User:Andrew c/Jesus

Life and teachings based on the Gospels

Main article: New Testament view on Jesus' life

As few of the details of Jesus' life can be independently verified, it is difficult to guage the historical accuracy of Biblical accounts. The four canonical gospels are the main sources of information for the traditional Christian narrative of Jesus' life.

Genealogy and family

Main articles: Genealogy of Jesus and Desposyni

The Gospels give two accounts of Jesus' genealogy in the male line through his legal father Joseph (1:2–16 Matthew 1:2–16; 3:23–38 Luke 3:23–38). Both accounts 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 appears only in descriptions of Jesus' childhood. With Jesus commending Mary into the care of the beloved disciple during his crucifixion (19:25–27 John 19:25–27), it is likely that he had died by the time of Jesus' ministry. 13:55–56 Matthew 13:55–56, 6:3 Mark 6:3, and 1:19 Galatians 1:19 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

Main articles: Nativity of Jesus and Child Jesus

Adoration of the Shepherds, Gerard van Honthorst

According to Matthew and Luke, Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea to Mary, a virgin, by a miracle of the Holy Spirit. According to Luke, an order of Caesar Augustus forced Mary and Joseph to leave their homes in Nazareth and come to the home of Joseph's ancestors, the house of David, to be counted in the census. Luke 2:8–20 goes on to tell of an angel proclaiming Jesus' birth to shepherds who came to see the newborn child and subsequently publicized what they had witnessed throughout the area (see The First Noël). Matthew 2:1–12 also 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 Messiah, or King of the Jews, had been born.

Jesus' childhood home is stated in the Bible to have been the town of Nazareth in Galilee, and aside from a flight to Egypt in infancy to escape Herod's Massacre of the Innocents (2:13–23 Matthew 2:13–23) and a short trip to Tyre and Sidon (15:21–28 Matthew 15:21–28; 7:24–30 Mark 7:24–30), all other events in the Gospels are set in ancient Israel. Luke's Finding in the Temple (2:41–52 Luke 2:41–52) is the only event between Jesus' infancy and adult life mentioned in any of the canonical Gospels, although New Testament apocrypha fill in the details of this time, some quite extensively.

Baptism and temptation

Main articles: Baptism of Jesus and Temptation of Jesus

Ary Scheffer's The Temptation of Christ

The Gospel of Mark begins with the Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, which Biblical scholars describe as the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. According to Mark, Jesus came to the Jordan River where John the Baptist had been preaching and baptizing people in the crowd. After Jesus had been baptized and rose from the water, Mark states Jesus "saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, 'You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased'" (1:10–11 Mark 1:10–11). Matthew adds to the other accounts by describing an attempt by John to decline the baptism, saying that it is Jesus who should baptize John.

Following his baptism, according to Matthew 4:1–11, Jesus was led into the desert by God where he fasted for forty days and forty nights. It was there that he was tempted by Satan. In all, he was tempted three times. Each temptation was rejected by Jesus with scripture from the book of Deuteronomy. Following the Temptation, Jesus called his first disciples (4:12–22 Matthew 4:12–22).

Ministry

Main articles: Ministry of Jesus, Sermon on the Mount, Sermon on the Plain, Twelve Apostles, and Transfiguration of Jesus

The Baptism of Christ (detail), by Piero della Francesca, 1449.

The Gospels state that Jesus was a travelling Rabbi and that he performed various miracles, including healings, exorcisms, walking on water, turning water into wine, and raising several people, such as Lazarus, from the dead over the course of his ministry (11:1–44 John 11:1–44).

The Gospel of John describes three different passover 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, though many of his followers were considered disciples. Jesus led what many believe to have been an apocalyptic following. He preached that the end of the current world would come unexpectedly; as such, he called on his followers to be ever alert and faithful. The Olivet Discourse is an example of this.

Some of Jesus' most famous teachings come from the Sermon on the Mount (5–7 Matthew 5–7), which contained the Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer. During his sermons, he preached against anger, lust, divorce, oaths and revenge. Jesus advocated, among other things, 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 (5 Matthew 5).

Judaea and Galilee at the time of Jesus

Jesus often used parables, such as the Prodigal Son (15:11–32 Luke 15:11–32), and the Parable of the Sower (13:1–9 Matthew 13:1–9). His teachings centered around unconditional self-sacrificing God-like love for God and for all people (22:34–40 Matthew 22:34–40). He also preached about service and humility, the forgiveness of sin, pacifism, faith, and attaining everlasting life in "The Kingdom of God."

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 meeting with sinners rather than the righteous, Jesus replied that it was the sick who need a physician, not the healthy (9:9–13 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 (4:1–42 John 4:1–42).

Arrest, trial, and death

Main articles: Jesus and the Money Changers, The Last Supper, Arrest of Jesus, Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus, and Passion (Christianity)

Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man!"), Antonio Ciseri's depiction of Pontius Pilate presenting a scourged Jesus of Nazareth to the people of Jerusalem

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!" (quoting 118:26 Psalms 118:26; 12:13–16 John 12:13–16). Following his triumphal entry, Jesus created a disturbance at Herod's Temple by overturning the tables of the moneychangers operating there (2:13–17 John 2:13–17). Later that week, he enjoyed a meal, possibly the Passover Seder, with his disciples before going to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane.

While in the garden, Jesus was arrested by Roman soldiers on the orders of the Sanhedrin and the high priest, Caiaphas (cited later in 26:65–67 Matthew 26:65–67). After his arrest, Jesus' apostles went into hiding. During the Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus, the high priests and elders asked him, "Are you the Son of God?", and upon Jesus' reply of "You say that I am" (22:70–71 luke 22:70–71), For this, Jesus was condemned for blasphemy. The high priests then turned him over to the Roman Prefect Pontius Pilate, based on an accusation of sedition for claiming to be King of the Jews (27:11 Matthew 27:11; 15:12 Mark 15:2).

File:Cristo Velázquez lou2.jpg

Jesus' crucifixion as portrayed by Diego Velázquez

According to the Gospels, Pilate personally felt that Jesus was not guilty of any crime against the Romans, and however the crowd chose urged for Jesus to be crucified. Pilate washed his hands to display that he himself was innocent of the injustice of the demand (27:11–26 Matthew 27:11–26). Pilate then ordered Jesus to be crucified with a charge placed atop the cross (known as the titulus crucis) which read "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." (The titulus crucis is often written as INRI, the Latin acronym.) Jesus said a number of things on the cross, and due to conflicting accounts in the gospels, the exact last words of Jesus are unknown.

According to all four Gospels, Jesus died before late afternoon, and the wealthy Judean Joseph of Arimathea, according to Mark (15:42–46 Mark 15:42–46) and Luke (23:50–56 Luke 23:50–56) 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, who appears in other parts of John's gospel (19:38–42 John 19:38–42). The three Synoptic Gospels tell of an earthquake and of the darkening of the sky from twelve until three that afternoon.

Resurrection and Ascension

A 16th century painting of the resurrection of Jesus by Matthias Grünewald.

Main articles: Harrowing of Hell, Resurrection of Jesus, Great Commission, Ascension, and Second Coming

According to the Gospels, Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. 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 16:9 states that on the morning of his resurrection, Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene. 20:11-18 john 20:11–18 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 tell 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. To his assembled disciples he showed himself on the evening after his resurrection. Although his own ministry had been specifically to Israel, Jesus 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 also saw Jesus during his Road to Damascus experience (9:1–19. Acts 9:1–19). Jesus promises to come again to fulfill the remainder of Messianic prophecy.