Who Is Jesus?
Known by what he did and said
Like many of the individuals that you know, Jesus was primarily known by what he did and said among his contemporaries. That is the context, along with Jewish history and traditions, for the various titles, such as “Christ” and “Lord”, that were attached to him.
Yet, you may ask, “Who is Jesus?”
Often what he did and what he said raised questions with those who observed him and listened to his teachings. There was no simple or clear understanding of his identity and how he should be regarded inspite of his impressive actions and teachings. Many of his contemporaries wondered, as you may be wondering, “who is this man Jesus?”.
The world-wide expression of the Christian religion is the result of the work and teachings of Jesus’ most devoted followers. Although they have been telling his story and sharing their perceptions of him with others throughout the world since the early decades of the first century A.D., many people throughout the world, including perhaps you and many of your friends, may still have some difficult questions regarding the identity of this man whom history knows as Jesus.
Some basic feature of his identity
Basically there is some agreement that Jesus was a Hebrew prophet who appeared in ancient Palestine among the Israelites. He was known as coming from the city of Nazareth where he grew up in the family of Mary, his mother, and Joseph, her husband. Since Joseph was a carpenter, Jesus also worked as a carpenter during the early years of his life.
At about the age of 30 Jesus launched his public ministry of preaching and teaching about God, “Jehovah”, as God was named by his Hebrew people. Although he fulfilled the traditions and expectations associated with Israel’s prophets, he was regarded as being different. He taught with greater “authority” and more wisdom. He performed many amazing miracles. He instantly provided physical healing for some individuals who were blind or lame or otherwise physically handicaped or sick. On two occasions he fed thousands of people with meager supplies of bread and fish. He even raised several individuals from the dead and cast demons out of others.
Powerful, yet he refused to be king
He was regarded by some of his followers as being “anointed” by God, which caused the title of “Christ” to be attached to his name, because it means “anointed”. Since the early kings of the nation of Israel, Saul, David, and Solomon, were regarded as also being “anointed”, Jesus, with his impressive miraculous powers and authoritative aura of teaching was eventually regarded by some as possibly a new king. Many of his followers, including those closest to him, expected him to deliver the people of Israel from their Roman oppressors as David had delivered the people of Israel from their Philistine enemies a thousand years earlier.
Betrayed, tried and condemned
When Jesus refused to use his powers to do this, one of his closest followers, Judas, turned against him. He helped some of Jesus’ severest critics among the religious leaders of the Israelites to get Jesus arrested. These leaders then led many among the crowd of his followers, some of whom were uncertain about his identity and others who were just intimidated by these powerful officials, to secure the judgment of the Roman governor, Pilate, to have Jesus crucified. The charges that they brought against Jesus were for treason and blasphemy because of Jesus’ claims to be a king and to be a divine being who was sent from God. Although Pilate couldn’t find anything worthy of death to hold against Jesus, and he even considered him to be innocent of the charges brought against him, he still had Jesus flogged and crucified to avoid a riot by the stirred-up crowd.
An innocent man is executed
So Jesus, with his back torn open by the soldiers’ scourge, was nailed
to a cross by the side of a public road outside of the walls to the ancient city of Jerusalem, crucified with two other condemned men as many other criminals and enemies of Rome had been executed before him. Of course this shocked and frightened his closest followers, known as his disciples, although Jesus had earlier specifically warned them this would happen to him. On the day before his crucifixion as he shared the Passover supper with them, he had illustrated how his body would be broken and his blood shed by breaking bread and pouring out some wine. He explained that this was his sacrifice for sin, but they didn’t understand what he had tried to explain to them or why he had been executed. Although they were not from Jerusalem, they stayed there, hiding in fear from his enemies.
His resurrection surprises everyone
Three days after the crucifixion of Jesus, these disciples and his enemies among the Jewish leaders and the Roman officials were amazed to hear reports of the disappearance of his body from the tomb where it had been placed under Roman guards. The guards were there because Jesus had predicted that he would rise from the dead after three days of being in the tomb. On that day and during the next forty days, these closest disciples, a group of eleven or so men, as well as several women and 500 other followers all saw and experienced in a personal way the presence of Jesus.
He had apparently been resurrected from the dead. He was able to pass through locked doors and to appear and disappear from their sight. When he was with them, some of them had the priviledge of physically touching his body. They were able to talk with him, and he even ate with them on several occasions. He was not a ghost, and it was not any hallucinations that they were all experiencing.
Frightened followers become witnesses
Because of their personal experience with the resurrected Jesus and the Spirit of God that he gave to them, these followers believed that he really did come from heaven, the realm of God. They accepted his claim that he willingly died on the Cross to pay God’s price for their sins and the sins of everyone in the world. In faith and trust they surrendered their lives to him to serve as witnesses to his loving glory and divine power.
Because of his resurrection from the dead, they believed that he was somehow God in the flesh, and they agreed that he was the “Lord”. Without being able to explain the specific details regarding the relationship between Jesus and God and the Spirit, they nevertheless believed that Jesus was involved in the creation of the universe, that he was the owner and master of everything, and that he would be God’s ultimate judge and ruler over all of the kingdoms of earth and heaven. This would include the realms of all of the living and the dead from all time.
You can know Jesus
This introduction may not answer all of your questions about Jesus or even many of them. It may not convince you that Jesus is anyone special, but if you really do want to know who Jesus is and get acquainted with him in a personal way, you can do so. He has promised to make himself known to anyone who sincerely seeks to get to know him, who is willing to open his/her mind and heart to his divine glory and the truth of his divine teachings.
An invitation to follow Jesus
I invite you to come and to follow Jesus as many others have done. Read the accounts of his life and teachings in the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the Bible, particularly that of John. Then read the book of Acts, which is Luke’s report regarding the birth of Christianity. It is also in the New Testament portion of the Bible. As you follow Jesus and examine the records of his unique life and pray for his personal revelation to you, you will begin to get to know Jesus. You may even find yourself surrendering to his amazing grace and transforming power, which would be good for you.
The only way to know Jesus, like the only way to really know anyone, is to follow him, to personally examine his life and teachings, his recorded comments, and to spend time with those who seem to know him best. My ministry is to introduce you to Jesus. May God bless you in your search.
If you are wondering why you should consider getting to know Jesus and why he is the only one who can bring you into God’s loving presence, I invite you to consider this statement on the question: “Why Jesus?”.
If you would like to have Jesus give you a fresh start in life, consider this statement on this subject: “The Plan of Salvation”.
will be glad to answer any of your questions. Or you will find more specific information about Jesus at this site on the question who is Jesus?.