Jesus Christ
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"Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as you yourselves know, him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed; whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it. (Acts 2:22-24)
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| SERMONS, ESSAYS AND OPINIONS | |
| CONTENTS | Contents
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Jesus (also known as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth) is the central figure of Christianity. He is fully God and fully man, the eternal Creator who entered His creation to redeem it, and the risen Lord who reigns today. He lived a sinless life, died on the cross for the sins of humanity, and rose again on the third day. Faith in Him brings salvation (John 3:16; Acts 4:12).
Christology is the branch of theology that studies the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Name
Jesus is the English form of the Greek Iēsous, itself a translation of the Hebrew Yeshua (or Joshua), meaning “Yahweh is salvation” (Matthew 1:21).
Christ is a title, not His surname, and means “Anointed One”. It is equivalent to the Hebrew Messiah and signifies His appointment as Prophet, Priest and King. Other titles include Son of God (John 1:49), Son of Man (Mark 10:45), Lamb of God (John 1:29) and Son of David (Matthew 1:1).
The Pre-Existence of Christ
Jesus did not come into existence at His birth, but existed eternally as God the Son (John 1:1–3; Colossians 1:16–17). He shared in the glory of the Father before the world began (John 17:5) and participated in creation itself. His incarnation was an act of humility and grace (Philippians 2:5–8).
Nature of Christ
Jesus is God in human flesh (John 1:1; John 1:14). The doctrine known as the hypostatic union teaches that He is one person with two natures: fully divine and fully human. He is not half God and half man.
Scripture affirms His deity (Titus 2:13) and His humanity (Hebrews 2:14; 1 Timothy 2:5). In Him all the fullness of God dwells (Colossians 1:19), yet He experienced human weakness and temptation, without sin (Hebrews 4:15).
Understanding this completely is not possible in this life. Disagreements regarding Christ's nature have occurred since the times of the early church, causing considerable tension at times.
Historical evidence of Jesus Christ
Many historians, including non-Christian historians, agree that there is good historical evidence of the life and crucifixion of Jesus. Apart from the Bible, references to Jesus occur in historical texts, including the writings of Tacitus and Josephus.
Within a few years of His death, His followers were boldly proclaiming His resurrection. The early Christian movement grew throughout the Roman Empire despite opposition and persecution.
Birth of Jesus
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, probably between 6 and 4 BC (Luke 2:4–7). His mother, Mary, was a virgin, and His conception was by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18–23; Luke 1:26–35), fulfilling Isaiah 7:14. Joseph, His earthly father, was a carpenter from Nazareth in Galilee.
His family fled to Egypt to escape Herod the Great before settling in Nazareth. Jesus grew up in Galilee, in the region historically known as Palestine, and worked as a carpenter.
The precise date of His birth is unknown, but it is celebrated at Christmas.
Teachings of Jesus
Jesus was a remarkable teacher. Throughout the Gospels, people frequently addressed Him as “Teacher”. He taught with divine authority, calling people to repentance from sin and faith in the good news (Mark 1:15).
Sermons and statements
Most of the direct teaching of Jesus is recorded in the four Gospels: the Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of Luke and Gospel of John.
One of the best-known sections is the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus called His followers to love God, their neighbours and even their enemies. He taught with authority, declaring, “You have heard that it was said … but I say to you” (Matthew 5:21–22).
His teaching emphasised love for God and neighbour (Matthew 22:37–39). He also taught that only through Him could a person come to the Father (John 14:6).
Miracles of Jesus
The gospel accounts of Jesus' life record numerous miracles. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, cast out demons, calmed storms, fed the hungry and raised the dead.
These miracles testify to the deity of Christ and express His compassion. They are signs of the Kingdom of God breaking into the world (Luke 11:20). John recorded these signs so that people might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and have life in His name (John 20:30–31).
Parables of Jesus
Jesus often taught through illustrations and stories called parables. His parables tell of the Kingdom of God and the nature of God, using familiar situations from everyday life.
The Good Samaritan teaches love for one's neighbour (Luke 10:25–37), and the Prodigal Son teaches about God's welcoming love. The Parable of the Sower describes different responses to the gospel (Matthew 13:1–23).
Sometimes the meaning is clear; at other times it is hidden. Jesus used parables both to reveal truth to those with faith and to conceal it from the hard-hearted (Matthew 13:10–17).
Death of Jesus
Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem around AD 30 under the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. His teaching brought Him into conflict with religious leaders, including some of the Pharisees, and He was accused of blasphemy because of His claims about His identity.
Jesus willingly laid down His life (John 10:17–18). He bore the sins of humanity so that we could be reconciled to God (Isaiah 53:5–6; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Through the cross, God's justice against sin and His mercy towards sinners meet.
His death is remembered on Good Friday, but it is not the end of the story.
Resurrection of Jesus
On the third day after His death, Jesus rose bodily from the grave, as He had foretold (Matthew 16:21; Luke 24:6–7). He appeared to His disciples and other witnesses over a period of forty days (1 Corinthians 15:3–8; Acts 1:3).
His resurrection vindicated His claims, demonstrated His victory over death, and guarantees the future resurrection of believers (1 Corinthians 15:20–22).
He sent His disciples out into the world. Today, millions know the risen Lord and celebrate His resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Ascension and Present Ministry of Christ
Forty days after His resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9–11). Following the Ascension of Christ, He reigns at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 1:3).
He intercedes for His people (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25), sends the Holy Spirit (John 16:7), and prepares a place for His followers (John 14:2–3).
Bible Prophecies Regarding Jesus
There are numerous prophecies about Christ in the Old Testament. These Messianic Prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus.
Isaiah 53 describes the suffering servant who bears the sins of many. Psalm 22 describes suffering fulfilled in His crucifixion. Micah 5:2 foretells His birth in Bethlehem, and Zechariah 9:9 predicts His humble entry into Jerusalem.
These fulfilments affirm the divine inspiration of Scripture and the identity of Jesus as the promised Messiah.
Second Coming of Christ
Jesus will return in glory to judge the living and the dead (Matthew 25:31–46; Revelation 19:11–16). His return will bring final justice and the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21:1–5). This is the blessed hope of believers (Titus 2:13).
Quotes
- Jesus wept.
Anonymous Quote
- No Jesus, No peace; Know Jesus, Know peace.
Blaise Pascal
- There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus.
Mark Potter
- Jesus, like any good fisherman, first catches the fish; then He cleans them
- Jesus does not give recipes that show the way to God as other teachers of religion do. He is himself the way.
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