Religion  - Jesus Christ

The Life and Times of
     Jesus Christ
                   From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia

                 
                       This narration is about Jesus of Nazareth.

                              Born 7–2 BC/BCE
            Bethlehem, Judaea, Roman Empire
                            Died 26–36 AD/CE.

(According to Christians, he rose three days later.)
               Calvary outside Jerusalem,
          Judaea Province, Roman Empire
              Cause of death -  Crucifixion

               Burial place A garden tomb
     Traditionally located in what is now the
             Church of the Holy Sepulchre
  Occupation: Carpenter, itinerant preacher
             Home town Nazareth, Galilee
                     Jesus of Nazareth
         (7–2 BC/BCE to 26–36 AD/CE)
          Also known as Jesus Christ,
   is the central figure of Christianity,
          revered by most Christians
           as the incarnation of God,
      and is also an important figure
             in several other religions.

The name "Jesus" is an Anglicization of the Greek Ίησους (Iēsous), itself a
Hellenization of the Hebrew יהושע (Yehoshua) or Hebrew-Aramaic ישוע (Yeshua),
meaning "YHWH rescues". "Christ" is a title derived from the Greek Χριστός
(Christós), meaning the "Anointed One," which corresponds to the Hebrew-
derived "Messiah".[5]

The main sources of information regarding Jesus' life and teachings are the
gospels. Most scholars in the fields of history and biblical studies agree that
Jesus was a Galilean Jew, was regarded as a teacher and healer, was baptized by
John the Baptist, and was crucified in Jerusalem on orders of Roman Governor
Pontius Pilate, on the charge of sedition against the Roman Empire.[6][7] Most
critical scholars believe that ancient texts on Jesus' life are at least partially
accurate.[8][9]

Christian views of Jesus (see also Christology) center on the belief that Jesus is
divine, is the Messiah whose coming was prophesied in the Old Testament, and
that he was resurrected after his crucifixion. Christians predominantly believe that
Jesus is the "Son of God" (generally meaning that he is God the Son, the second
person in the Trinity), who came to provide salvation and reconciliation with God.
Other Christian beliefs include Jesus' virgin birth, performance of miracles,
ascension into Heaven, and future Second Coming. While the doctrine of the
Trinity is widely accepted by Christians, a small minority instead hold various
nontrinitarian beliefs concerning the divinity of Jesus.

In Islam, Jesus (Arabic: عيسى‎, commonly transliterated as Isa) is considered one of
God's important prophets,[10][11] a bringer of scripture, a worker of miracles, and
the Messiah. Muslims, however, believe Jesus was not divine and not crucified,
but ascended bodily to heaven.

Contents:

1 Chronology
2 Life and teachings, as told in the Gospels
2.1 Genealogy and family
2.2 Nativity and early life
2.3 Baptism and Temptation
2.4 Ministry
2.5 Arrest, trial, and death
2.6 Resurrection and Ascension
3 Historical views
3.1 Constructing a historical view
3.2 Descriptions
3.3 Names and titles
3.4 Religious groups
3.5 Gospels as historical texts
3.6 Mythical view
4 Religious perspectives
4.1 Christian views
4.1.1 Majority view
4.1.2 Alternative views
4.1.3 Other early views
4.2 Islamic views
4.2.1 Majority view
4.2.2 Ahmadiyya views
4.3 Judaism's view
4.4 Bahá'í views
4.5 Dharmic religion views
4.6 Other views
5 Legacy
6 See also
7 Notes
8 References
9 External links



Chronology:

Scholars do not know the exact year or date of Jesus' birth or death. The Gospel
of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke place Jesus' birth under the reign of Herod the
Great, who died in 4 BC/BCE,[12] although the Gospel of Luke also describes the
birth as taking place during the first census of the Roman provinces of Syria and
Iudaea in 6 AD/CE.[13] Scholars generally assume a date of birth between 6 and 4
BC/BCE.[14] Jesus' ministry followed that of John the Baptist.[15] The Gospels
name Pontius Pilate as the Roman prefect that had Jesus crucified, and Pilate was
prefect of Iudea between 26 and 36 AD/CE.[16]

The common Western standard for numbering years, in which the current year is
2008, is based on an early medieval attempt to count the years from Jesus' birth.

While Christmas, in honor of Jesus' birth, is celebrated December 25, there is no
indication that this was his actual birthday. Jesus was executed after Passover, a
Jewish holiday occurring in northern spring. Christians commemorate Jesus'
crucification at this time of year, on Good Friday.

Major events in Jesus' life from the Gospels
Nativity of Jesus
Baptism
Temptation
Ministry
Commissioning Apostles and Disciples
Sermon on the Mount
Miracles
Rejection
Transfiguration
Giving the Evangelical councils
Entering Jerusalem
Cursing the Fig Tree
The Temple Incident
Giving the Great Commandment
Second Coming Prophecy
Promising a Paraclete
Anointing
Last Supper
The Passion:
Arrest
Sanhedrin Trial
Before Pilate
Crucifixion
Entombment
Empty Tomb
Resurrection appearances
Giving the Great Commission
Ascension

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The Gospels (especially Matthew) present Jesus' birth, life, death,
and resurrection as fulfillments of prophecies found in the Hebrew Bible. See, for
example, the virgin birth, the flight into Egypt, Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14), and the
suffering servant.

Genealogy and family


Jesus and Mary: Black Madonna of CzęstochowaOf the four gospels, only
Matthew and Luke give accounts of Jesus' genealogy. The accounts in the two
gospels are substantially different, and various theories have been proposed to
explain the discrepancies.[21] Both accounts, however, trace his line back to King
David and from there to Abraham. These lists are identical between Abraham and
David, but they differ between David and Joseph. Matthew starts with Solomon
and proceeds through the kings of Judah to the last king, Jeconiah. After
Jeconiah, the line of kings terminated when Babylon conquered Judah. Thus,
Matthew shows that Jesus is the legal heir to the throne of Israel. Luke's
genealogy is longer than Matthew's; it goes back to Adam and provides more
names between David and Jesus.

Joseph, husband of Mary, appears in descriptions of Jesus' childhood. No
mention, however, is made of Joseph during the ministry of Jesus.

The New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, and Galatians tell of Jesus' relatives,
including what may have been brothers and sisters.[22] The Greek word adelphos
in these verses, often translated as brother, can refer to any familial relation, and
most Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians translate the word as kinsman or
cousin in this context (see Perpetual virginity of Mary). Luke also mentions that
Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, was a "cousin" or "relative" of Mary (Luke
1:36), which would make John a distant cousin of Jesus.


Nativity and early life:


Adoration of the Shepherds, Gerard van Honthorst, 17th centuryAccording to
Matthew and Luke, Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea to Mary, a virgin, by a
miracle of the Holy Spirit. The Gospel of Luke gives an account of the angel
Gabriel visiting Mary to tell her that she was chosen to bear the Son of God (Luke
1:26–38). According to Luke, 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 (Luke 2:1–7). According to Luke, 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 (see The First Noël). Matthew tells of the "Wise Men" or
"Magi" who brought gifts to the infant Jesus after following a star which they
believed was a sign that the King of the Jews had been born (Matthew 2:1–12).

Jesus' childhood home is identified as the town of Nazareth in Galilee. Except for
a journey to Egypt by his family in his infancy to escape Herod's Massacre of the
Innocents and a short trip to Tyre and Sidon (in what is now Lebanon), the
Gospels place all other events in Jesus' life in ancient Israel.[23] According to
Matthew, the family remained in Egypt until Herod's death, whereupon they
returned to Nazareth to avoid living under the authority of Herod's son and
successor Archelaus (Matthew 2:19–23).

Only Luke tells that Jesus was found teaching in the temple by his parents after
being lost. The Finding in the Temple (Luke 2:41–52) is the only event between
Jesus' infancy and baptism mentioned in any of the canonical Gospels.
According to Luke, Jesus was "about thirty years of age" when he was baptized
(Luke 3:23). In Mark, Jesus is called a carpenter. Matthew says he was a
carpenter's son, suggesting to some that Jesus may have spent some of his first
30 years practicing carpentry with his father (Mark 6:3, Matthew 13:55).


Baptism and Temptation:

Temptation of Christ, Ary Scheffer, 19th c.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. 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" (Matthew 3:15). 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. Then a voice came from heaven saying: 'You are My beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased'" (Mark 1:10–11). The Gospel of John does not describe
the baptism, but it does attest that Jesus is the very one about whom John the
Baptist had been preaching — the Son of God.














Following his baptism, Jesus was led into the desert by God where he fasted for
forty days and forty nights (Matthew 4:1–2). 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 (Matthew 4:1–11, Mark 1:12–13,
Luke 4:1–13).


















Ministry:


Sermon on the Mount, Carl Heinrich Bloch, 19th c.The Gospels state that Jesus,
as Messiah, came to "give his life as a ransom for many" and "preach the good
news of the Kingdom of God."[24] Over the course of his ministry, Jesus is said to
have performed various miracles, including healings, exorcisms, walking on
water, turning water into wine, and raising several people, such as Lazarus, from
the dead (John 11:1–44, Matthew 9:25, and Luke 7:15).












Judæa and Galilee at the time of JesusThe Gospel of John describes three
different passover feasts over the course of Jesus' ministry. This implies that
Jesus preached for a period of at least "two years plus a month or two",[25]
although some interpretations of the Synoptic Gospels suggest a span of only
one year.[26] The focus of his ministry was toward his closest adherents, the
Twelve Apostles, though many of his followers were considered disciples. The
Twelve Apostles and others closest to Jesus were all Jews as shown by Jesus’
statements that his mission is directed only to those of the house of Israel
(Matthew 15:24, Matthew 10:1-6) and by the fact that only after the death of Jesus
did the apostles agree with Paul that the teaching of the gospel could be extended
to uncircumcised Gentiles (Acts 15:1–31, Galatians 2:7-9, Acts 10:1–11:18). Jesus
led an apocalyptic following. He preached that the end of the current world would
come unexpectedly, and that he would return to judge the world, especially
according to how they treated the vulnerable; for this reason, he called on his
followers to be ever alert and faithful. Jesus also taught that repentance was
necessary to escape hell, and promised to give those who believe in him eternal
life (John 3:16–18).

At the height of his ministry, Jesus attracted huge crowds numbering in the
thousands, primarily in the areas of Galilee and Perea (in modern-day Israel and
Jordan respectively).[27] Some of Jesus' most famous teachings come from the
Sermon on the Mount, which contained the Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer.
Jesus often employed parables, such as the Parable of the Prodigal Son and the
Parable of the Sower. His teachings encouraged unconditional self-sacrificing
God-like love for God and for all people. During his sermons, he preached about
service and humility, the forgiveness of sin, faith, turning the other cheek, love for
one's enemies as well as friends, and the need to follow the spirit of the law in
addition to the letter.[28]

Jesus often met with society's outcasts, such as the publicani (Imperial tax
collectors who were despised for extorting money), including the apostle
Matthew; when the Pharisees objected to Jesus' meeting with sinners rather than
the righteous, Jesus replied that it was the sick who need a physician, not the
healthy (Matthew 9:9–13). According to Luke and John, Jesus also made efforts to
extend his ministry to the Samaritans, who followed a different form of the Israelite
religion. This is reflected in his preaching to the Samaritans of Sychar, resulting in
their conversion (John 4:1–42).

According to the synoptic gospels, Jesus led three of his apostles — Peter, John,
and James — to the top of a mountain to pray. While there, he was transfigured
before them, his face shining like the sun and his clothes brilliant white; Elijah and
Moses appeared adjacent to him. A bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice
from the sky said, "This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased."[29] The
gospels also state that toward the end of his ministry, Jesus began to warn his
disciples of his future death and resurrection (Matthew 16:21–28).




























Arrest, trial, and death:

Pontius Pilate presents a scourged Jesus of Nazareth to onlookers: a very
popular motif in Christian art.In the account given by the synoptic gospels, 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!"[30] Following his triumphal entry,
[31] Jesus created a disturbance at Herod's Temple by overturning the tables of
the moneychangers who set up shop there, and claiming that they had made the
Temple a "den of robbers." (Mark 11:17). Later that week, Jesus celebrated the
Passover meal with his disciples — an event subsequently known as the Last
Supper — in which he prophesied that he would be betrayed by one of his
disciples, and would then be executed. In this ritual he took bread and wine in
hand, saying: "this is my body which is given for you" and "this cup which is
poured out for you is the New Covenant in my blood," and instructed them to "do
this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:7–20). Following the supper, Jesus and his
disciples went to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane.



















While in the Garden, Jesus was arrested by temple guards on the orders of the
Sanhedrin and the high priest, Caiaphas (Luke 22:47–52, Matthew 26:47–56). The
arrest took place clandestinely at night to avoid a riot, as Jesus was popular with
the people at large (Mark 14:2). Judas Iscariot, one of his apostles, betrayed Jesus
by identifying him to the guards with a kiss. Simon Peter, another one of Jesus'
apostles, used a sword to attack one of Jesus' captors, cutting off his ear, which,
according to Luke, Jesus immediately healed miraculously.[32] Jesus rebuked the
apostle, stating "all they that take the sword shall perish by the sword" (Matthew
26:52). After his arrest, Jesus' apostles went into hiding.















































Crucifixion, Diego Velázquez, 17th c.During the Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus, the high
priests and elders asked Jesus, "Are you the Son of God?" When he replied, "You
are right in saying I am," they condemned Jesus for blasphemy (Luke 22:70–71).
The high priests then turned him over to the Roman procurator Pontius Pilate,
based on an accusation of sedition for forbidding the payment of taxes Luke 23:1-
2 and claiming to be King of the Jews.[33] When Jesus came before Pilate, Pilate
asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" to which he replied, "It is as you say."
According to the Gospels, Pilate personally felt that Jesus was not guilty of any
crime against the Romans, and since there was a custom at Passover for the
Roman governor to free a prisoner (a custom not recorded outside the Gospels),
Pilate offered the crowd a choice between Jesus of Nazareth and an
insurrectionist named Barabbas. The crowd chose to have Barabbas freed and
Jesus crucified. Pilate washed his hands to indicate that he was innocent of the
injustice of the decision (Matthew 27:11–26).




















According to all four Gospels, Jesus died before late afternoon at Calvary, which
was also called Golgotha. The wealthy Judean Joseph of Arimathea, a member of
the Sanhedrin according to Mark and Luke, received Pilate's permission to take
possession of Jesus' body, placing it in a tomb.[34] According to John, Joseph
was aided by Nicodemus, who joined him to help bury Jesus, and who appears in
other parts of John's gospel (John 19:38–42). The three Synoptic Gospels tell of
the darkening of the sky from twelve until three that afternoon; Matthew also
mentions an earthquake (Matthew 27:51).


Resurrection and Ascension:

Christ en majesté, Matthias Grünewald, 16th c.: Resurrection of JesusAccording
to the Gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion.[35]
The Gospel of Matthew states that an angel appeared near the tomb of Jesus and
announced his resurrection to Mary Magdelene and "another Mary" who had
arrived to anoint the body (Matthew 28:1–10). According to Luke there were two
angels (Luke 24:4), and according to Mark there was a youth dressed in white
(Mark 16:5). The "longer ending" to Mark states that on the morning of his
resurrection, Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9). John states that
when Mary looked into the tomb, two angels asked her why she was crying; and
as she turned round she initially failed to recognize Jesus until he spoke her
name (John 20:11–18).

The Acts of the Apostles state that Jesus appeared to various people in various
places over the next forty days. Hours after his resurrection, he appeared to two
travelers on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35). To his assembled disciples he
showed himself on the evening after his resurrection (John 20:19). Although his
own ministry had been specifically to Jews, Jesus is said to have sent his
apostles to the Gentiles with the Great Commission and ascended to
heaven while a cloud concealed him from their sight. According to Acts, Paul of
Tarsus had a vision of Jesus during his Road to Damascus experience. Jesus
promised to come again to fulfill the remainder of Messianic prophecy.[36]


Historical views:

Scholars have used the historical method to develop probable reconstructions of
Jesus' life. Over the past two hundred years, the image of Jesus among historical
scholars has come to be very different than the common image of Jesus that was
based on the gospels.[37] Some scholars draw a distinction between Jesus as
reconstructed through historical methods and Jesus as understood through a
theological point of view, while other scholars hold that a theological Jesus
represents a historical figure.[38] The main sources of information regarding
Jesus' life and teachings are the gospels, especially the synoptic gospels: Mark,
Matthew, and Luke. Biblical scholars and most historians accept the historical
existence of Jesus and regard claims against his existence as "effectively
refuted".[39]

The English title of Albert Schweitzer's 1906 book, "The Quest of the Historical
Jesus," is a label for the post-Enlightenment effort to describe Jesus using critical
historical methods.[40] Since the end of the 18th century, scholars have examined
the gospels and tried to formulate historical biographies of Jesus. Contemporary
efforts benefit from a better understanding of 1st-century Judaism, renewed
Roman Catholic biblical scholarship, broad acceptance of critical historical
methods, sociological insights, and literary analysis of Jesus' sayings.[40]


Constructing a historical view:

Historians analyze the gospels to try to discern the historical man on whom these
stories are based. They compare what the gospels say to historical events
relevant to the times and places where the gospels were written. They try to
answer historical questions about Jesus, such as why he was crucified.

Most scholars agree the Gospel of Mark was written about the time of the
destruction of the Jewish Temple by the Romans under Titus in the year 70, and
that the other gospels were written between 70–100.[41] The historical outlook on
Jesus relies on critical analysis of the Bible, especially the gospels. Many
scholars have sought to reconstruct Jesus' life in terms of contemporaneous
political, cultural, and religious currents in Israel, including differences between
Galilee and Judea, and between different sects such the Pharisees, Sadducees,
Essenes and Zealots,[42][43] and in terms of conflicts among Jews in the context
of Roman occupation.

Peter Kirby's Historical Jesus Theories gives an overview of the conflicting
answers that recent writers have given to these questions. The variety and
contradictory character of these answers indicate that what follows here is not to
be taken as representing a consensus among scholars.


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