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Jesus Biography |
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 Jesus Biography It is believed that Jesus was born anywhere between 7 to 2 BC (BC meaning Before the Birth of Christ) and died sometime between 26 to 36 AD (Anno Domini). Anno domini is Latin for “in the year of our lord.” Jesus was originally believed to have been born in the year 1 AD, but subsequent scholarship has pushed his birth back a few years. Nothing is known of Jesus’ early years. According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus began his ministry when he was about 30 years of age. As with his birth, knowledge of Jesus’ ministry also has contradictory information. The Synoptic Gospels say he ministered for one year, the Gospel of John implies that it may have lasted for up to three years. (The Gospel of Luke, of Matthew and of Mark are called the Synoptic Gospels because they contain many of the same stories, not only in the same sequence, but also sometimes with the exact same wording. The term synoptic comes from the Greek 'syn,' which means "together," and 'optic,' which means "seen".) According to the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus' ministry lasted approximately one year. According to the Gospel of John, he may have spread his ministry for up to three years. It is from the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, that we learn the main facts of Jesus' life. According to Matthew and Luke, Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea. His mother was Mary, a virgin, and his father was Joseph. The couple had had to travel to Bethlehem to participate in a census conducted by the Romans, who controlled the land. When King Herod hears
that Jesus, the “King of the Jews” has been born in Bethlehem,
he orders the death of all children younger than two years old. Joseph
and Mary take Jesus and flee into Egypt. Eventually they settle in Nazareth.
After his baptism, Jesus was led into the desert by God, and there he fasted for forty days and forty nights. The Devil appeared to him during this period, and tempted him three times. Jesus refused each temptation, quoting from the Book of Deuteronomy each time. After this temptation, Jesus begins his ministry. He teaches and also performs miracles, as told in Matthew, Mark and Luke. He exorcises demons, champions the poor and oppressed, and teaches about the Kingdom of God, using parables and aphorisms. Jesus said of his purpose on Earth, "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. After spending most of his ministry in Galilee, he journeys to Jerusalem, gathering disciples. In Jerusalem, he goes into Herod’s Temple, and overthrows the tables of the moneychangers there, stating that they have made the Temple a "den of robbers.” Later that week, he eats Passover with his Twelve Disciples, which will come to be known as the Last Supper. Jesus is popular with the people, but unpopular with the Jewish Sanhedrin. They arrest him at night (thanks to a betrayal by Judas Iscariot) and he is tried. It is during this trial that he confirms that he is the son of God. He is crucified, along with two thieves. Three days later,
Jesus arises from the dead, and visits all eleven remaining apostles (Judas
having committed suicide).He exhorts them to share the gospel, baptize,
and work miracles – not only among the Jews, but among all mankind.
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