Jesus Christ
in
ancient Greek
Jesus Christ
From
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Jesus of Nazareth,
or Jesus the Christ [Christ
meaning Messiah or Saviour],
(see alternate names below) (born: c.
6 BC- c.
6; died: c.
27 - c.
36) was a
Jewish
religious
teacher and
healer who was
crucified during the early years of the
Roman Empire.
According to those
religions conventionally designated as "Christian,"
Jesus is the
Messiah and
Son of God and brought
salvation to
humanity by living a perfect life, and
dying in our place, and
resurrecting three days later.
Other religions have
varying perspectives on Jesus. He is regarded as a
prophet by
Muslims, as a false
Messiah by
Judaism and
Mandaeanism, as a manifestation of God by the
Baha'i, a manifestation of
Maitreya by some
Buddhists, as an
avatar by some
Hindus, as the savior and bringer of
gnosis by various
Gnostic
sects and as a
guru by many
New Ageists.
The primary source of
historical
knowledge about Jesus is contained within the
Christian
Gospels which the majority of historians
believe to have originated from sources written
within living memory of Jesus. Evidence for a
historical Jesus is also provided by the
Epistles, especially those by
Paul. Other sources regarded as of less
significance from the perspective of modern
historians are other early Christian material,
other religious traditions, and certain historians
of the period. The majority of historians accept
the
New Testament as
evidence for the historical existence of
Jesus; but there is somewhat less acceptance of
the basic narrative of his
life and death, and far less for any
miraculous claims, among professional
historians and liberal biblical scholars.
A minority of historians
argue from the internal features of, and
inconsistencies between, the Gospels and other
canonical and
non-canonical Christian and Gnostic writings
that Jesus was a mythical figure. The paucity of
non-Christian historical sources that corroborate
Christian writings is adduced as support for this
position. See, for example, the writings of
Earl Doherty. While once popular, this view
has migrated to the fringes of serious scholarship
today.
Most discussions about
Jesus, including this one, involve a conflict
between contrasting, and in some ways
incompatible, views of the world and of how humans
acquire knowledge (this subject is discussed in
the disciplines of
epistemology and
metaphysics).
Christians believe that
humans can have direct personal knowledge of
God and of
Jesus and that this is confirmed through
scripture, which is a form of
divine revelation. Some Christians believe
that Scripture must be interpreted in the light of
Tradition, while others believe that
individuals can interpret it for themselves. For
some Christians, belief in Jesus is a matter of
faith: they need no further confirmation of
the existence of God and His son. Other Christians
feel they have knowledge of God and Jesus based on
the empirical existence of the Gospels and/or
Bible as accurate historical documents, the
Christian tradition passed on from generation to
generation, and through their direct consequent
religious experiences.
Jesus is a still more
controversial figure because there are different
accounts of Jesus within other religions like
Islam,
Judaism,
Gnosticism,
Mandaeanism (see later in this article.)
Historians meanwhile make
statements about historical events or persons
based on more pragmatic standards of empirical
evidence. They look at scripture not as divinely
inspired but as the work of fallible humans, who
wrote in the light of their culture and time.
There is a paucity of
accepted contemporaneous sources and of direct
empirical evidence. Therefore, it is difficult for
representatives of the different religious and
secular traditions of knowledge and faith to reach
agreement on a "biography" of Jesus. This article
therefore while seeking to identify as much common
ground as possible between the different
traditions, also indicates where there are
differing views and beliefs.
This section provides a
historical view of Jesus, based on empirical
evidence that is considered satisfactory by the
majority of historians.
Jesus is derived
from the
Latin Iesus, which in turn comes from
the
Greek Iesous (Ιησους). The Greek form
is a
transliteration of the
Aramaic name
Yeshua (ישוע), a short form of
Hebrew Yehoshua (יהושע), the name
that
Moses gave to his successor as leader of the
Israelites, who is known in English as
Joshua. The Name means the Lord is
salvation, literally
Yahweh/Jehovah saves.
Direct
English transliterations from the Aramaic
Yehoshua/Yeshua include Joshua,
Jeshua, Yahshua, Yahoshua
and Yaohushua. These variations in
English spelling are of no real significance as
they can only approximate the sound of the Hebrew
or Aramaic original.
Christ is not a
name but a title, and comes, via
Latin, from the
Greek Christos (Χριστος), which means
anointed. The Greek form is a literal
translation of Messiah from Hebrew
mashiyakh (משיח) or Aramaic m'shikha
(משיחא), a word which occurs often in the
Old Testament and typically signifies "high
priest" or "king" - a man, chosen by God or
descended from a man chosen by God, to serve as a
religious, civil, and/or military authority. Other
sources suggest the title Christ is linked to
Latin crestus, 'good'. To Muslims, Jesus
is known as the prophet
Isa al Masih (عيسى المسيح ), from the
aforementioned Aramaic for Jesus the Messiah.
Most historians do not
dispute the existence of a person named Jesus;
evidence for Jesus' existence two thousand years
ago is by historical standards actually fairly
strong. Jesus is obviously mentioned extensively
within the
New Testament, but is also considered a
historical figure within the traditions of
Judaism, Islam, Mandeanism and alternative
Christian traditions like Gnosticism. Jesus also
gets a passing mention within historical accounts
of the period, though the reliability of some of
these accounts is disputed.
Moreover, historians
generally agree that at least some of the source
documents on which the Gospels are based were
written within living memory of Jesus. These
historians therefore accept that the accounts of
the life of Jesus in the Gospels, excepting
certain miraculous claims and the details that
surround them, provide a reasonable basis of
evidence by the standards of ancient history, for
the basic narrative of Jesus' life and death.
The exact month or day or
even the year of Jesus' birth cannot be exactly
ascertained. Due to a mistaken calculation based
on the
Roman Calendar by
Dionysius Exiguus in
525, it was long held that Jesus was born in
the year
1 BC (making the following year,
A.D. 1, the first throughout which he was
alive).
The Gospels are
problematic, because they offer two seemingly
incompatible accounts.
Matthew states that Jesus was born while
Herod the Great was still alive and that Herod
ordered the slaughter of infants two years old and
younger (Matt. 2:16), and based on the date of
Herod's death in
4 BC (contra Dionysius Exiguus), many
chronologists conclude that the year
6 BC is the most likely year of Jesus' birth.
Consequently, Jesus would have been about four to
six years old in the year A.D. 1.
On the other hand,
Luke's account places Jesus' birth during a
census conducted under the governorship of
Quirinius, who, according to
Josephus, conducted a census in A.D.
6. In order to reconcile the two Gospel
accounts, some have suggested that Josephus was
mistaken or that Quirinius had a separate period
of rule under Herod. In any case, the actual date
of his birth remains historically unverifiable.
In recent years,
East Asian historians have attempted to match
the birth of Jesus Christ with special events in
their history. They found that, according to the
oldest record of the
Comet Halley during the
Han Dynasty, "The comet heads east with its
tail pointing west at night, and was appearing in
the sky for more than 70 days." in
6 BC. This has been suggested as an
independent record of the "Star"
described in Matthew 2. If accepted, this
suggestion would place the birthday of Jesus
Christ in
summer rather than
winter.
In the
6th century, Dionysius Exiguus proposed to
make the birth of Jesus the basis of the calendar
but he miscalculated the death of Herod. Years
reckoned in this way are labelled "A.D.", which
stands for
Anno Domini, meaning "in the year of the
Lord" in Latin. Since many non-Christians have
come to use this calendar, an alternative notation
"C.E." is sometimes used. It is presently
uncertain what the original meaning of this
abbreviation was, although today it is taken to
mean either the
Common Era or the Christian Era: many
references cite both.
Based on inferences from
Gospel accounts, Jesus was executed by
crucifixion on a Friday, and on the 14th day
of the
Jewish month of
Nisan under the administration of
Pontius Pilate. Pontius Pilate held his
position from
26-36
and the only years in which Nisan 14 fell on a
Friday are
27,
33, and
36 and possibly in
30 depending on when the
new moon would have been visible in
Jerusalem. Scholars have defended all of the
dates.
Jesus was possibly born in
Bethlehem, although he may have been assigned
this birthplace by early Christians based on that
city's status as the presumed birthplace of King
David, from whom the
Messiah was to descend. It is much clearer,
however, that Galilee was his childhood home.
Gospel accounts state he was brought up in
Nazareth, however, it is possible that early
Christian transcribers mistook the title "Nazarene"
for a location, because the town of Nazareth is
unmentioned in contemporary historical sources.
Jesus' mother was
Mary. Two of the Gospels (Matthew
and
Luke, but not
Mark or
John), are interpreted to allege that
Joseph was Jesus' foster father, and that
Jesus' biological father was
God the Father, who impregnated Mary without
sex via the
Holy Spirit, giving rise to a
virgin birth. The other two Gospels, Mark and
John, make no mention of Joseph at all, but in
their first chapters refer to Jesus as the son of
God. Others have postulated that Jesus might have
been the biological son of Joseph or an
unidentified man with whom Mary had relations
before her marriage to Joseph. We can say nothing
with certainty about Jesus' childhood or young
adulthood. Certain events are mentioned in the
various Gospels, but there is no common agreement.
The
Gospel of Mark reports that Jesus had
brothers, that he was "Mary's son and the
brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon,"
and also suggests that Jesus had sisters. The
Jewish historian
Josephus and the Christian historian
Eusebius (who wrote in the 4th century but
quoted much earlier sources now unavaliable to us)
refer to
James the Just as Jesus' brother. Some
churches reject this interpretation, saying that
they were Jesus' cousins, which the Greek word for
"brother" used in the Gospels would
allow. Other churches suggest that these were half
brothers, children of Joseph and a previous wife
who died before Mary was betrothed to him. This
tradition probably originates with the
Protevangelion of James, traditionally
ascribed to James the Just and certainly dated
sometime in the late 1st to middle of the 2nd
century.
Jesus began his public
ministry some time after he was
baptized by
John the Baptist, who inspired
Mandaeanism. Jesus began preaching, teaching,
and healing. There is no firm evidence for when
his ministry started or how long it lasted. The
detailed nature of Jesus' spiritual teaching
cannot be fully agreed because accounts are
fragmentary and because he made extensive use of
paradox,
metaphor and
parable; making it is unclear how literally he
wished to be taken and precisely what he meant.
Jesus did preach the
imminent end of the current era of history, in
some sense a literal end of the world as people of
his time knew it; in this sense he was an
apocalyptic preacher bringing a message about
the imminent end of the world the Jews knew.
Like the
Pharisee, Jesus opposed stringent
interpretations of
Jewish law, and preached a more flexible
understanding of the law. His teachings show an
inclination to following a teleological approach,
in which the spirit of the law is more important
than the letter of the law. However, the Gospels
record him as having many disagreements with the
Pharisees, as he consistently takes differing
views from the standard religious practice of the
day. However, the interpretations of the law by
the
Sadducees were in most cases much stricter
than Pharisee interpretations of the law, and the
Sadducees were the dominant authority at that
time, yet the Gospels record no sign of Jesus
having much disagreement with their views
(although it was, according to the Gospels, the
priests -- alligned with the Sadducees -- who
ultimately arrested Jesus). Some modern historians
thus believe that Jesus may have been a liberal
Pharisee in some respects, or an
Essene (a sect with whom he shared many
views); and that later Christian transcribers cast
him as an enemy of the Pharisees, because when
Christians and Jews came into conflict in later
years the Pharisees had become the dominant sect
of Judaism. This view receives some support in
Acts of the Apostles, because Jesus'
apostles were generally attacked by Sadducees
but were sometimes protected by Pharisee liberal
interpretations of Jewish law.
Jesus increasingly gained
followers as his fame grew, though within his
lifetime Jesus' core following remained no more
than a small religious sect. Jesus had by the time
of his death taught a number of his disciples or
apostles to preach his teachings and perform faith
healing to both Jews and
Gentiles alike.
In his role as a social
reformer Jesus threatened the status quo. He was
unpopular with many Jewish religious authorities,
not least because he criticised them; but also
because some of Jesus' followers held the
controversial and inflammatory view that he was "The
Messiah". It is not clear from strict
analysis of the original Gospel texts that Jesus
made this claim about himself, but he did not deny
it. Neither is it wholly clear to historians that
when Jesus spoke of being "Son of God" he
meant this to be taken literally as Christians
believe, rather than metaphorically in the sense
that we are all children of God.
Jesus came with his
followers to Jerusalem during the
Passover festival. He was involved in some
form of public disturbance at the
Temple in Jerusalem. At some point later, he
was betrayed to the Jewish religious authorities
of the city - either the full council (Sanhedrin)
or perhaps just the High Priest - by one of his
apostles,
Judas Iscariot. The High Priest of the city
was appointed by the government in
Rome and the current holder of the post was
Joseph Caiphas. The Romans ruled the city
through the High Priest and Sanhedrin, so often
the Jewish authorities of the city had to arrest
people on the orders of the Romans. Jesus'
disciples went into hiding after he was arrested.
Jesus was crucified by the
Romans on the orders of
Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor of Judea in
Jerusalem. The Gospels state that he did this at
the behest of the Jewish religious leaders, but it
may have been simply that Pilate considered Jesus'
ability to incite public disturbance as a
potential Messiah to be a threat to Roman order.
Pilate was known as a harsh ruler who ordered many
executions for lesser reasons during his reign.
All the Gospel accounts
agree that
Joseph of Arimathea, variously a secret
disciple or sympathiser to Jesus, and possible
member of the Sanhedrin, arranged with Pilate for
the body to be taken down and entombed. According
to most accounts Jesus' mother, Mary, and other
women, notably a female follower of Jesus,
Mary Magdalene were present during this
process.
Main article:Resurrection
of Jesus Christ
According to the Christian
Gospels, Jesus' disciples encountered him again on
the third day after his death, raised to life. He
met them in various places over a period of forty
days before "ascending into heaven".
Main article:
Historicity of Jesus Christ
Some historians have
disputed the actual existence of Jesus, claiming
his existence was either an invention or he was a
figure further removed in history.
Main article:
Alleged relics of Jesus Christ
There are many items that
are purported to be authentic
relics of the Gospel account. The most famous
alleged relic of Jesus is the
Shroud of Turin.
Main articles:
Jesus Christ as the Messiah and
Messiah
Christianity is centered
on the belief that Jesus is the savior of man.
According to Christians, Jesus was born in
Bethlehem to Mary. He preached the new
covenant across Judea, which angered
traditional Jews and disturbed the Romans as he
was seen as a threat to public order. One of his
twelve apostles, Judas, betrayed him; and later
committed
suicide in remorse. Jesus was crucified by the
Romans. However, he
rose from the dead three days later.
Main articles:
Jewish view of Jesus Supplementary
articles:
Judaism and Christianity and
Jewish Messiah
Jesus Christ is deemed a
false prophet in most sects of Judaism, and
religious Jews are still awaiting the arrival of
the
Messiah. Christianity originated as a sect of
Judaism, but developed into its own religion.
Main article:
Isa
Muslims believe that
Jesus, or Isa in Arabic, was a prophet and
Messiah. However, they do not consider him to be a
son of
Allah (God), other than in the metaphorical
sense that we are all children of Allah.
Main article:
Other perspectives on Jesus
Jesus is considered as a
manifestation of God by the
Baha'i.
Mandaeanists see Jesus Christ as something of
a false prophet as compared to
John the Baptist. Jesus was seen as the savior
and bringer of
gnosis by various
Gnostic sects, such as the extinct
Manicheanism. In modern times many New Ageists
have reinterpreted Jesus as a misunderstood guru
preaching
enlightenment.
Sizeable minorities of
Buddhists and
Hindus have beliefs about Jesus; some of these
Buddhists have seen Jesus as manifestation of
Maitreya, while some
Hindus have considered Jesus to be an
avatar.
Latter-day Saints and those who believe in
Mormonism believe that Christ was the
Messiah and the
Son of God, but also that Jesus Christ visited
The Americas shortly after His
resurrection or
ascension. The account may be found in the
Book of Mormon.
Main article:
Fictional portrayals of Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ has been
featured in many films and media, sometimes as a
serious portrayal, and other times as satire.
- The
New Testament of the
Bible, especially the
Gospels.
-
The Words: website that organises Jesus'
sayings by topic
- Albright, William F.
Yahweh and the Gods of Canaan: An Historical
Analysis of Two Contrasting Faiths,
ISBN 0931464013 [www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0931464013/qid=1066486079/]
- Paula Fredriksen,
Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews: A Jewish
Life and the Emergence of Christianity
ISBN 0679767460
- Paula Fredriksen,
From Jesus to Christ: The Origins of the New
Testament Images of Christ
ISBN 0300084579,
ISBN 0300040180
- Mendenhall, George E.
The Tenth Generation: The Origins of the
Biblical Tradition, The Johns Hopkins
University Press, 1973.
ISBN 0-8018-1654-8. A study of the earliest
traditions of Israel from linguistic and
archaeological evidence which also treats the
teachings and followers of Jesus in that
context.
- Mendenhall, George E.
Ancient Israel's Faith and History: An
Introduction to the Bible in Context,
Westminster John Knox Press, 2001.
ISBN 0-664-22313-3. Another, less technical,
study of the earliest traditions of Israel from
linguistic and archaeological evidence which
also treats the teachings and followers of Jesus
in that context.
- Jaroslav Pelikan,
Jesus Through the Centuries: His Place in the
History of Culture,
Yale University Press, 1985, hardcover, 270
pages,
ISBN 0300034962; trade paperback,
HarperCollins reprint, 304 pages,
ISBN 0060970804; trade paperback, Yale
University Press, 1999, 320 pages,
ISBN 0300079877
- E.P. Sanders, The
historical figure of Jesus, Penguin, 1996,
ISBN 0140144994. An up to date popular but
thoroughly scholarly book.
- E.P. Sanders, Jesus
and Judaism, Fortress Press, 1987,
ISBN 0800620615. More specialistic than the
previous book, still not inaccessible though.
- Gerd Theissen & Annette
Merz, The Historical Jesus: A Comprehensive
Guide, Fortress Press, 2003,
ISBN 0800631226. An amazing book, tough but
rewarding, exceptionally detailed.
- The Shadow of the
Galilean: The Quest of the Historical Jesus in
Narrative Form. Gerd Theissen. Fortress
Press.
- Lewis, C.S. Mere
Christianity
- Geza Vermes, Jesus
the Jew: A Historian's Reading of the Gospels
ISBN 0800614437
- In Quest of the
Hero:(Mythos Series)- Otto Rank, Lord
Fitzroy Richard Somerset Raglan and Alan Dundes,
Princeton University Press, 1990,
ISBN 0691020620
- On Heroes,
Hero-Worship, & the Heroic in History-
Thomas Carlyle
- The Jewish historian
Josephus wrote about Jesus in Antiquities,
Book 18, chapter 3, paragraph 3.
http://www.josephus-1.com/
- Bloodline of the Holy Grail by Laurence
Gardner. A popular book, but with a hypothesis that would not be accepted by
mainstream scholars.
- Jesus and the Victory of God N.T.Wright,
SPCK (London), 1996
ISBN 0281047170. Second in a projected massive five or six volume series
on Christian origins, dealing with the life and death of Christ from a very
open Evangelical perspective. The author is now Bishop of Durham (Church of
England).
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