand , a boy is

brought to Jesus with "five small loaves and
two fish". The question is asked, "But what
are they, among so many?" Jesus multiplies
the loaves and fish to feed the multitude. In
Matthew13:47-50 , Jesus compares God's
decision on who will go to heaven or to hell
("the fiery furnace") at the end of this world
to fishers sorting out their catch, keeping the
good fish and throwing the bad fish away.

Jesus Fish
InJohn21:11 , it is related that the disciples fished all night but
caught nothing. Jesus instructed them to cast the nets on the
other side of the boat, andthey drew in 153 fish .

Synoptic Gospels

The principal sources of information regarding

Jesus' life and teachings are the four canonical
gospels, though some scholars believe texts
such as the Gospel of Thomas are also relevant.
Historians believe that the New Testament is
useful for reconstructing Jesus' life. Most agree
that Jesus was a Jew who was regarded as a
teacher and healer, that he was baptized by
John the Baptist, and was crucified in
Jerusalem on the orders of the Roman Prefect
of Judaea, Pontius Pilate, on the charge of
sedition against the Roman Empire.

Possible year of birth

Scholars generally
conclude that Jesus
was born sometime
between 7-2 BC and
died sometime
between 26-36AD.
The Gospel of
Matthew states Jesus'
birth occurred during
the reign of Herod
The Great, who died
in 4 BC/BCE.

Nativity and early life

According to Matthew and Luke,

Jesus was born in Bethelem of
Judea to Mary, a virgin, by a
miracle of the Holy Spirit.
In Matthew, the Magi bring gifts
to the young Jesus after
following the Star of Bethelem.
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
massacre of the innocents").
The family flees to Egypt and
remains there until Herod's
death, whereupon they settle in
Nazareth to avoid living under
the authority of Herod's son and
successor Archelaus.

Early life and profession

In Mark 6:3 Jesus is called a tekton

in Greek), usually understood to
mean carpenter. But it is a rather
general word for technician.

Baptism

All three 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
parting and the Spirit
descending upon Him like a
dove.

Disciples

In the synoptic Gospels, Jesus calls some

Jewish men to be his Twelve Apostles.
None of them seems to have been a
peasant. At least four are described as
fishermen and another as a tax collector.
In Mark, the disciples are strangely
obtuse, failing to understand Jesus' deeds
and parables.
Luke places a special emphasis on the
women who followed Jesus, such as Mary
Magdalene.

Teachings

At the height of his

ministry, Jesus is said to
have attracted huge
crowds numbering in the
thousands, primarily in
the areas of Galilee and
Perea.
His teachings encourage
unconditional selfsacrificing God like love
for God and for all
people, as well faith and
forgiveness of sin.

Transfiguration and Jesus'

divine role

In the synoptic gospels, Jesus leads three select

disciples: Peter, John, and James to the top of a
mountain. While there, he is transformed
before them, his face shining like the sun and
his clothes brilliant white; Moses appears
adjacent to him. A bright cloud overshadows
them, and a voice from the sky says, "This is my
beloved son, with whom I am well pleased".
The Transfiguration is a turning point in Jesus
ministry. Just before it and thereafter, Jesus
warns that he is to suffer, die and rise again.

Jerusalem

Jesus came with his followers

to Jerusalem during the
Passover festival where a
large crowd came to meet
him, shouting, Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in
the name of the Lord! Blessed
is the King of Israel!

Following his entry, Jesus

created a disturbance at
HerodsTemple by
overturning the tables of the
moneychangers who set up
shop there, and claiming that
they had made the Temple a
"den of robbers".

Betrayal and arrest

While in the Garden, Jesus is arrested by

temple guards on the orders of the
Sanhedrin and the high priest, Caiaphas.
The arrest takes place clandestinely at
night to avoid a riot, as Jesus is popular
with the people at large.
Judas Iscariot, one of his apostles,
betrays Jesus by identifying him to the
guards with a kiss.

Trials before the Sanhedrin

and Pilate

Jesus affirms that he is the Messiah

before the Sanhedrin. The Jewish leaders
turn him over to Pilate for execution, but
Pilate is reluctant to execute Jesus. In an
attempt to spare Jesus' life, Pilate offers
the mob a chance to free him, but they
choose Barabbas instead, so that the
responsibility for Jesus' execution falls on
the mob of Jews that the Pharisees have
incited, rather than on the Romans

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 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.

Resurrection and
ascension

The Gospels state that

Jesus rose from the dead
on Sunday. All the Gospels
portray Jesus' empty
tomb. In Matthew, an
angel appears near the
tomb of Jesus and
announces his
resurrection to Mary
Magdalene.
In Luke, Jesus ascends on
Easter Sunday evening
when he is with his
disciples.