In Depth
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Jesus

Jesus , also known as Jesus of Nazareth Nazareth

Nazareth is an ancient town in the North District [i] in Israel [i]. ... 

, is the central figure of Christianity Christianity

Christianity is a monotheistic [i] religion [i] centered on Jesus of Nazareth [i] ... 

. He is commonly referred to as Jesus Christ, where "Christ" is a Greek-derived title meaning "Anointed One" which corresponds to the Hebrew Hebrew language

Hebrew is a Semitic language [i] of the Afro-Asiatic language family [i] ... 

-derived "Messiah". The main sources of information regarding Jesus' life and teachings are the four canonical Gospels Gospel

In Christianity [i], gospel means "good news [i]". ... 

 of the New Testament New Testament

The New Testament , sometimes called the Greek Testament or Greek Scriptures, and sometimes ... 

: Matthew, Mark Gospel of Mark

The Gospel of Mark is traditionally the second New Testament [i] Gospel [i], ascribed to Mark the Evangelist [i] ... 

, Luke, and John. Most scholars in the fields of biblical studies and history agree that Jesus was a Jew Jew

Jews are followers of Judaism [i] or, more generally, members of the Jewish people , an ethno [i] ... 

ish teacher from Galilee Galilee

The Galilee , meaning "circuit", is a large region overlapping with much of the North District [i] ... 

  who was regarded as a healer, was baptized by John the Baptist John the Baptist

John the Baptist is regarded as a prophet [i] by four religion [i]s: Christianity [i], Islam [i], Mandaeanism [i] ... 

, was accused of sedition against the Roman Empire Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was a phase of the ancient Roman [i] civilization characterized by an autocratic [i] ... 

,

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Timeline

1   Jesus' birth, according to the Anno Domini Anno Domini

Anno Domini , abbreviated as AD, defines an epoch [i] based on the traditionally-reckon ... 

 era created by Dionysius Exiguus Dionysius Exiguus

Dionysius Exiguus was a sixth century monk born in Scythia Minor [i], in what is now the territory of Dobruja [i] ... 

 in 525 as argued by one scholar, Georges Declercq, in ''Anno Domini'' (2000). Most scholars argue that Dionysius placed the birth of Jesus in 1 BC.

1   The first full year in the life of Jesus as assigned by Dionysius Exiguus Dionysius Exiguus

Dionysius Exiguus was a sixth century monk born in Scythia Minor [i], in what is now the territory of Dobruja [i] ... 

 in his Anno Domini Anno Domini

Anno Domini , abbreviated as AD, defines an epoch [i] based on the traditionally-reckon ... 

 era.

6   Born

26   Died

27   Baptism Baptism

Baptism is generally a water purification ritual [i] practiced in many of various religion [i]s includin ... 

 of Jesus, according to one dating scheme.

29   Jesus baptized by John the Baptist John the Baptist

John the Baptist is regarded as a prophet [i] by four religion [i]s: Christianity [i], Islam [i], Mandaeanism [i] ... 

. (see 27)

30   Crucifixion of Jesus (suggested date, but it is also suggested that he died on April 3, 33)

31   (Good Friday Good Friday

Good Friday is a holy day [i] celebrated by most Christians [i] on the Frid ... 

) Crucifixion of Jesus (according to one dating scheme).

33   Crucifixion Crucifixion

Crucifixion is an ancient method of execution [i], where the victim was tied or nailed to a l ... 

 of Jesus - Friday, April 3 (Good Friday Good Friday

Good Friday is a holy day [i] celebrated by most Christians [i] on the Frid ... 

)

41   The disciples of Jesus form communities after the Diaspora, especially in Damascus Damascus

Damascus is the largest city and capital [i] of Syria [i]. ... 

 and Antioch Antioch

Antioch on the Orontes , the Great Antioch or Syrian Antioch was an ancient city located on ... 

. For the first time they are called Christians.

   More Events >>


Quotations

All is inherent within us. Like Jesus said, The Kingdom is Within.

Be of good courage, and if you are discouraged, still take courage over against the various forms of nature. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

12:40

He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

Matthew 12:30 (KJV)

He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

8:7 (King James Version)

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

Revelation 22:13

       More Quotes >>


Encyclopedia



Jesus , also known as Jesus of Nazareth Nazareth

Nazareth is an ancient town in the North District [i] in Israel [i]. ... 

, is the central figure of Christianity Christianity

Christianity is a monotheistic [i] religion [i] centered on Jesus of Nazareth [i] ... 

. He is commonly referred to as Jesus Christ, where "Christ" is a Greek-derived title meaning "Anointed One" which corresponds to the Hebrew Hebrew language

Hebrew is a Semitic language [i] of the Afro-Asiatic language family [i] ... 

-derived "Messiah".

The main sources of information regarding Jesus' life and teachings are the four canonical Gospels Gospel

In Christianity [i], gospel means "good news [i]". ... 

 of the New Testament New Testament

The New Testament , sometimes called the Greek Testament or Greek Scriptures, and sometimes ... 

: Matthew, Mark Gospel of Mark

The Gospel of Mark is traditionally the second New Testament [i] Gospel [i], ascribed to Mark the Evangelist [i] ... 

, Luke, and John. Most scholars in the fields of biblical studies and history agree that Jesus was a Jew Jew

Jews are followers of Judaism [i] or, more generally, members of the Jewish people , an ethno [i]... 

ish teacher from Galilee Galilee

The Galilee , meaning "circuit", is a large region overlapping with much of the North District [i] ... 

  who was regarded as a healer, was baptized by John the Baptist John the Baptist

John the Baptist is regarded as a prophet [i] by four religion [i]s: Christianity [i], Islam [i], Mandaeanism [i] ... 

, was accused of sedition against the Roman Empire Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was a phase of the ancient Roman [i] civilization characterized by an autocratic [i] ... 

, and on the orders of Roman Governor Pontius Pilate Pontius Pilate

Pontius Pilate was the governor [i] of the Roman [i] Iudaea Province [i] fro ... 

 was sentenced to death by crucifixion Crucifixion

Crucifixion is an ancient method of execution [i], where the victim was tied or nailed to a l ... 

. A small minority of scholars, based on their analysis and dating of the relevant biblical and extra-biblical sources Historicity of Jesus

The historicity [i] of Jesus concerns the historical authenticity of Jesus. ... 

, question the historical existence of Jesus Jesus as myth

The idea that elements of beliefs about Jesus [i], and the Jesus narrative in the New Testament, are actually ... 

.

Christian views of Jesus are both diverse and complex. Most Christians are Trinitarian Trinity

Within Christianity [i], the doctrine [i] of the Trinity states that God [i] is a single Being [i] ... 

 and believe that Jesus is simultaneously the Son of God and God God

God is the deity [i] believed by monotheists [i] to be the supreme reality.... 

 made incarnate, sent to provide salvation and reconciliation with God by atoning for the sins of humanity. Nontrinitarian Christians adopt various other interpretations regarding the divinity of Jesus. Most Christians believe that Jesus was born of a virgin, crucified and buried in a tomb, resurrected Death and Resurrection of Jesus

The Death of Jesus and the Resurrection of Jesus are two events in the New Testament [i] in which ... 

 on the third day of death, and ascended into Heaven Heaven

Heaven is an afterlife [i] concept found in many religion [i]s or spiritual [i] philosophies [i]... 

 where he resides with God the Father until the Second Coming. Most Christians also believe that Jesus performed miracles and fulfilled biblical prophecy.

In Islam Islam

Islam is a monotheistic [i] religion [i] based upon the Qur'an [i], which adherents believe w ... 

, Jesus is considered one of God Allah

Allah is the Arabic language [i] word referring to "God [i]", "the Lord" and, literally according to the ... 

's most beloved and important prophets, a bringer of divine scripture, and also the Messiah. Furthermore, the Virgin Birth of Jesus is an article of faith. Muslim Muslim

A Muslim is an adherent of Islam [i]. ... 

s, however, do not share the Christian belief in the crucifixion or divinity of Jesus. Islam teaches that Jesus was raised to heaven. Most Muslims believe that Jesus will return to the earth as Messiah in the company of the Mahdi once the earth has become full of sin and injustice.

Chronology


The most detailed accounts of Jesus' birth are contained in the Gospel of Matthew  and the Gospel of Luke . There is considerable debate about the details of Jesus' birth among even Christian scholars, and few scholars claim to know precisely either the year or the date of his birth or of his death.

The nativity accounts in Matthew and Luke do not mention a date or time of year for the birth of Jesus.
In Western Christianity, it has been traditionally celebrated in the liturgical Liturgical year

The liturgical year, also known as the Christian year, consists of the cycle of liturgical [i]... 

 season of Christmastide as Christmas Christmas

Christmas is a holiday [i] on the Christian [i] calendar, celebrating the birth of Jesus [i]. ... 

 on 25 December, a date that can be traced as early as 330 among Roman Christians. Before then, and still today in Eastern Christianity Eastern Christianity

Eastern Christianity refers collectively to the Christian [i] traditions and churches w ... 

, Jesus' birth was generally celebrated on January 6 as part of the feast of Theophany, also known as Epiphany, which commemorated not only Jesus' birth but also his baptism Baptism

Baptism is generally a water purification ritual [i] practiced in many of various religion [i]s includin ... 

 by John John the Baptist

John the Baptist is regarded as a prophet [i] by four religion [i]s: Christianity [i], Islam [i], Mandaeanism [i] ... 

 in the Jordan River Jordan River

The Jordan River is a river [i] in Southwest Asia [i] flowing through the Great Rift Valley [i] into th ... 

 and possibly additional events in Jesus' life. Many scholars note that the account in Luke of the shepherds' activities suggest a spring or summer date for Jesus' birth. Scholars speculate that the date of the celebration was moved in an attempt to replace the Roman festival of Saturnalia .

Life and teachings according to the Gospels


As few of the details of Jesus' life can be independently verified, it is difficult to gauge the historical accuracy of the Biblical Bible

The Bible , is the name used by Jews [i] and Christians [i] for their differing canons [i]... 

 accounts. The four canonical gospel Gospel

In Christianity [i], gospel means "good news [i]". ... 

s are the main sources of information for the traditional Christian narrative of Jesus' life.

Genealogy and family


Of the four gospels, only Matthew and Luke give accounts of Jesus' genealogy. Matthew's account gives the male line through his legal father Joseph Saint Joseph

According to Christian Gospel accounts and tradition Joseph "of the House of David [i]" also called ... 

; Luke either gives the male line or, according to another interpretation, the line though Jesus' mother, Mary.
Both accounts trace his line back to King David David

King David was the second king of the united kingdom of Israel [i] . ... 

 and from there to Abraham Abraham

Abraham is regarded as the founding patriarch [i] of the Israelites [i] whom God chose to bless, and t ... 

. These lists are identical between Abraham and David, but they differ between David and Joseph. Matthew starts with Solomon Solomon

Solomon or Shlomo is a figure described in Middle East [i]ern scriptures as a wise ruler of an e ... 

 and proceeds through the kings of Judah Kingdom of Judah

Kingdom of Judah was one of the successor states to the "United Monarchy [i]" often known as the Kingdom of Israel [i] ... 

 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 Adam and Eve

Adam and Eve were the first man and woman [i] created by God [i] according to... 

 and provides more names between David and Jesus.

Joseph appears only in descriptions of Jesus' childhood. With Jesus commending Mary Mary (mother of Jesus)

According to the New Testament [i], Mary, was the mother of Jesus of Nazareth [i], who at the time ... 

 into the care of the beloved disciple Disciple whom Jesus loved

The phrase the disciple whom Jesus loved or Beloved Disciple is used several times in the ... 

 during his crucifixion , it is likely that he had died by the time of Jesus' ministry. The New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, and Galatians tell of Jesus' relatives, including possible brothers and sisters. The Greek word adelphos in these verses is often translated as brother in many Bible translations. However, the word can refer to any familial relation, and most Catholics and certain other Christians translate the word as kinsman or cousin.

Nativity and childhood




According to Matthew and Luke, Jesus was born in Bethlehem Bethlehem

Bethlehem is a city in the West Bank [i] under Palestinian Authority [i] considered a central hub of Pa ... 

 of Judea to Mary Mary (mother of Jesus)

According to the New Testament [i], Mary, was the mother of Jesus of Nazareth [i], who at the time ... 

, a virgin Virginity

Virginity is a term used to describe what a person has when he or she has not yet engaged in sexual intercourse [i] ... 

, by a miracle Miracle

According to many religion [i]s, a miracle, derived from the old Latin [i] word miraculum meaning 's ... 

 of the Holy Spirit Holy Spirit

In various religions, most notably Trinitarian [i] Christianity [i], the Holy Spirit is ... 

. The Gospel of Luke gives an account of the angel Angel

An angel is a supernatural [i] being found in many religion [i]s. ... 

 Gabriel Gabriel

In Abrahamic religion [i]s, Gabriel is an archangel [i] who is thought to serve as a messenger from God [i] ... 

 visiting Mary to tell her that she was chosen to bear the Son of God . According to Luke, an order of Caesar Augustus forced Mary and Joseph to leave their homes in Nazareth Nazareth

Nazareth is an ancient town in the North District [i] in Israel [i]. ... 

 and come to the home of Joseph's ancestors, the house of David David

King David was the second king of the united kingdom of Israel [i] . ... 

, for the Census of Quirinius. After Jesus' birth, the couple was forced to use a manger in place of a crib because there was no room for them in the town's inn . According to Luke, an angel Angel

An angel is a supernatural [i] being found in many religion [i]s. ... 

 announced Jesus' birth to shepherds who came to see the newborn child and subsequently publicized what they had witnessed throughout the area . Matthew also tells of the "Wise Men Biblical Magi

In Christian [i] tradition the Magi, also known as the Three Wise Men, The Three K ... 

" or "Magi Magi

The Magi was a tribe from ancient Media [i], who - prior to the absorption of the Medes into the Persian Empire [i] ... 

" who brought gifts to the infant Jesus after following a star which they believed was a sign that the Messiah, or King of the Jews, had been born , and of the flight to Egypt Flight into Egypt

The flight into Egypt describes an event in the Gospel of Matthew [i], where Joseph fled to Egypt [i] wi ... 

 after Jesus' birth in order to escape Herod's Massacre of the Innocents Massacre of the Innocents

The Massacre of the Innocents is an episode of infanticide [i] from the Gospel of Matthew [i], but not m ... 

.

Jesus' childhood home is stated in the Bible to have been the town of Nazareth Nazareth

Nazareth is an ancient town in the North District [i] in Israel [i]. ... 

 in Galilee Galilee

The Galilee , meaning "circuit", is a large region overlapping with much of the North District [i] ... 

. According to Luke, Joseph and Mary lived in Nazareth before Jesus' birth and returned there afterwards. According to Matthew, the family remained in Egypt until Herod's death, whereupon they moved to Nazareth in order to avoid living under the authority of Herod's son and successor Archelaus .

Aside from the flight to Egypt Flight into Egypt

The flight into Egypt describes an event in the Gospel of Matthew [i], where Joseph fled to Egypt [i] wi ... 

 and a short trip to Tyre Tyre

Tyre is a city in the South Governorate [i] of Lebanon [i]. ... 

 and Sidon Sidon

Sidon, Zidon or Saida, is the third-largest city in Lebanon [i]. ... 

, all other events in the Gospels are set in ancient Israel History of ancient Israel and Judah

In compiling the history [i] of ancient Israel [i] and Judah [i], the ... 

. Luke's Finding in the Temple Finding in the Temple

The Finding in the Temple was an early episode of the life of Jesus [i].
... 

  is the only event between Jesus' infancy and adult life mentioned in any of the canonical Gospels, although the New Testament apocrypha filled in the details of this time, some quite extensively.

Baptism and temptation



The Gospel of Mark Gospel of Mark

The Gospel of Mark is traditionally the second New Testament [i] Gospel [i], ascribed to Mark the Evangelist [i] ... 

 begins with the Baptism of Jesus Baptism of Jesus

The baptism of Jesus is an event recounted in the New Testament [i] in which Jesus [i] is baptised [i] ... 

 by John the Baptist John the Baptist

John the Baptist is regarded as a prophet [i] by four religion [i]s: Christianity [i], Islam [i], Mandaeanism [i] ... 

, which Biblical scholars describe as the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. According to Mark, Jesus came to the Jordan River Jordan River

The Jordan River is a river [i] in Southwest Asia [i] flowing through the Great Rift Valley [i] into th ... 

 where John the Baptist had been preaching and baptizing people in the crowd. Matthew adds to the account by describing an attempt by John to decline Jesus' request for baptism, saying that it is Jesus who should baptize John. Jesus insisted however, claiming that baptism was necessary to "fulfill all righteousness." . After Jesus had been 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.’" .

Following his baptism, according to Matthew, Jesus was led into the desert by God where he fasted for forty days and forty nights. During this time, the devil Devil in Christianity

In Christianity [i], the Devil [i] is named Satan [i], sometimes Lucifer [i]. ... 

 appeared to him and tempted Jesus to demonstrate his supernatural Supernatural

The supernatural refers to forces and phenomena which are not observed in nature, and therefore beyond ... 

 powers as proof of being the Son of God, although each temptation was refused by Jesus with a quote of scripture Religious text

Most religions have religious texts they view as sacred.... 

 from the Book of Deuteronomy. In all, he was tempted three times. The Gospels state that having failed, the devil departed and angel Angel

An angel is a supernatural [i] being found in many religion [i]s. ... 

s came and brought nourishment to Jesus .

Ministry



The Gospels state that Jesus, as Messiah, was sent to "give his life as a ransom for many" and "preach the good news of the Kingdom of God." Over the course of his ministry, Jesus performed various miracles, including healings, exorcism Exorcism

Exorcism is the practice of evicting demon [i]s or other evil spiritual entities [i] whi ... 

s, walking on water, turning water into wine Marriage at Cana

The Marriage at Cana is an event reported by the Gospel of John [i] but not by any of the Synoptic Gospels [i]... 

, and raising several people, such as Lazarus Lazarus

Lazarus is the name of two separate characters in the New Testament [i]. ... 

, from the dead .

The Gospel of John describes three different passover Passover

Passover , also called ?? ????? is a Jewish holiday [i] which is celebrated in the spring [i]. ... 

 feasts over the course of Jesus' ministry. This implies that Jesus preached for a period of three years, although some interpretations of the Synoptic Gospels suggest a span of only one year. The focus of his ministry was toward his closest adherents, the Twelve Apostles Twelve Apostles

The Twelve Apostles were men that according to the Synoptic Gospels [i] and Christian [i] tradition, wer ... 

, though many of his followers were considered disciples DISCiPLE

DISCiPLE, Miles Gordon Technology [i]'s first product, was a floppy disk [i] interface [i] ... 

. Jesus led what many believe to have been an apocalyptic Apocalypse

See also: the topic of Armageddon [i]
... 

 following. He preached that the end of the current world End times

The end times are, in some versions of Judeo-Christian [i] eschatology [i] and in Islam [i], a time of tribulation [i] ... 

 would come unexpectedly; as such, he called on his followers to be ever alert and faithful.

At the height of his ministry, Jesus attracted huge crowds numbering in the thousands, primarily in the areas of Galilee Galilee

The Galilee , meaning "circuit", is a large region overlapping with much of the North District [i] ... 

 and Perea . Some of Jesus' most famous teachings come from the Sermon on the Mount Sermon on the Mount

The Sermon on the Mount was, according to the Gospel of Matthew [i], a particular sermon [i] giv ... 

, which contained the Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer. Jesus often employed parables, such as the Prodigal Son Parable of the Prodigal Son

The Prodigal Son, also known as The Lost Son is one of the best known parable [i]s of Jesus of Nazareth [i] ... 

, and the Parable of the Sower. His teachings centered around 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 Expounding of the Law

The Expounding of the Law, sometimes called the Antithesis of the Law [i] ... 

 as well as friends, and the need to follow the spirit of the law Torah

Torah is a Hebrew [i] word meaning "teaching [i]," "instruction [i]," or "law [i]". ... 

 in addition to the letter.

Jesus often met with society's outcasts, such as the publicani , including the apostle Matthew; when the Pharisees objected to meeting with sinners rather than the righteous, Jesus replied that it was the sick who need a physician, not the healthy . According to Luke and John, Jesus also made efforts to extend his ministry to the Samaritans Samaritan

Samaritans "Shamerim Yisraelim" are both a religious and an ethnic group [i]. ... 

, who followed a different form of the Israelite religion. This is reflected in his preaching to the Samaritans of Sychar, resulting in their conversion .

Arrest, trial, and death




According to the 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!" Following his triumphal entry Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday is a moveable feast [i] in the church calendar [i] observed by Catholic [i] ... 

, according to the synoptic gospels, Jesus created a disturbance at Herod's Temple Herod's Temple

Herod's Temple in Jerusalem [i] was a massive expansion of the Second Temple [i] along with renovations ... 

 by overturning the tables of the moneychangers Jesus and the Money Changers

The narrative of Jesus and the Money Changers occurs in both the Synoptic Gospels [i] and in the Gospel of John [i] ... 

 operating there, claiming that they had made the Temple a "den of robbers." . Later that week, according to the synoptic gospels, Jesus and his disciples gathered for what is known as the Last Supper Last Supper

According to gospel [i], the Last Supper was the last meal Jesus [i] shared with his apostles [i] before ... 

, in which he prophesied his future betrayal by one of his apostles and ultimate execution. Following the supper, Jesus and his disciples went to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane Gethsemane

Gethsemane was the garden where, according to the New Testament [i] and Christian traditions, Jesus [i]... 

.

While in the garden, Jesus was arrested Arrest of Jesus

The Arrest of Jesus is a pivotal event recorded in the Canonical Gospels [i], in which Jesus [i] ... 

 by Roman Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was a phase of the ancient Roman [i] civilization characterized by an autocratic [i] ... 

 soldiers on the orders of the Sanhedrin and the high priest, Caiaphas. The arrest took place clandestinely at night to avoid a riot, as Jesus was popular with the people at large . According to the synoptics, Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot

Judas Iscariot was, according to the New Testament [i], one of the twelve original apostle [i]s of Jesus [i] ... 

, one of his apostles, betrayed Jesus by identifying him to the guards with a kiss. Another apostle used a sword to attack one of the captors, cutting off his ear, which, according to Luke, Jesus immediately healed. Jesus rebuked the apostle, stating "all they that take the sword shall perish by the sword" . After his arrest, Jesus' apostles went into hiding.

During the Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus

The Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus is an event reported by all the Canonical [i] Gospel [i]s. ... 

, the high priests and elders asked Jesus, "Are you the Son of God?", and upon his reply of "You say that I am", condemned Jesus for blasphemy Blasphemy

Blasphemy is the defamation [i] of the name of a God [i]. ... 

 . The high priests then turned him over to the Roman Prefect Pontius Pilate Pontius Pilate

Pontius Pilate was the governor [i] of the Roman [i] Iudaea Province [i] fro ... 

, based on an accusation of sedition for claiming to be King of the Jews. While before Pilate, Jesus was questioned "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 , Pilate offered the crowd a choice between Jesus of Nazareth and an insurrectionist named Barabbas Barabbas

In the Christian [i] narrative of the Passion [i] of Jesus [i], Barabbas, according to some texts Jes ... 

. The crowd chose to have Barabbas freed and Jesus crucified. Pilate washed his hands to display that he himself was innocent of the injustice of the decision .

According to all four Gospels, Jesus died before late afternoon. The wealthy Judean Joseph of Arimathea Joseph of Arimathea

According to the Gospels [i], Joseph of Arimathea was the man who donated his own prepared tomb [i] for ... 

, according to Mark and Luke a member of the Sanhedrin, received Pilate's permission to take possession of Jesus' body, placing it in a tomb. According to John, Joseph was joined in burying Jesus by Nicodemus Nicodemus

Nicodemus was a Pharisee [i] and a member of the Sanhedrin [i], who, according to the Gospel of John [i] ... 

, who appears in other parts of John's gospel . The three Synoptic Gospels tell of an earthquake and of the darkening of the sky from twelve until three that afternoon.

Resurrection and Ascension



According to the Gospels, Jesus was raised from the dead Death and Resurrection of Jesus

The Death of Jesus and the Resurrection of Jesus are two events in the New Testament [i] in which ... 

 on the third day after his crucifixion Crucifixion

Crucifixion is an ancient method of execution [i], where the victim was tied or nailed to a l ... 

. The Gospel of Matthew states that an angel appeared near the tomb of Jesus and announced his resurrection to the women who had arrived to anoint the body. According to Luke it was two angels, and according to Mark it was a youth dressed in white. Mark states that on the morning of his resurrection, Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene is described, both in the canonical New Testament [i] and in the New Testament apocrypha [i] ... 

 . 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 .

The Acts of the Apostles Acts of the Apostles

The Acts of the Apostles is a book of the Bible [i], which now stands fifth in the New Testament [i]. ... 

 state that Jesus appeared to various people in various places over the next forty days. Hours after his resurrection, he appeared to two travellers on the road to Emmaus Emmaus

Emmaus is the name of a place which has been proposed to be located in various sites in present-day Israel [i] ... 

. To his assembled disciples he showed himself on the evening after his resurrection. 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 Paul of Tarsus

Paul of Tarsus, also known as Paul the Apostle [i] or Saint Paul , is widely considered to b ... 

 also saw Jesus during his Road to Damascus experience. Jesus promises to come again to fulfill the remainder of Messianic prophecy.

Historicity

Scholars arguing in favor of the existence of Jesus as a historical figure present probable reconstructions of his life by using the historical method. This is to be distinguished from the Biblical Jesus New Testament view on Jesus' life

The four canonical [i] gospel [i]s of the New Testament [i] are the main sources of information... 

, which derives from a theological Theology

Theology is reasoned discourse [i] concerning religion [i], spirituality [i] and God [i]. ... 

 reading of the Gospel texts. Some scholars dispute the historicity of Jesus Historicity of Jesus

The historicity [i] of Jesus concerns the historical authenticity of Jesus. ... 

.

Historical and archeological reconstructions of Jesus' day to day life


Most scholars agree the Gospels were written shortly before or after the destruction of the Jewish Temple Herod's Temple

Herod's Temple in Jerusalem [i] was a massive expansion of the Second Temple [i] along with renovations ... 

 in the year 70 by the Romans. Examining the New Testament account of Jesus in light of historical knowledge about the time when Jesus was purported to live, as well as historical knowledge about the time during which the New Testament was written, has led several scholars to reinterpret many elements of the New Testament accounts. Many have sought to reconstruct Jesus' life in terms of contemporaneous political, cultural, and religious currents in Israel, including differences between Galilee and Judea; between different sects such the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes and Zealots; and in terms of conflicts among Jews in the context of Roman occupation.

The Gospels record that Jesus was a Nazarene, but the meaning of this word is vague. Some scholars assert that Jesus was himself a Pharisee. In Jesus' day, the two main schools of thought among the Pharisees were the House of Hillel and the House of Shammai. Jesus' assertion of hypocrisy may have been directed against the stricter members of the House of Shammai, although he also agreed with their teachings on divorce . Jesus also commented on the House of Hillel's teachings concerning the greatest commandment Shema Yisrael

Shema Yisrael are the first two words of a section of the Torah [i] that is used as a centerpiece of ... 

  and the Golden Rule .

Other scholars assert that Jesus was an Essene, a sect of Judaism not mentioned in the New Testament New Testament

The New Testament , sometimes called the Greek Testament or Greek Scriptures, and sometimes ... 

. Still other scholars assert that Jesus led a new apocalyptic sect, possibly related to John the Baptist John the Baptist

John the Baptist is regarded as a prophet [i] by four religion [i]s: Christianity [i], Islam [i], Mandaeanism [i] ... 

, which became Early Christianity Early Christianity

The term Early Christians here refers to Christians [i] of the period before the First Council of Nicaea [i] ... 

 after the Great Commission spread his teachings to the Gentiles. This is distinct from an earlier commission Jesus gave to the twelve Apostles Twelve Apostles

The Twelve Apostles were men that according to the Synoptic Gospels [i] and Christian [i] tradition, wer ... 

, limited to "the lost sheep of Israel" and not including the Gentiles or Samaritans .

Of special interest has been the names and titles ascribed to Jesus. According to most critical historians, Jesus probably lived in Galilee Galilee

The Galilee , meaning "circuit", is a large region overlapping with much of the North District [i] ... 

 for most of his life and he probably spoke Aramaic Aramaic language

Aramaic is a Semitic language [i] with a 3,000-year history [i]. ... 

 and Hebrew Hebrew language

Hebrew is a Semitic language [i] of the Afro-Asiatic language family [i] ... 

. The name "Jesus" is an English English language

English is a widely distributed language that originated in England [i] but is now the primary language ... 

 transliteration of the Latin Latin

Latin is an ancient Indo-European language [i] originally spoken in Latium [i], ... 

  which in turn comes from the Greek name . Since most scholars hold that Jesus was an Aramaic-speaking Jew living in Galilee around 30 AD/CE, it is highly improbable that he had a Greek personal name. Further examination of the Septuagint Septuagint

The Septuagint is the name commonly given in the West to the ancient, Koine Greek [i] version of the Old Testament [i]... 

 finds that the Greek, in turn, is a transliteration of the Hebrew Hebrew language

Hebrew is a Semitic language [i] of the Afro-Asiatic language family [i] ... 

 name Yehoshua  or the shortened Hebrew/Aramaic Aramaic language

Aramaic is a Semitic language [i] with a 3,000-year history [i]. ... 

 Yeshua Yeshua

Yeshua, spelled in Hebrew, is believed by some scholars[ [i] ... 

 or Jeshua . As a result, scholars believe that one of these was most likely the name that Jesus was known by during his lifetime by his peers.

Christ is an Anglicization of the Greek term for Messiah, and literally means "anointed one". Historians have debated what this title might have meant at the time Jesus lived; some historians have suggested that other titles applied to Jesus in the New Testament had meanings in the first century quite different from those meanings ascribed today: see Names and titles of Jesus.

Historicity of the texts


Most modern Biblical scholars hold that the works describing Jesus were initially communicated by oral tradition, and were not committed to writing until several decades after Jesus' crucifixion. The earliest extant texts which refer to Jesus are Paul Paul of Tarsus

Paul of Tarsus, also known as Paul the Apostle [i] or Saint Paul , is widely considered to b ... 

's letters, which are usually dated from the mid-1st century. Paul wrote that he only saw Jesus in visions, but that they were divine revelations and hence authoritative . The earliest extant texts describing Jesus in any detail were the four New Testament New Testament

The New Testament , sometimes called the Greek Testament or Greek Scriptures, and sometimes ... 

 Gospel Gospel

In Christianity [i], gospel means "good news [i]". ... 

s. These texts, being part of the Biblical canon, have received much more analysis and acceptance from Christian sources than other possible sources for information on Jesus.

Many other early Christian texts have surfaced detailing events in Jesus' life and teachings, though they were not included when the Bible was canonised due to a belief that they were pseudepigraphical, not inspired, or written too long after his death, while others were suppressed because they contradicted what had become the Christian orthodoxy. It took several centuries before the list of what was and was not part of the Bible became finally fixed, and for much of the early period the Book of Revelation Book of Revelation

[i] of John is the last [[Biblical canon|canonical book]... 

 was not included while works like The Shepherd of Hermas were.

The books that did not make it into the final list have since become known as the New Testament apocrypha, and the chief amongst them, is the Gospel of Thomas, a collection of logia - phrases and sayings attributed to Jesus without a narrative framework, only rediscovered in the 20th Century. Other important apocryphal works that had a heavy influence in forming traditional Christian beliefs include the Apocalypse of Peter, Protevangelium of James Gospel of James

The Gospel of James, also sometimes known as the Infancy Gospel of James or the Protevangelium ... 

, Infancy Gospel of Thomas, and Acts of Peter. A number of Christian traditions are found not in the canonical gospels but in these and other apocryphal works.

Possible earlier texts


Some texts with even earlier historical or mythological information on Jesus are speculated to have existed prior to the Gospels, though none have been found. Based on the unusual similarities and differences between the Synoptic Gospels — Matthew, Mark Gospel of Mark

The Gospel of Mark is traditionally the second New Testament [i] Gospel [i], ascribed to Mark the Evangelist [i] ... 

 and Luke, the first three canonical gospels — many Biblical scholars have suggested that oral tradition and logia  probably played a strong role in initially passing down stories of Jesus, and may have inspired some of the Synoptic Gospels.

Specifically, many scholars believe that the Q document and the Gospel of Mark were the two sources Two-source hypothesis

The Two-Source Hypothesis is the most commonly accepted solution to the synoptic problem [i] among bibli ... 

 used for the gospels of Matthew and Luke; however, other theories, such as the older Augustinian hypothesis, continue to hold sway with some Biblical scholars. Another theoretical document is the Signs Gospel, believed to have been a source for the Gospel of John.

There are also early noncanonical gospels which may predate the canonical Gospels, although few surviving fragments have been found. Among these are the Unknown Berlin Gospel, the Oxyrhynchus Gospels, the Egerton Gospel, the Fayyum Fragment, the Dialogue of the Saviour, the Gospel of the Ebionites, the Gospel of the Hebrews, and the Gospel of the Nazarenes. While the earliest surviving manuscripts and fragments of these texts are dated later than the earliest surviving manuscripts and fragments of the canonical Gospels, they are probably copies of earlier manuscripts whose precise dates are unknown.

Questions of reliability


As a result of the likely several-decade time gap between the writing of the Gospels and the events they describe, the accuracy of all early texts claiming the existence of Jesus or details of Jesus' life have been disputed by various parties. However, most scholars accept many details of the Gospel narratives. The authors of the Gospels are traditionally thought to have been witnesses to the events included. After the original oral stories were written down, they were transcribed, and later translated into other languages. Several Biblical historians have responded to claims of the unreliability of the gospel accounts by pointing out that historical documentation is often biased and second-hand, and frequently dates from several decades after the events described.

The Age of Enlightenment Age of Enlightenment

The Age of Enlightenment refers to either the eighteenth century [i] in European philosophy [i] ... 

 and the Scientific Revolution brought skepticism regarding the historical accuracy of these texts. Although some critical scholars, including archeologists, continue to use them as points of reference in the study of ancient Near Eastern history, others have come to view the texts as cultural and literary documents, generally regarding them as part of the genre of literature called hagiography, an account of a holy person regarded as representing a moral and divine ideal. Hagiography has a principal aim of the glorification of the religion itself and of the example set by the perfect holy person represented as its central focus.

Some say that the Gospel accounts are neither objective nor accurate, since they were written or compiled by his followers and seem to exclusively portray a positive, idealized view of Jesus, while others point to the lack of any non-Christian sources until Josephus in the year 93. Those who have a naturalistic view of history generally do not believe in divine intervention or miracles Miracle

According to many religion [i]s, a miracle, derived from the old Latin [i] word miraculum meaning 's ... 

, such as the resurrection of Jesus mentioned by the Gospels. One method used to estimate the factual accuracy of stories in the gospels is known as the "criterion of embarrassment", which holds that stories about events with embarrassing aspects would likely not have been included if those accounts were fictional.

External influences on gospel development




Many scholars, such as Michael Grant, do not see significant similarity between the pagan myths and Christianity. Grant states in Jesus: An Historian's Review of the Gospels that "Judaism was a milieu to which doctrines of the deaths and rebirths, of mythical gods seemed so entirely foreign that the emergence of such a fabrication from its midst is very hard to credit."

However, some scholars believe that the gospel accounts of Jesus have little or no historical basis. At least in part, this is because they see many similarities between stories about Jesus and older myths of pagan Paganism

Paganism is a blanket term which has come to connote a broad set of western spiritual [i] ... 

 godmen such as Mithras Mithras

Mithras was the central god of Mithraism [i], a syncretic [i] Hellenistic [i] mystery religion [i] ... 

, Apollo Apollo

In Greek [i] and Roman mythology [i], Apollo , the ideal of the kouros [i], was the ... 

, Attis Attis

Attis, a life-death-rebirth deity [i], was both the son and the lover of Cybele [i], her eunuch [i] atte ... 

, Horus Horus

Horus is an ancient god of Egyptian mythology [i], whose cult survived so long that he evolved dramat ... 

 and Osiris-Dionysus, leading to conjectures that the pagan myths were adopted by some authors of early accounts of Jesus to form a syncretism with Christianity. A small minority, such as Earl Doherty, carry this further and propose that the gospels are actually a reworking of the older myths and not based on a historical figure Jesus as myth

The idea that elements of beliefs about Jesus [i], and the Jesus narrative in the New Testament, are actually ... 

. While these connections are disputed by many, it is nevertheless true that many elements of Jesus' story as told in the Gospels have parallels in pagan mythology, where miracles such as virgin birth were well-known. Some Christian authors, such as C. S. Lewis C. S. Lewis

Clive Staples Lewis , commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis, was an Irish [i] ... 

 and J. R. R. Tolkien J. R. R. Tolkien

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien CBE [i] is best known as the author of The Hobbit [i] ... 

, account for this with the belief that such myths were created by ancient pagans with vague and imprecise foreknowledge of the Gospels; in other words the pagans gave prophetic attributes of the Christ as shown in the Jewish Torah and Prophets to their particular deity.

Religious perspectives


Jesus has an important role in two religion Religion

Religion is a system of social coherence based on a common group of belief [i]s or attitudes concerning ... 

s: Christianity Christianity

Christianity is a monotheistic [i] religion [i] centered on Jesus of Nazareth [i] ... 

 and Islam Islam

Islam is a monotheistic [i] religion [i] based upon the Qur'an [i], which adherents believe w ... 

. Most other religions, however, do not consider Jesus to have been a supernatural or holy being. Some of these religions, like Buddhism Buddhism

Buddhism is a dharmic [i], non-theistic [i] religion [i], a way of life, a p ... 

, do not take any official stance on Jesus' life, however note the many similarities in teachings and life of Jesus and Buddha Gautama Buddha

Gautama Buddha was a spiritual [i] teacher [i] in the ancient Indian subcontinent [i] and the historica... 

. Judaism Judaism

Judaism is the religion [i] of the Jew [i]ish people. ... 

 rejects claims of his divinity and of his being the Mashiach.

Christian views


The nature of Jesus is the central issue of Christology Christology

Christology is that part of Christian theology [i] which studies and attempts to define Jesus [i] the Christ [i] ... 

. The theological concept of Jesus as Christ was refined by a series of seven ecumenical councils between 325 and 787 AD/CE. While most Christians believe that the councils were guided by the Bible and the Holy Spirit Holy Spirit

In various religions, most notably Trinitarian [i] Christianity [i], the Holy Spirit is ... 

, some Christians question one or more of the councils. Restorationists reject all the councils and seek to restore what they believe was the original Christian faith.

Different Christians also have different interpretations of Jesus' family members mentioned in and . Eastern Christianity Eastern Christianity

Eastern Christianity refers collectively to the Christian [i] traditions and churches w ... 

, following Eusebius Eusebius of Caesarea

Eusebius of Caesarea was a bishop of Caesarea in Palestine [i] and is often ref ... 

, believes that they were "Joseph's children by his first wife." Roman Catholicism Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church is the Christian [i] Church [i] ... 

, following Jerome Jerome

Jerome is best known as the translator of the Bible [i] from Greek [i] and Hebrew [i] ... 

, believes that they were Jesus' cousins, which the Greek word for "brother" or "relative" used in the Gospels would encompass. Both beliefs are based on the tradition that Mary remained a perpetual virgin, thus having no biological children before or after Jesus. While such notable reformers as Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and Wesley affirmed the perpetual virginity of Mary, most Protestants today believe that these family members were the biological children of Mary and Joseph.

Paul of Tarsus Paul of Tarsus

Paul of Tarsus, also known as Paul the Apostle [i] or Saint Paul , is widely considered to b ... 

 wrote that just as sin entered the world through Adam Adam and Eve

Adam and Eve were the first man and woman [i] created by God [i] according to... 

 , so salvation from sin comes through Jesus, the second Adam . Most Christians believe that Jesus' death and resurrection provide salvation not only from personal sin, but from the condition of sin itself. This ancestral or original sin Original sin

According to Christian tradition, Original sin is the general and non-personal condition of sinfulness [i] ... 

 separated humanity from God, making all liable to condemnation to eternal punishment in Hell Hell

Hell, according to many religious beliefs, is a place or a state of pain and suffering.... 

 . However, Jesus' death and resurrection reconciled humanity with God, granting eternal life