Introduction to Jesus:The life of Jesus

Birth

• Jesus was born sometime between 7 BC and 1 AD. Scholars are unsure of the exact year

• Christians believe that Jesus was conceieved by a miracle and born of a virgin

• Jesus’ family lived in Nazareth but traveled to Bethlehem, where Jesus’ father, Joseph, was from, for the census

• Jesus is visited in the manger by several people

Birth

• Jesus was probably not born on December 25th, the day on which we celebrate His birth today

• After Jesus’ birth, Jesus and His family fled to Egypt for safety from King Herod and later returned to Nazareth

• Some skeptics think that the virgin birth story is just copied from other myths. Click here to hear a less skeptical perspective

The Nativity

Early Life

• Not much is known about Jesus’ early life from Biblical sources. Nonbiblical sources provide some information but were written much later

• Some people believe that Jesus had siblings or half siblings

• Once, Jesus’ parents did not know where he was and found Him later preaching in the temple

Early Life

• Jesus’ father, Joseph, was a carpenter and Jesus began to learn the trade

• Baptized by John the Baptist. John the Baptist was the son of Elizabeth who is believed to be the cousin of Mary, the mother of Jesus

• More info about this lesser known period of Jesus’ life can be found here

Miracles

• According to the Bible, Jesus performed many miracles during His ministry

• Jesus’ first miracle is usually regarded to be turning water into wine at a wedding in the Gospel of John

• Jesus healed many sick people miraculously

Miracles

• Jesus also is said to have driven out demons from people, cleansed lepers, multiplied food, walked on water, calmed storms, and given sight to the blind

• Perhaps Jesus’ most famous miracles are when He raised people from the dead. Two well known accounts of this are the raising of Jesus’ friend Lazarus and the raising of a young girl

Jesus walks on water

Want to learn about more of Jesus miracles? Follow this link

Preaching

• Jesus had thousands of followers throughout His ministry as shown in the two multiplying food miracle stories. However, many of these followers did not follow Jesus throughout His entire ministry

• According to the Gospels, Jesus had 12 followers who He was closest to, known as His apostles, but there were other people who followed Jesus for long periods of time

Preaching

• Jesus’ public ministry is thought to have only lasted the last three years of His life

• Jesus is famous for preaching and teaching using parables

• Some of Jesus most famous preaching took place in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew

Jesus’ Last Days

• Jesus’ last week on Earth before His death begins with His entry into Jerusalem, the center of worship for Jews of that time

• Jesus shares a final meal with the apostles the night He is betrayed by one of the apostles, Judas, and arrested

• Before He is arrested, Jesus prays alone in a garden. The Bible states that Jesus sweated blood during this time, a medical phenomenon known as hematidrosis, which can be experienced during stressful periods

• This day is known as/celebrated on Holy Thursday

Jesus’ last days

• Jesus is then put on trial before both Jewish and Roman authorties and condemned to death by crucifixion, a Roman method of punishment

• Before Jesus is crucified, He is tortured, also according to Roman custom

• These events are the start of what is known as Good Friday

Jesus and the disciples at the Last Supper

Death

• On the afternoon of Good Friday, Jesus carries the cross He will be crucified on to Golgotha (Place of the Skull) with assistance from a man named Simon

• At approximately 3 pm on Good Friday, Jesus died at the age of 33

Jesus carrying the cross

Did Jesus Die and Was He Buried as Christians Claim? - Dr. William Lane Craig

Resurrection

• According to the Bible, three days after Jesus died, He was raised from the dead by God

• Mary Magdalene, one of Jesus’ followers, is usually considered to be the first witness of this miracle

• Not much is known about what occurred between Jesus’ death and resurrection

• This day is known as Easter Sunday

The resurrection of Jesus