Holy Bible Online 
Jesus Christ was a Jewish man, a rabbi, born about 2,000 years ago, around 4 B.C., in the region of Palestine. According to the Bible, Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. Hundreds of years before his birth, prophecies were recorded about his coming.
Mary, a young virgin, was visited by the angel Gabriel during her betrothal year. The angel announced that Mary would have a son, conceived by the Holy Spirit, who would be the Messiah and would be named Jesus.
Joseph, who was engaged to Mary, had difficulty believing what had happened and even thought about annulling the marriage. But he was visited by an angel in a dream, confirming the miraculous event.
The Birth and Early Years of Jesus
The Roman Empire conducted a census in the entire region, which required Joseph and Mary to return to their hometown. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in a stable.
Joseph and Mary were visited by shepherds and wise men from the East, who came to see the King of the Jews, as promised by the Holy Scriptures. King Herod, the Roman governor of Judea, learned of the prophecy announcing the birth of the new king of the Jews. Fearing the popularity of this prophecy and a rebellious uprising against his government, Herod ordered that all boys under the age of two be killed.
Upon learning that Herod intended to kill Jesus, the couple fled to Egypt, where they lived until Herod died. When that happened, they returned to Nazareth, a city in Galilee, where Jesus grew up and lived until the beginning of his ministry.
As a teenager, when he visited Jerusalem with his parents, he astonished the law teachers with his intelligence and deep knowledge of the Holy Scriptures.
Jesus was Jewish, both in ethnicity and nationality. He learned Joseph's trade, carpentry. Jesus had brothers and sisters, living with his parents until he was 30 years old. Jesus did not marry or have children.
Many ask whether Jesus was black or white. Jesus likely had common Middle Eastern features, with olive skin, short hair, and a beard. The Bible only says that Jesus was a man of simple appearance, as the prophecies had revealed.
The Baptism and Beginning of the Ministry
Jesus' baptism marks the beginning of his ministry. After being baptized in water by John the Baptist, his cousin and a prophet who announced his coming, Jesus had an encounter with God the Father and the Holy Spirit and was then led into the desert. In the desert, Jesus underwent an extreme experience, dedicating himself to fasting and prayer for forty days, being tested by the Devil in his knowledge of the Law and his dedication.
The second step at the beginning of his ministry was the selection of his disciples. Jesus handpicked those who would be his closest followers (called Apostles), allowing a multitude to follow and listen to him. By the Sea of Galilee, Jesus called the 12 disciples whom he also designated as apostles:
Simon (Peter), Andrew, James (son of Zebedee), John, Philip, Bartholomew (Nathanael), Thomas, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus (Judas), Simon (the Zealot), and Judas Iscariot, the traitor.
The Miracles of Jesus
In 3 years of prophetic ministry, teaching and preaching the Kingdom of God, Jesus performed miracles and wonders wherever he went. The first miracle of Jesus was at a wedding. According to the passage in the Gospel of John, Jesus turned water into wine.
Jesus performed many other miracles. The Bible records 37 miracles. Among them are the multiplication of loaves and fishes, walking on water, numerous healings of paralytics, blind, and deaf people, and the resurrection of at least three people.
Besides miracles, Jesus taught and preached to the people. Jesus exhorted and explained complex themes through parables. There are a total of 44 parables of Jesus in the New Testament.
The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus
With each miracle, Jesus attracted an even larger crowd. This bothered the religious leaders of the time, who began to conspire against his life. Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus' disciples, offered to hand over Jesus to the Pharisees in exchange for money (30 pieces of silver).
At the Last Supper, Jesus announced to the disciples that he would be betrayed and killed. Though saddened, but aware of his purpose, he celebrated Passover:
Distressed, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives to pray. In the place called Gethsemane, Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus to the authorities. Right after betraying him, Judas took his own life.
In that same place, Jesus performed his last miracle before being crucified. Jesus restored the ear of the high priest's servant, which had been cut off by Peter, his disciple.
Jesus was judged by the Sanhedrin by the priests, then handed over to the Roman authorities. Pilate saw no reason to condemn him, but the people preferred to release Barabbas and crucify Jesus, which they did with loud cries.
Jesus was tortured and humiliated. On a hill called Golgotha, where criminals were executed, he was crucified. Before his last breath, Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" and was mocked by the Roman guards.
Jesus Christ died at the age of between 34 and 39. Jesus' body was placed in a sealed tomb with guards, to prevent it from being violated.
The Resurrection of Jesus
Three days after the crucifixion, Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Some of the women who had followed his ministry and learned from his teachings went to visit his tomb but were surprised by two angels who said that Jesus was no longer there.
The disciples were perplexed by the news, and days later they had the opportunity to see Jesus in the flesh! Jesus continued with the disciples for 40 days until he was taken up to heaven in front of more than 500 followers.
Before ascending to heaven, Jesus gave one last speech, the "Great Commission." He essentially commanded his followers to spread throughout the world the message he brought, the forgiveness of sins through his death.
The Return of Jesus
Jesus Will Return, the Bible records this! The hour and the day no one knows, only the Father. Therefore, it is necessary to remain firm in His Word, because at the appointed time the Shepherd will gather His sheep:
Jesus will come in glory to judge humanity and establish full justice. Those who accepted Jesus will be saved, receive eternal life, and live with Him forever!
The Main Teachings of Jesus Christ
As a master and expert in the Law, Jesus has many remarkable teachings. The four biblical books called 'gospels' are dedicated to telling his story and his teachings, usually interweaving these two moments.
The most famous speech of Jesus is the Sermon on the Mount. In this sermon are several of his most famous sayings, such as:
- ‘turn the other cheek’ instead of seeking revenge;
- ‘go the extra mile’ when forced to walk one;
- the Lord's Prayer;
- whoever hates their neighbor is already guilty of murder;
- looking with lust at a woman is already adultery;
- love your neighbor and pray for those who persecute you;
- help, pray, and fast without seeking visibility.
However, the essence of his teaching lies in his interpretation of the Law, declaring that the greatest commandments are: to love God above all things, and your neighbor as yourself. At another time, he adds the commandment: “love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12).
The Legacy of Jesus Christ
Jesus was more than a teacher, a revolutionary, or a founder of a religion. The life of this man is exemplary and inspiring; he dedicated his entire life to understanding the Hebrew Bible, brought a renewed teaching about God, and welcomed all the needy around him.
The Bible declares him as the Son of God, equal to God, who incarnated in human form to die the death of men. So that in this way he made the path to eternal life accessible to all. Jesus was a perfect man who was sacrificed; God raised him from the dead and placed him in the highest position of reality, he is the mediator between God and men and the head of the Christian Church.
Understanding the Context of Jesus' Life
The historical evidence states that Jesus grew up in Nazareth, a small village on top of a hill. Like every Jew of his time, he was taught by a community master (usually in the synagogue). This education consisted of knowledge of the Law (the books of Moses, the poetry, and the prophets), with great emphasis on the history of Israel.
Additionally, these teachers could also teach reading, writing, and arithmetic. Thus, basic Jewish education formed the community in its historical and intellectual roots while providing the minimum technical skills.
The family had great importance in education since the parents' interest in the Law reflected the child's interest in the Law. It would not be wrong to assume that Jesus' parents sought to educate him in the best way in the knowledge of the Scriptures, to the point that at the age of twelve, Jesus debated at a high level with the scholars of the Temple (Luke 2:41-52).
In short, Jesus was a great success of basic Jewish education for having well understood the Jewish Scriptures and developed his own teaching in a way that clarified and expanded the Hebrew Bible. He was this success especially because he did not receive "higher education" with Pharisee teachers, but still managed to debate at a high level with them during his ministry.
His life, from childhood to about thirty years of age, can be summarized in these activities: study and work. For this was certainly the minimum activity a devout Jew would have.
Jesus' ministry consists of his public activity, from the beginning when he was about thirty years old until his death at around thirty-three. Jesus' entire ministry is marked by three main activities: teaching/preaching, healings, and exorcisms. His teachings were given through large thematic lectures, interpretation of the Law, and parables. Various groups listened to his teaching: the crowd, the law teachers, and finally his disciples. The teaching method varied according to the group.
The accounts of his healings and exorcisms vary from more to less detailed. Jesus performed miraculous healings of various diseases, especially those with social stigmas. Additionally, his exorcisms were also miraculous and had social aspects, as such a person was excluded and hated.
Besides these three main activities, it is also worth noting that Jesus performed various miracles (such as related to nature) and, the simplest action of all, was with the marginalized.
His main rivals were the Pharisees and teachers of the Law, who were the religious leaders of that time. Jesus proved that their teachings were wrong and that their practice was hypocritical, leading to various conspiracies to kill him.
Jesus caused a great stir, received hatred from his religious opponents, and was being watched by the Roman State. A conspiracy led to his arrest and sentencing, thanks to the famous betrayal of Judas (one of his apostles).
He received the most cruel punishment of the Roman Empire, death by crucifixion. This is because it is a very slow and torturous death. Jesus was forced to carry his cross without help, being whipped to the place of his death.
The existence of the man Jesus is practically no longer questioned by historians, but the big question surrounding his life is his resurrection. The Bible states that Jesus resurrected because he was a perfect man, and his death was the atonement for humanity's sins before God. Jesus was the sacrifice on behalf of imperfect people, making all humanity, through faith in him, accepted by God.