Life and achievements
Early life
The infancy narratives of Jesus Christ in the New Testament offer a fascinating example of the meeting of religious narrative and historical research. Matthew and Luke provide the Christian tradition with two of its most cherished narratives, yet these texts continue to be the focus of critical discussion and analysis, especially in relation to the birth of Jesus and his family tree.
Birthplace: Bethlehem or Nazareth?
The Christian religion has it that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and this is important because the Jews had prophesied that the Messiah would be from the house of David and that David was also born in Bethlehem. Matthew 1:18-2:12 gives an account of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem with much focus on the prophecy, while Luke 2:1-20 narrates how Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem for a census and Jesus was born there.
However, most contemporary scholars believe that Jesus was born in Nazareth, a small and insignificant town in Galilee. This view is supported by historical and archaeological data and the fact that Jesus was often referred to as ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ during his lifetime. It is possible that the Gospel writers created the Bethlehem narrative link between Jesus and the Davidic lineage, which was necessary to identify Jesus as the Messiah in Jewish tradition.
Genealogy and Davidic Lineage
The genealogies of Jesus are given in the Gospel of Matthew (1:1-17) and the Gospel of Luke (3:23-38), and both of them show that Jesus was the son of Joseph, a descendant of David. Nevertheless, Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus, as it is postulated in Christianity, which makes one wonder about the reason and the historical reliability of these genealogies. It has been proposed that these genealogies were probably included to establish Jesus’ messianic claim by connecting him with the house of David, an essential requirement for the Messiah in Jewish thinking.
As opposed to some popular beliefs, there is no historical evidence that Jesus was a relative of King Herod. Herod, a king who ruled with an iron hand and whose attitude towards the Jews was somewhat ambiguous, is another character in the historical setting of first-century Judea. The identification of Jesus with the house of David rather than with Herod is consistent with the messianic expectations that the Messiah would come from the house of David, which was the symbol of God’s anointed king in the Jewish tradition.
Theological and Historical Narratives
The stories of Jesus’ childhood, such as the trip to Bethlehem for the census and the escape to Egypt, are full of theological imagery. These stories emphasize the fact that Jesus is the Messiah and link his life to the Jewish prophetic traditions. For instance, the story of the flight to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15) is an example of how Matthew portrays Jesus as a new Moses who delivers his people from their enemies.
From a historical point of view, these stories may be more the product of the early Christian community’s theology than of history. In their attempt to portray Jesus as the prophesied Messia, the Gospel writers may have arranged the events in a way that best suited their theological agenda, for example, the Davidic descent and the salvation of humanity.
Legacy
The Spoken and written word of Jesus Christ is one of Byzantine mystique endurance and tradition that has continued for thousands of years, affecting people around the globe. He was born in Bethlehem, in 4 BC, with the New Testament chronicling the early years of his life as humble. Joseph taught Jesus carpentry when he was his age and was given wisdom and knowledge to be a man from Nazareth.
When he was about thirty years old, Jesus started his public ministry that would change history. What he had to say also included love, turning the other cheek and forgiving one’s enemies here on earth. The Sermon on the Mount where Jesus called people to be humble, merciful, and peacemakers presented society’s vision of how it should be reformed according to justice and righteousness.
At the center of Jesus’ teaching was the announcement of the Kingdom of God – the dominion of God that is characterized by justice and love. Though employing parables and miracles, he helped the audience to perceive the force and existence of a divine kingdom in the reality of people’s pain and suffering. Miracles of healing, exorcism, raising the dead, showing God’s pity and redemption for all creation and thereby looking towards a new creation.
In the course of his CT ministry, Jesus’ message was aimed at the apparently marginalized people, topsy-turvy structures of society and religion. Jesus associated with the sinners and the despised, ate with the tax collectors and the prostitutes, and forgave whoever the religious leaders of the time did not accept. He confirmed the worth of everybody irrespective of their status in society.
But, as time went on, Jesus’ message was not well received by Jewish leaders and the Roman politics. His arrogance of preaching and the criticism of hypocrisy and injustice as well as his self-proclaimed divinity which made people turned against him and had him arrested, tried and crucified. On the wooden beam near Jerusalem, Jesus chose to suffer from the supreme agony of cross dying, which was meant for rebels and criminals.
However, the story does not end at the cross, continue the writers. Unlike the other crucified criminals, Jesus’ story did not end on the cross, which conforms to the Christian understanding of the resurrection. After the three days, he was resurrected from the cross and sin and death, to present people with a hope for a new life. The resurrection gave an endorsement on the subject of Jesus as the Son of God and on the message he had been giving concerning the Kingdom of God at the time.
After his rising from the dead, Jesus also appeared to his disciples and commissioned them to build on his work and share the gospel message of salvation. The institution of Christianity rapidly spread, with the expansion throughout the geographical region of the Roman Empire and beyond, by the effects of the ministry, death, and rising of Jesus.
In the course of the centuries, the Jesus Christ has continued to be a central focus in the advancement of the western society as well as other neighboring civilizations. The doctrine of love, justice, and forgiveness has inspired many people to live a faithful and spirited life. The creative world of arts, literature, music, and culture has been enriched by Jesus’ life and teachings when determining the ethical compass of human societies throughout history.
Presently, there are approximately, billions of people around the globe who affirm their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Christianity is considered one of the biggest religions in the world, with many subtypes and branches, interlinking with each other through the recognition of Jesus as a divine figure who has come to save humanity.
The teachings of Jesus Christ remain compelling to this day both to the followers and the inquirers. Using the acts of sacrificial love, compassion for the outcasts, and the constant devotion to God’s will, his life became a proof of faith’s power and a possibility of the individual change.
Milestone moments
May 15, 27
Beginning of Ministry
Specifically, when thirty years old, Jesus embarked on His work of delivering the message of the Kingdom of heaven, after being baptized by John the Baptist in Jordan River. These deeds demonstrated Jesus’ empathy with people and preparation for his role. After being baptized, Jesus fasted for forty days in the wilderness, where he resisted temptation from Satan, confirming his dedication to fulfilling God's will (Matthew 3:(13-4:11, Mark 1:9-13, Luke 3:21-22;4:1-13).
Jul 31, 30
Teachings and Miracles
The main aspect of Jesus’ ministry was preaching, which he did with authority; some of the most famous parables include the Sermon on the Mount, other parables that dealt with love, humility, and the Kingdom of God and many more. His teachings are socially and politically sensitive issues that condemned religious and legal reimbursement of a woman’s honor, emphasizing the need for justice, mercy, and forgiveness. One can hardly list all the parables of Jesus telling about spiritual and ethical truths: The Good Samaritan, The Lost Son, The Sower, The Leaven, The Seed, The Yoke, The Vine, and Branches, etc., Matthew 5-7, 13, 18-20, 22-25, Mark 4, 12, Luke 6-8,10-16.
The boy also demonstrates meekness and obedience, even when faced with the difficult task of performing a miracle that Jesus wanted. His miracles included healing diseases, the blind, lepers, and madness, exorcism, and even resurrecting the dead and demonstrated Yahweh’s power over death and diseases (Matthew 8-9, 14-15, 17; Mark 1-6, 8-9; Luke 4-7, 9-10; John 2-11).
Mar 31, 45
Conflict and Opposition
Men and women also came to hear Jesus, and there arose debate among the religious leaders and the authorities. Due to his critiques on religious hypocrisy, legalism, and the poor treatment of the needy, Christianity of his generation was shaken. Jesus claimed power and divinity; he engaged in opposition with Pharisees, Sadducee's, and scribes who tested him and tried to discredit him (Matthew 12-23; Mark 11-12; Luke 11-20; John 7-10).
Sep 7, 33
Triumphal Entry, Last Supper, and Crucifixion
In the final days of his ministry on Earth, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey, fulfilling prophecy and receiving praise from crowds shouting “Hosanna” (Matthew 21:The triumphal entry into Jerusalem for Jesus is illustrated in all Gospels, primarily in chapters 11:1-11 of Matthew, chapter 11:1-11 of Mark and Luke 19:28-44 and the last book of John 12:12-19. During the Passover week, Jesus shared a significant Passover meal with his disciples, where he instituted the Lord's Supper to remember his upcoming sacrifice (Matthew 26:It is between 17-30 (Matthew 26:14-29, Mark 14:12-26, Luke 22:7-23 and John 13:1-17:26).
Judas Iscariot betrays Jesus and Jesus is arrested and arraigned before the Jewish authorities and then the Romans by whom he was condemned to be crucified. His crucifixion on a Roman cross outside Jerusalem, alongside criminals, symbolized his sacrificial offering for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:47-27:66, Mark 14:43-15:47, Luke 22:47-23:56, John 18:1-19:42).