Who was Jesus of Nazareth?
There is unanimous consensus among historical scholars that Jesus of Nazareth was an actual person who lived in Israel during the first century. They would also agree that He is the founder of the Christian religion which spread rapidly following His death. Almost all agree that He was crucified, buried, and following those events, His tomb was discovered empty. Opinions about Jesus diverge when questions are raised about His resurrection and identity. Muslims claim He was a prophet, Buddhists believe He was a good moral teacher, atheists allege He was a fraud, and Christians believe He is the Son of God.
Who was Jesus, is by and large the single most important question facing humanity. The right answer frees us from the power and penalty of sin. The wrong answer sends us into eternal damnation. Jesus of course, took on many roles such as prophet, priest and sacrificial lamb. The reason this article is entitled, who "was" Jesus, is because we are only discussing His earthly life and role as messiah and savior in this article.
Jesus of Nazareth entered the world during a very complex time in Jewish history. They were under Roman control and yet able to practice their faith and worship freely. Though the Roman occupation was an insurmountable obstacle, it did not dampen the Israelites' hopes of a promised deliverer from God. When Jesus' ministry began, many followed Him under the expectation that the messiah would finally free them from Roman occupation. Yet as His ministry unfolds, it becomes clear that He would not follow the formula of an earthly warrior king. Even more astonishing, He presents himself as a challenge to the religious establishment, as its harshest critic.
Roman culture valued strength, conquest, and honor. The Empire was built by a military machine unlike any in previous history. Following Jesus' death, His disciples set out to proclaim the good news, that Jesus died to free mankind from sin and that there is forgiveness in His name. It is in the backdrop of this Roman warrior culture that the Gospel emerges. Proclaiming a human deity who had been humiliated and executed to a culture that valued bravery and victory, could not have been more challenging. Like Jesus' ministry to Israel, this does not fit a previous mold, nor could anyone have predicted a favorable outcome.
Proclaiming love and forgiveness to a heathen culture, along with faith and charity to a religious oppressed culture is revolutionary in its own right. Singling out the sick and poor who were formally outcasts, preaching salvation through faith rather than ritual and elevating love to the highest virtue makes Jesus and His message the most admired, and at the same time, most despised in human history.
Despite what secularists may say in their perpetual quest to discredit Jesus; He was unique, He was exceptional and no one that came before Him or after Him could ever fill His shoes. And every soul that has ever walked the planet will ultimately have to answer the most pressing question of all time: who do men say that I am?
Who Do Men Say I Am? – Two Possible Answers
Jesus – God and Man
Many Christians struggle with the idea that Jesus was fully human, while others struggle with His divinity. But the fact is, to be the true savior of mankind, both had to be embodied in one person for several reasons ,of which we will outline two. Why did Christ have to be fully human and fully God?
Jesus is a Son and We are sons - What is the Difference?
Why Jesus, Why so Much Trouble?
Many non believers struggle with the concept of a dying, suffering savior. Why did God go through so much trouble to bring salvation? Atheist Richard Dawkins has called the concept hideous. I was once asked why didn't God just ask us to plant a tree rather than go through all that trouble? The truth is these people want a God of love and fail to understand the concept of justice. The living God is a God of love, but He is also a God of perfect justice, and for love and justice to prevail, a suffering savior was the only possible path.
Let me illustrate with an analogy. Imagine one day in a mid-sized town, a businessman is arrested for embezzling money. This is the most prominent businessman in the town, well known throughout the community. As the case goes through the court system, it turns out the judge selected to proceed over his case is the businessman's best friend. These two have known each other since childhood, roomed together in college and vacation together with their kids. As the trial begins, everyone, including the media, take a great interest in the case, curious how the judge will rule in his best friend's case. Finally, it was the day of the verdict. The media was out in full force to see how this judge would treat his best friend. Would he be loving and let him off or would he stand by principle and judge him fairly. Finally, the verdict is handed down, the judge finds his best friend guilty on all charges. But if that is not enough, the judge gives his best friend the maximum penalty; pay a $1 million fine or go to jail for ten years. The crowd was stunned at the verdict because the judge did not have to hand down the maximum penalty. Finally, everyone leaves the courtroom in disbelief. Once the courtroom is cleared, the judge steps down from his chamber, walks over to his friend and says, "I sold my house, my car and cashed in my retirement fund. I paid your fine, you are free to go."
In today's narcissistic society, everyone wants a loving, sweet God. Yet the problem of sin is undeniable. The penalty for sin must be paid, we are all guilty. But God, in his infinite love, took upon himself a fleshly body and paid the price that we owe. Only in Christianity is sin dealt with decisively, while God's great love and justice remain unchanged.
What are Messianic Prophesies?
Biblical prophesies are some of the most powerful tools for witnessing, so it's no wonder the apostles used them so frequently when spreading the Gospel. Because fulfilled prophesies are unique to Christianity, I truly believe every evangelist should commit a few to memory for future opportunities. Here are a handful of messianic prophesies that point to Jesus.
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel (Genesis 3:15).
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting (Micah 5:2).
Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked, but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When you make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities (Isaiah 53:4-11).
Biblical scholars have identified 456 messianic passages, and of those, about 109 are distinct messianic prophecies that the Messiah would fulfill. Let’s look at 8 of these.
Prophecy Fulfillment
Mathematician Dr. Peter Stoner used very conservative calculations when assigning probabilities to each of these events. Multiplying all these probabilities together produces a number (rounded off) of 10 to the 28th power. Dividing this number by an estimate of the number of people who have lived since the time of these prophecies (88 billion) produces a probability of all 8 prophecies being fulfilled accidentally in the life of one person. That probability is 1 in 10 to the 17th power, or 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. That's one in one hundred quadrillion! Peter W. Stoner; Science Speaks.
Evidence for the Life of Jesus
Many believe Christians use the Bible to prove the Bible. But the fact is, the Bible can stand alone as a purely historical document with historically valid claims. In addition, there are many extra Biblical accounts that support the events narrated in the Bible. Here are just a few on the life of Jesus.
Cornelius Tacitus lived from 56-120 A.D. and was a Roman historian. He writes: “Christians derived their name from a man called Christ, who during the reign of Emperor Tiberius had been executed by sentence of the procurator Pontius Pilate. The deadly superstition, thus checked for the moment, broke out afresh not only in Judea, the first source of the evil, but also in the City of Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world meet and become popular.”
Pliny the Younger lived from 61-113 A.D. and was a Roman administrator in Turkey. In 110 A.D., he wrote to the emperor Trajan about the Christians: “The sum total of their guilt or error was no more than the following. They had met regularly before dawn on a determined day, and sung antiphonally a hymn to Christ and to a god. They also took an oath not for any crime, but to keep from theft, robbery and adultery, and not to break any promise.”
Flavius Josephus lived from 37-100 A.D. and was a Jewish historian. His writings about Jesus are believed to have been tampered with, but the best reconstruction we have reads: “At this time there appeared Jesus, a wise man. For he was a doer of startling deeds, a teacher of the people who received the truth with pleasure. And he gained a following both among many Jews and among many of Greek origin. And when Pilate, because of an accusation made by the leading men among us, condemned him to the cross, those who had loved him previously did not cease to do so. And up until this very day the tribe of Christians, named after him, has not died out.”
The Jewish Talmud is the ancient commentary of Jewish law. In an excerpt dated around 100-200 A.D. we read a fascinating report of the case against Jesus that led to his trial and execution: “On the eve of the Passover Jesus was hanged (on a cross). For forty days before the execution took place, a herald went forth and cried, “He is going forth to be stoned because he has practiced sorcery and enticed and led Israel astray. Anyone who can say anything in his favor, let him come forward and plead on his behalf. But since nothing was brought forward in his favor, he was hanged on the eve of the Passover.”
Jesus’ Self-Understanding
Conclusion
Three Gospels are eyewitness accounts (Mathew, Mark and John). The fourth Gospel is a well-documented account. There are considerable reports from non-Christian sources that supplement and confirm the Gospel accounts of Jesus. These come largely from Greek, Roman, Jewish, and Samaritan sources of the first century. In brief, they inform us that: (1) Jesus was from Nazareth; (2) He lived a wise and virtuous life; (3) He was crucified in Palestine under Pontius Pilate during the reign of Tiberius Caesar at Passover time, being considered the Jewish king; (4) He was believed by his disciples to have been raised from the dead three days later; (5) His enemies acknowledged that He performed unusual feats they called “sorcery”; (6) His small band of disciples multiplied rapidly, spreading even as far as Rome; (7) His disciples denied polytheism, lived moral lives, and worshipped Christ as Divine. “This picture confirms the view of Christ presented in the New Testament Gospels.” Norman Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics
Articles
Ancient Evidence for Jesus from Non-Christian Sources Michael Gleghorn
Who is Jesus? Crosswalk.com
Was Jesus a Copy of Horus, Mithras, Krishna, Dionysus and Other Pagan Gods? Beginning and End
Twenty Reasons Christians Believe Jesus is God Charlie Campbell
Joseph Smith and the Biblical Test of a Prophet James Walker
Hubbard's Religion Craig Branch
Beware of False Prophets David Henke
Who was Jesus, is by and large the single most important question facing humanity. The right answer frees us from the power and penalty of sin. The wrong answer sends us into eternal damnation. Jesus of course, took on many roles such as prophet, priest and sacrificial lamb. The reason this article is entitled, who "was" Jesus, is because we are only discussing His earthly life and role as messiah and savior in this article.
Jesus of Nazareth entered the world during a very complex time in Jewish history. They were under Roman control and yet able to practice their faith and worship freely. Though the Roman occupation was an insurmountable obstacle, it did not dampen the Israelites' hopes of a promised deliverer from God. When Jesus' ministry began, many followed Him under the expectation that the messiah would finally free them from Roman occupation. Yet as His ministry unfolds, it becomes clear that He would not follow the formula of an earthly warrior king. Even more astonishing, He presents himself as a challenge to the religious establishment, as its harshest critic.
Roman culture valued strength, conquest, and honor. The Empire was built by a military machine unlike any in previous history. Following Jesus' death, His disciples set out to proclaim the good news, that Jesus died to free mankind from sin and that there is forgiveness in His name. It is in the backdrop of this Roman warrior culture that the Gospel emerges. Proclaiming a human deity who had been humiliated and executed to a culture that valued bravery and victory, could not have been more challenging. Like Jesus' ministry to Israel, this does not fit a previous mold, nor could anyone have predicted a favorable outcome.
Proclaiming love and forgiveness to a heathen culture, along with faith and charity to a religious oppressed culture is revolutionary in its own right. Singling out the sick and poor who were formally outcasts, preaching salvation through faith rather than ritual and elevating love to the highest virtue makes Jesus and His message the most admired, and at the same time, most despised in human history.
Despite what secularists may say in their perpetual quest to discredit Jesus; He was unique, He was exceptional and no one that came before Him or after Him could ever fill His shoes. And every soul that has ever walked the planet will ultimately have to answer the most pressing question of all time: who do men say that I am?
Who Do Men Say I Am? – Two Possible Answers
- A Lunatic – If His claims of miracles, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life are false by any standard, this would be a lunatic.
- The Son of God– If His claims are true, then He is the Son of the living God.
- A good moral teacher – This is not a possible option because He claimed to do miracles, forgive sins, and He claimed to be God. If that is not true, then He cannot be a good moral person, rather that would make Him a con artist.
Jesus – God and Man
Many Christians struggle with the idea that Jesus was fully human, while others struggle with His divinity. But the fact is, to be the true savior of mankind, both had to be embodied in one person for several reasons ,of which we will outline two. Why did Christ have to be fully human and fully God?
- Because humans have immeasurable value, therefore only one who is fully human can be the substitute for another human. Jesus’ humanity - Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered. (Mark 9:21). Jesus ate food (Mark 14:12). Imagine you walk into a pawn shop to get a loan and leave a Rolex watch as collateral. A few days later you return to the pawn shop to redeem your watch and you bring them a baseball cap in return for your watch. They will think you're crazy, because only something of the same value can redeem the Rolex watch. In the same way, only something with human value can redeem another human.
- Only God is holy and sinless. “No one is holy like the Lord, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God. (1 Samuel 2:2). Jesus’ Deity - “When Jesus saw their faith, He said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.’ The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, ‘Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ "(Luke 5:20-21). Imagine getting fined by a judge $10,000 for destroying government property. When you meet with the clerk to pay the fine you inform him that you are there to pay someone else's fine. The clerk will insist that you pay your owe debt first, rather than someone else's. Jesus had to be sinless to pay for our sins otherwise He would have had to pay the penalty for His own sins. And the truth is, only God is holy and sinless.
Jesus is a Son and We are sons - What is the Difference?
- Jesus is the “only begotten.” That is, he took on the very nature of God (Ephesians 1:5).
- We are sons through grace, by adoption. We are made in His image, not His essence. (Galatians 4:4).
Why Jesus, Why so Much Trouble?
Many non believers struggle with the concept of a dying, suffering savior. Why did God go through so much trouble to bring salvation? Atheist Richard Dawkins has called the concept hideous. I was once asked why didn't God just ask us to plant a tree rather than go through all that trouble? The truth is these people want a God of love and fail to understand the concept of justice. The living God is a God of love, but He is also a God of perfect justice, and for love and justice to prevail, a suffering savior was the only possible path.
Let me illustrate with an analogy. Imagine one day in a mid-sized town, a businessman is arrested for embezzling money. This is the most prominent businessman in the town, well known throughout the community. As the case goes through the court system, it turns out the judge selected to proceed over his case is the businessman's best friend. These two have known each other since childhood, roomed together in college and vacation together with their kids. As the trial begins, everyone, including the media, take a great interest in the case, curious how the judge will rule in his best friend's case. Finally, it was the day of the verdict. The media was out in full force to see how this judge would treat his best friend. Would he be loving and let him off or would he stand by principle and judge him fairly. Finally, the verdict is handed down, the judge finds his best friend guilty on all charges. But if that is not enough, the judge gives his best friend the maximum penalty; pay a $1 million fine or go to jail for ten years. The crowd was stunned at the verdict because the judge did not have to hand down the maximum penalty. Finally, everyone leaves the courtroom in disbelief. Once the courtroom is cleared, the judge steps down from his chamber, walks over to his friend and says, "I sold my house, my car and cashed in my retirement fund. I paid your fine, you are free to go."
In today's narcissistic society, everyone wants a loving, sweet God. Yet the problem of sin is undeniable. The penalty for sin must be paid, we are all guilty. But God, in his infinite love, took upon himself a fleshly body and paid the price that we owe. Only in Christianity is sin dealt with decisively, while God's great love and justice remain unchanged.
What are Messianic Prophesies?
Biblical prophesies are some of the most powerful tools for witnessing, so it's no wonder the apostles used them so frequently when spreading the Gospel. Because fulfilled prophesies are unique to Christianity, I truly believe every evangelist should commit a few to memory for future opportunities. Here are a handful of messianic prophesies that point to Jesus.
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel (Genesis 3:15).
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting (Micah 5:2).
Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked, but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When you make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities (Isaiah 53:4-11).
Biblical scholars have identified 456 messianic passages, and of those, about 109 are distinct messianic prophecies that the Messiah would fulfill. Let’s look at 8 of these.
Prophecy Fulfillment
- Micah 5:2 Born in Bethlehem Mt 2:1
- Zech 9:9 King on donkey Lk 19:35-37
- Zech 11:12 30 pieces of silver Mt 26:15
- Zech 11:13 Silver to potter Mt 27:5-7
- Zech 13:6 Wounds in hand Jn 20:25
- Is 53:7 No defense though innocent Mt 27:12-14
- Is 53:9 Grave w wicked death w rich Mt 27:60
- Ps 22:16 Crucified Lk 23:33
Mathematician Dr. Peter Stoner used very conservative calculations when assigning probabilities to each of these events. Multiplying all these probabilities together produces a number (rounded off) of 10 to the 28th power. Dividing this number by an estimate of the number of people who have lived since the time of these prophecies (88 billion) produces a probability of all 8 prophecies being fulfilled accidentally in the life of one person. That probability is 1 in 10 to the 17th power, or 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. That's one in one hundred quadrillion! Peter W. Stoner; Science Speaks.
Evidence for the Life of Jesus
Many believe Christians use the Bible to prove the Bible. But the fact is, the Bible can stand alone as a purely historical document with historically valid claims. In addition, there are many extra Biblical accounts that support the events narrated in the Bible. Here are just a few on the life of Jesus.
Cornelius Tacitus lived from 56-120 A.D. and was a Roman historian. He writes: “Christians derived their name from a man called Christ, who during the reign of Emperor Tiberius had been executed by sentence of the procurator Pontius Pilate. The deadly superstition, thus checked for the moment, broke out afresh not only in Judea, the first source of the evil, but also in the City of Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world meet and become popular.”
Pliny the Younger lived from 61-113 A.D. and was a Roman administrator in Turkey. In 110 A.D., he wrote to the emperor Trajan about the Christians: “The sum total of their guilt or error was no more than the following. They had met regularly before dawn on a determined day, and sung antiphonally a hymn to Christ and to a god. They also took an oath not for any crime, but to keep from theft, robbery and adultery, and not to break any promise.”
Flavius Josephus lived from 37-100 A.D. and was a Jewish historian. His writings about Jesus are believed to have been tampered with, but the best reconstruction we have reads: “At this time there appeared Jesus, a wise man. For he was a doer of startling deeds, a teacher of the people who received the truth with pleasure. And he gained a following both among many Jews and among many of Greek origin. And when Pilate, because of an accusation made by the leading men among us, condemned him to the cross, those who had loved him previously did not cease to do so. And up until this very day the tribe of Christians, named after him, has not died out.”
The Jewish Talmud is the ancient commentary of Jewish law. In an excerpt dated around 100-200 A.D. we read a fascinating report of the case against Jesus that led to his trial and execution: “On the eve of the Passover Jesus was hanged (on a cross). For forty days before the execution took place, a herald went forth and cried, “He is going forth to be stoned because he has practiced sorcery and enticed and led Israel astray. Anyone who can say anything in his favor, let him come forward and plead on his behalf. But since nothing was brought forward in his favor, he was hanged on the eve of the Passover.”
Jesus’ Self-Understanding
- Jesus claims to be without sin. He challenges His accusers to find any fault in Him (John 8:46). Only God is holy and sinless. “No one is holy like the Lord, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God (1 Samuel 2:2).
- Jesus clearly accepted the major tenets of the Jewish faith and the authority of the Torah.
- Jesus is one with the Father – “I and the Father are one" (John 10:30).
- Jesus fulfills the Mosaic covenant – “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets, I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled” (Matthew 5:17-18).
- Jesus is the fulfillment of prophesy – He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself (Luke 24:25). Referring to Isaiah 61:1-2 Jesus states, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:14-21).
- Jesus saw Himself as a prophet (Mark 12:1-11).
- Jesus referred to Himself as the “Son of Man,” clearly alluding to Daniel, chapter 7. This was one of Jesus’ favored self-designations; He considered Himself as one who is coming to restore and establish the Kingdom of God.
- Jesus claimed to be the Messiah and the disciples refer to Him as such. The “Son of David” was a clear Messianic designation (Mark 8:29-30).
- Jesus believed He was God. In John 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." referencing Exodus 3:13-14.
- Jesus claimed to be the only way to God. “I am the way, truth, and life" (John 14:6).
- Jesus performs miracles (Mt 4:23-24; Mt 8:1-4; Mt 8:14-15; Mt 8:23-27; Mt 9:2-8).
Conclusion
Three Gospels are eyewitness accounts (Mathew, Mark and John). The fourth Gospel is a well-documented account. There are considerable reports from non-Christian sources that supplement and confirm the Gospel accounts of Jesus. These come largely from Greek, Roman, Jewish, and Samaritan sources of the first century. In brief, they inform us that: (1) Jesus was from Nazareth; (2) He lived a wise and virtuous life; (3) He was crucified in Palestine under Pontius Pilate during the reign of Tiberius Caesar at Passover time, being considered the Jewish king; (4) He was believed by his disciples to have been raised from the dead three days later; (5) His enemies acknowledged that He performed unusual feats they called “sorcery”; (6) His small band of disciples multiplied rapidly, spreading even as far as Rome; (7) His disciples denied polytheism, lived moral lives, and worshipped Christ as Divine. “This picture confirms the view of Christ presented in the New Testament Gospels.” Norman Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics
Articles
Ancient Evidence for Jesus from Non-Christian Sources Michael Gleghorn
Who is Jesus? Crosswalk.com
Was Jesus a Copy of Horus, Mithras, Krishna, Dionysus and Other Pagan Gods? Beginning and End
Twenty Reasons Christians Believe Jesus is God Charlie Campbell
Joseph Smith and the Biblical Test of a Prophet James Walker
Hubbard's Religion Craig Branch
Beware of False Prophets David Henke