Jesus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Jesus (8-2 BC/BCE to 29-36 AD/CE),[1] also known as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity. He is commonly referred to as Jesus Christ, where "Christ" is a title derived from the Greek christós, meaning the "Anointed One", which corresponds to the Hebrew-derived "Messiah". The name "Jesus" is an Anglicization of the Greek Iesous, itself believed to be a transliteration of the Hebrew Yehoshua or Aramaic Yeshua, meaning "YHWH is salvation".

The main sources of information regarding Jesus' life and teachings are the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Most scholars in the fields of history and biblical studies agree that Jesus was a Jewish teacher from Galilee, who was regarded as a healer, was baptized by John the Baptist, and was crucified in Jerusalem on orders of the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate under the accusation of sedition against the Roman Empire.[2][3] A small number of scholars and authors question the historical existence of Jesus, with some arguing for a completely mythological Jesus.[4]

Christian views of Jesus (see also Christology) center on the belief that Jesus is the Messiah whose coming was promised in the Old Testament and that he was resurrected after his crucifixion. Christians predominantly believe that Jesus is God incarnate, who came to provide salvation and reconciliation with God by atoning for the sins of humanity with his death. Nontrinitarian Christians profess various other interpretations regarding his divinity (see below). Other Christian beliefs include Jesus' Virgin Birth, performance of miracles, fulfillment of biblical prophecy, ascension into Heaven, and future Second Coming.

In Islam, Jesus (Arabic: عيسى, commonly transliterated as Isa) is considered one of God's most beloved and important prophets, a bringer of divine scripture, and also the Messiah. Muslims, however, do not share the Christian belief in the crucifixion or divinity of Jesus. Muslims believe that Jesus' crucifixion was a divine illusion and that he ascended bodily to heaven. Most Muslims also believe that he will return to the earth as Messiah in the company of the Mahdi once the earth has become full of sin and injustice.

Contents

* 1 Chronology
* 2 Life and teachings, as told in the Gospels
o 2.1 Genealogy and family
o 2.2 Nativity and early life
o 2.3 Baptism and Temptation
o 2.4 Ministry
o 2.5 Arrest, trial, and death
o 2.6 Resurrection and Ascension
* 3 Historicity
o 3.1 Reconstructing a historical Jesus
+ 3.1.1 Ties to religious groups
+ 3.1.2 Names and titles
o 3.2 Sources on Jesus' life
+ 3.2.1 Possible earlier texts
+ 3.2.2 Questions of reliability
+ 3.2.3 Possible external influence
* 4 Religious perspectives
o 4.1 Christian views
+ 4.1.1 Principal view
+ 4.1.2 Alternative views
+ 4.1.3 Other early views
o 4.2 Islamic views
o 4.3 Judaism's view
o 4.4 Buddhist views
o 4.5 Hindu views
o 4.6 Other views of Jesus
* 5 Legacy
* 6 See also
* 7 Notes
* 8 References
* 9 External links

Chronology

Main article: Chronology of Jesus

Suggested years of Jesus'
birth and death based on
Gospel interpretations
c. 8 BC/BCE Birth (earliest)
c. 4 BC/BCE Herod's death
c. 6 AD/CE Birth (latest)
Quirinius' census
c. 26/27 Pilate governor
c. 27 Death (earliest)
c. 36 Death (latest)
c. 36/37 Pilate removed

The most detailed accounts of Jesus' life are contained in the New Testament of the Bible (probably written between 65 and 90 AD/CE)[5], including the Gospel of Luke (probably written between 65 and 100 AD/CE).[6] There is considerable debate about the details of Jesus' birth among even Christian scholars, and few scholars claim to know precisely either the year or the date of his birth or of his death.

The nativity accounts in the New Testament gospels of Matthew and Luke do not mention a date or time of year for the birth of Jesus. In Western Christianity, it has been traditionally celebrated on December 25 as Christmas (in the liturgical season of Christmastide), a date that can be traced as early as 330 among Roman Christians. Before then, and still today in Eastern Christianity, Jesus' birth was