The Life and History of Jesus
The Birth of Jesus
The birth of Jesus traces from the story of Joseph and Mary when they traveled to Bethlehem. The reason as to why they had traveled was because the Roman Emperor had ordered a population census (History World, par 3-4). Since Joseph was from the lineage of David, he had to register in his ancestral home, which was in Bethlehem. At that time, Mary was expectant. She gave birth to the baby Jesus in a manger because there were no empty rooms in all the Bethlehem inns. As directed by an angel, some shepherds came to witness the birth of the Messiah. The three wise men were also directed by a star to the manger, and they brought presents with them. Later, Mary and Joseph took the infant to Jerusalem and presented him to the priest in the temple and afterwards settled in Nazareth (History World, par 3-4).
Born of a Virgin
No other birth has ever occurred like that of Jesus. When Mary was engaged to Joseph, she was expecting a baby. This was strange, as Mary was still a virgin. When Joseph was just about to put her away secretly, the angel of the Lord appeared to him one night in a dream (New International Version). The angel told Joseph not to put Mary away, because the child she was carrying was conceived of the Holy Spirit. Additionally, the child which Mary was carrying would be called Jesus, and would save people from sins. This fulfilled what the prophets had said that Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son and they shall call him Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us (New International Version).
The Genealogy of Jesus
Jesus was from the lineage of David. His birth traces from Abraham, through Isaac up to the birth of Joseph who was a son to a man called Jacob. Even if Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus, he still had his lineage from King David. There are a total of fourteen generations from the Babylonian exile period up to the birth of Christ. Jesus had other brothers and sisters who are however rarely mentioned in the Bible. According to him, the heavenly father was more important to him than his family. Therefore, he was doing all that would please Him (New International Version).
The Wrath of Herod
The birth of Jesus was seen as a threat to King Herod. He knew that his birth had been prophesied, and that he would rule Israel. When the three wise men told Herod about the birth of Jesus, he tried all he could so as to kill him. He ordered the massacre of all the baby boys who were less than two years in the town of Bethlehem. His mission to kill Jesus did not succeed. Previously, an angel of the Lord had appeared to Joseph and told him to flee Bethlehem and go to Egypt. It was only after the death of Herod that Jesus and his family moved back to their homeland (History World, par 5-6).
The Youthful Life of Jesus
Even though Jesus was born as a son of God, he still grew up like the rest of the children. He was an obedient boy, who did everything to please the earthly and the heavenly father. He was becoming a strong person in the spirit and had moral growth. The grace of the Lord was continually upon him, and this helped him to not only grow physically, but also spiritually. The parents of Jesus always ensured that they taught him all what the society required from them. In the typical Jewish society, any person who did not teach his son a trade was seen as a heathen. Therefore, Joseph made sure that he taught Jesus the trade of carpentry (Horner 21-22).
According to the Jews, any city that lacked centers of education in form of schools was destroyed. Therefore, when Jesus was around the age of five to ten, he was taught the book of Leviticus. He learned the Mishnah at the age of ten to fifteen. The Mishnah is the oral law in writing. When he reached the age of sixteen, he went through the rabbinical academies and studied the Talmud, which is the rabbinical commentary. Like the other boys of his age, Jesus had younger sisters and brothers. Before the public ministry of Jesus had started, his father Joseph died (Horner 21-22).
During the Passover celebration, Jesus got lost in a crowd. As a result, Joseph and Mary were so worried. After a long search, they found him amidst a crowd which had over two hundred thousand people. He was busy teachings adults in the temple. He amazed all those that were listening to him. When his parents asked him why he had to do so, he responded that he was doing what would please His father in heaven (Horner 21-22).
He Was Baptized, Even If He Was God
Jesus came from Nazareth and went to look for John the Baptist. After waiting for the baptism of several people, he moved forward and requested John to baptize him (Horner 25). However, John resisted and stated that he was not even worthy to untie the laces of his sandals. Despite all this, Jesus still insisted that John would baptize him. According to him, He was a Jew who was born under the law, and therefore would still follow the law of baptism. Therefore, he was supposed to oblige with this so as to fulfill all righteousness. Jesus was therefore baptized, and the father approved his baptism by declaring that This is my son whom I am well pleased (Horner 25). The father (Jehovah) was glad as Jesus had totally submitted to His will. Jesus was not only immersed in water, but was also baptized in the Holy Spirit. As a result, he was appointed for the role of the Messiah (Horner 25).
Jesus Tempted in Soul, Body and Spirit
Immediately after Jesus was baptized, he went to fast for forty days and nights in the desert. On the first instance, the devil tempted Jesus to change the stones into bread, as he was hungry. However, Jesus responded to him and stated that man could not live by bread alone, but from the word that proceeded from the mouth of the Lord (Horner 26 27). The devil was not through with his wicked plan, as he suggested another action. After setting Jesus on the temples pinnacle, he told him to cast himself down, as he would not die. According to Satan, the angels of the Lord would protect him so that he would not fall. Jesus was quick to answer. He told the devil that no one in the whole universe had the authority of tempting God (Horner 26 27).
The devil is referred to as the tempter and this is why even after the response of Jesus, the devil still insisted on challenging him. He told Jesus that if only He could bow down and worship him, all the glory and the kingdoms of the world would become His. Jesus responded and said that there was no other being that was to be worshipped in the world except Jehovah. At this point, Jesus dismissed the devil, and the angels of the Lord descended and ministered to him immediately (Horner 26 27).
Why Did Christ Come To The World
According to the Holy Bible, Jesus came to seek and save the lost (God and Science 12). In this case, the lost are the people who had been bound by sin. He came to teach the will of the father to all mankind, and later be the sacrificial lamb for the forgiveness of their sins. According to the Book of Romans, all the men in the world have fallen short of Gods glory through sin. Sin is the main problem that men have as far as their spirituality is concerned. Unlike man, God is pure and spotless (God and Science 1-2). He is light, and there is no darkness that is associated with him. Since darkness and light could not live together, sinners and God could not also bond. Therefore, the only way mans relationship with God could be established was through sacrifice. It was the only way the gap that existed between God and man could be removed. The fundamental problem of man was solved by the action of God sending his son Jesus Christ. Additionally, the act of giving His only son to be a sacrificial lamb was indeed a great show of love (God and Science 1-2).
The Teachings and Parables of Jesus
Since the purpose of the Lord sending Jesus was to rescue man from sin, Jesus had to guide man on how he would live so as to have the eternal life. As he traveled all over Israel, Jesus used parables and sermons to make his lessons more clear and simple. One of the most famous teachings of Jesus is the Sermon on the Mount. It took place near the town of Capernaum, where Jesus was teaching the people (Palmer, par. 3-5). From these teachings, Jesus insisted that all men were supposed to love their enemies. In addition no man had a right of raising a finger against other people in judgment. He encouraged the people not to be anxious of anything in life, but through trusting God, they would get all that they have ever wanted. Jesus also taught that all men were supposed to treat others the way they would have wanted to be treated (Palmer, par. 3-5).
Jesus used parables severally in His teachings. These were stories which had spiritual meanings behind them. For instance, Jesus gave the parable of the two builders, where one of them was foolish, and the other one was wise. The wise man had his house built on a rock, while the foolish mans house was built on sand. A storm came, and the house of the foolish man was destroyed, while the wise mans house stood. This parable taught that all those who obeyed Jesus were compared to the wise man, while the disobedient people were compared to the foolish man (Palmer, par. 3).
He gave another parable to the people as they were sitted beside the sea. The parable was about the sower, and the way he went to sow seeds. Some of his seeds fell on the wayside, where they were devoured by birds. Others fell on rocks, but could not survive as they were scorched by the sun. Those that fell on thorns were choked, but the rest brought forth fruit, as they fell on good ground (Palmer, par. 5). According to this parable, the seeds that brought forth fruit are compared to those who hear the word of the Lord and put it into practice. The people that heard the word and allowed persecution to discourage them were compared to seeds that fell on stony ground. The seeds sowed by the wayside represent the people who allow the devil to take away the word that they have received. Lastly, the seeds that fell on thorns represent those who listen to the word of God but allow the riches and deceitfulness of the world to snatch away the word that he had heard (Palmer par 5).
The Miracles of Jesus
The first miracle that Jesus performed was in Galilee. One day, Mary, Jesus and His disciples were invited for a wedding in Cana. The wine was not enough for all people in the wedding. As a result, Jesus requested the people to fill the jars with water. He then asked them to take some of the water that had been changed into wine to the master of ceremony. This miracle made all the people to marvel, and they started expecting much from him (Horner 33).
God gave Jesus power over disease, nature and death. To prove that He was a son of God, Jesus performed many miracles. Jesus had power over the natural forces (Palmer, par. 6). This is best shown by when they were crossing the Sea of Galilee together with his disciples. They were sailing in the evening in a small boat. While Jesus was asleep in the boat, there arose a great storm which made the boat to start sinking. As a result, the disciples became fearful and woke Jesus up. Jesus rebuked the storm and ordered calmness to prevail. Consequently, he told the disciples that they ought to have enough faith. The disciples were filled with fear, and they asked, Who is this, that even the wind and sea obey him (Palmer, par. 6).
Jesus healed so many people who had suffered from various diseases. One day, He was being followed by a crowd near Jericho. A blind beggar was curious of the noises that he heard, and asked the others what was going on. Immediately when he was told that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by, he cried unto him and begged him to have mercy on him. Jesus asked the man what he wanted, and he replied that he wanted to be healed of his blindness. Jesus declared that his faith had made him well. Immediately, the man regained his eyesight, and the crowd glorified God (Palmer, par.7).
The power of Jesus over death is best shown by the miracle he performed in Bethany. This is when Lazarus died. Lazarus was a friend of Jesus who lived with two of his sisters, Martha and Mary. Lazarus had been dead for a period of four days, and a rock had been used to cover the tomb where he had been buried (Palmer, par. 8). Jesus commanded the stone to be removed and ordered Lazarus to be restored to life. Immediately, he arose again, and all the witnesses believed that Jesus was the son of God .The act of Jesus rising from the dead also demonstrated the power he had over the forces of death. He arose again after three days of being buried, just as he had frequently told the disciples. Through his death, he fulfilled the assignment that the Lord had given him (Palmer, par. 8).
Jesus had close friends
Jesus had a social life like any other human being. John the Baptist was one of his friends. He lived in the wilderness near River Jordan. Several people believed in Johns repentance teachings. He was also responsible for the baptism of the people at that time. Although Jesus was not a sinner, he got baptized by John. Johns death was indeed painful. He was executed because of rebuking Herod Antipas for all his evil deeds. Herod had married his brothers wife. As a result, his head was cut off (Palmer, par.1).
Jesus had twelve disciples that he selected as his companions. All the disciples had different backgrounds. Jesus chose tax collectors and fishermen. They were with Jesus wherever he went, and continued with the gospel after he died. The names of the disciples were Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Simon, Thaddeus, Peter, John, James the son of Zebedee, Mathew, James the son of Alpheus and Judas Iscariot. Severally, there are friends who betray others. Jesus also faced betrayal from one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot (Palmer, par.2).
Events prior to the death of Jesus
The Jewish authorities did not like any state of excitement in their community. They did not like the way Jesus smashed all the wares that were being sold in the temple. Additionally, they could not understand why the young man could give prophesies of destruction of the most holy building, the temple. Before the arrest of Jesus, he had supper with all his disciples. It was the Passover meal, where he broke the bread, took the wine and shared it with the disciples. He also told them to be doing that severally in remembrance of Him. After the last supper, Jesus went to pray in a garden called Gethsemane where he was arrested by his enemies as a result of betrayal from Judas Iscariot (History World, par 16 17).
The death of Jesus
The Jewish scribes and the Pharisees had a deep hatred for Jesus. According to them, Jesus words were full of blasphemy. They could not understand how the son of Joseph could claim that he was the son of God. As a result, they arrested him, and took him to the Pilate. It was one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who told the Jewish leaders where Jesus was. That act of betrayal made him commit suicide later. At first, Pilate, the Roman governor did not find any faults with Jesus. Therefore, he declared that he would release Jesus. However, the Jews insisted that they wanted Jesus tried and Barrabas to be released instead. They had even planned to riot if their desire was not met. Pilate had no choice than to condemn Jesus (Palmer par. 10).
Just as sacrificing animals was substituted to man, Christians believe that Jesus was crucified on the cross for the sins of mankind. Therefore, any man who trusted in Jesus from that time did not have to pay the penalty for sin, which is death. Jesus bore the sins of mankind on the cross. The death of Jesus is viewed in very many dimensions. He became the representative of man. This is because he identified himself totally with humanity. Man was previously separated from God as a result of the Adamic sin. At some point, God sent Jesus so that he could bridge the gap that was present between God and man. Man became represented by Christ, so that he could please God in his righteousness (God and Science 2).
Jesus is viewed as a redeemer from sin. The aftermath of any kind of sin was usually death. Therefore Jesus had bought back all mankind, through the shedding of his blood. He redeemed mankind as he was the sacrificial lamb. Having obtained the redemption of the sinners, he entered the holy place by the shedding of his own blood. As the last proof, God raised Jesus from the dead. This was a clear indication that the sacrifice of Christ was effective and acceptable for the removal of sins (God and Science 3).
The resurrection of Jesus
Jesus was crucified together with two robbers. After His death, there was darkness all over the land, and all the people were astonished. At this time, they believed that Jesus was indeed the son of God. Jesus was beaten, stripped, scourged and was later crucified by the Roman soldiers. One of His friends, a wealthy man known as Joseph of Arimathea offered his tomb so that Jesus would be buried (Life of Christ, par 12 13). Jesus had told the disciples that he would resurrect after his death. Since the enemies of Jesus knew this, they made sure that the tomb had been guarded by the Roman Soldiers. When the third day after his death commenced, he arose from the dead. It was Mary Magdalene who first witnessed the resurrection of Jesus. Afterwards, he appeared to several believers including his disciples (Life of Christ, par 12 13).
Conclusion
It is obvious that Jesus played a very important role in the world. His miracles and teachings will forever be recorded in history. The Bible will always be the source of reference for the Christians. It is their guide to right living, so that they may all receive the kingdom of God. This can only be achieved through the message that Jesus gave, that all the Christians are his disciples, and they should continue with the work of salvation that he started.
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