When was Jesus Born?

Jesus was born in 4 B.C. in Bethlehem of Judea, a territory that was under the control of the Roman Empire. He came into a society that was tired of being under the thumb of the Caesar even though the Jews in Judea had only been subject to Roman rule for about sixty years when Jesus was born. Before he walked the earth and during his earthly ministry, the citizens of Judea were restless, expecting a Messiah or anointed ruler to throw off their Roman shackles and restore the glory that was the kingdom of Israel under king David. This Messianic expectation took a variety of forms. Some Jews were looking for a mere political leader. Others, such as the sect that produced the Dead Sea Scrolls, seemed to have expected two Messianic figures — one who would be a effective monarch and one who would serve as a holy priest.

Personal Accounts Of Jesus

The best known of these are the four Christian gospels found in the New Testament — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Scholars agree that these books are the place to find the most accurate information about Jesus. Anyone who wants to understand this remarkable man must be thoroughly acquainted with these writings, all of which were produced within fifty years of his life and death.

Aside from these four gospels, there are several non-Christian resources that provide only a brief glimpse of Jesus’ work. Josephus, perhaps the most important source for Jewish history in the first century, recorded history under the patronage of the Roman emperors. In his Antiquities of the Jews he briefly mentions the death and resurrection of Jesus. The secular Roman historian named Tacitus also refers to the death of Jesus. Mention of five of Jesus’ disciples and his death is also found in the Talmud, a Jewish religious source. Lucian of Samosata and Suetonius also refer to Jesus by name and/or affirm his crucifixion. Gospel-like works that were rejected by the Christian church and the Qur’an also refer to Jesus, but these works are not historically reliable and are rejected as legitimate sources for Jesus study.

What did Jesus teach?

Jesus’ teaching was remarkable for the identity that He claimed for Himself. In several ways, both indirectly and directly, He actually claimed to be the very God of the universe himself. One of his most important indirect claims to deity is found in his practice of forgiving sins. Matthew 9:1–8, for example, records an incident in which Jesus forgave the sins of a paralyzed man and then healed the man to prove that he had authority to pardon transgressions. Many of the people who originally saw the miracle understood what he was doing because they charged Jesus with blasphemy, and his pardoning of sins would have been blasphemy indeed if he was not God. The New Testament evidence, however, favors the conclusion that he was in fact God incarnate. Another way Jesus claimed indirectly to be God is seen in the Sermon on the Mount in which he repeatedly purported to give the true interpretation of the law of God.

John’s gospel records most of Jesus’ direct claims to being God himself. Perhaps the most important of these is found in John 8:58 wherein Jesus says, “before Abraham was, I am.” This is a direct echo of the Old Testament’s record of God’s words to Moses in Exodus 3:14 wherein God reveals His name as “I AM.” That Jesus was asserting his own deity is seen clearly in that his opponents tried to kill him (John 8:59), which is how a blasphemer was to be treated (Lev. 24:10–16). Again, Jesus would have been guilty of blasphemy if He were lying, but the New Testament clearly understands that He professed to be God incarnate in the flesh.

What miracles did Jesus preform?

Besides the words of Jesus, his miracles were also seen as divine proofs of his identity and power. Mark 4:35–41 gives us the episode when Jesus calmed the stormy sea, which in the Jewish mind of the day was something that only God could do (Job 38:8–11). Jesus miraculous works also involved raising people to life, such as when he resurrected the daughter of Jairus (Luke 8:40–56). He also healed people on the Jewish day of rest — the Sabbath (Matt. 12:9–14) — which is remarkable. By this act Jesus claimed the authority to decide what was lawful and what was not on the last day of the rest, since this is something that only God has the right to do because He is the one who created the Sabbath (Gen. 2:1–3). Jesus’ feeding of the five thousand with only a few loaves and fishes is another well-known miracle recorded in the gospels (John 6:1–15).

In the course of his ministry, Jesus’ popularity grew and the authorities in Judea increasingly perceived him as a threat. After Jesus cast the moneychangers and merchants who sold sacrificial animals from the temple in Jerusalem, the stage was set for the authorities to have him executed (Luke 19:45–48). This was probably done for political expediency, out of a fear that Jesus would incite the crowd to rebel or that the crowd would choose to rebel anyway since so many of them acclaimed him as king. Yet the New Testament sees the death of Jesus as part of God’s eternal plan to solve the problem of sin and death. Along with his resurrection, the natural phenomena that attended his death and the confession of the Roman centurion that Jesus was the true Son of God (Mark 15:33–39) all testify to Jesus’ deity and the truth that he will return to judge all people.

When did Jesus die?

The church that was born with the death and resurrection of Jesus has had enormous influence on world history. During the Middle Ages, monks helped to preserve the learning of the ancient world and the bishop of Rome held sway over the kings of Europe. The Protestant Reformation made widespread literacy possible as people were taught to read so that they could read the Bible. The good works of Christians are conspicuous everywhere in the founding of hospitals, schools, and societies that aid people in distress all around the world. Many lives have been transformed, addictions cured, and cultures enhanced as ordinary people across the globe repent and believe the gospel.

Jesus Christ continues to have his most powerful influence on the lives of individuals who believe on him for the forgiveness of sins and by his spirit seek to follow his way. Unfortunately, many claim to be followers of Jesus but show that they actually deny him by their unrepentant evil. Joy, peace, and love, however, are the inevitable fruit in the lives of everyone who truly confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in their hearts that God raised him from the dead.

Read more about Jesus at Encyclopedia.com