![Maest 001 duccio siena duomo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Maest_001_duccio_siena_duomo.jpg)
The life of Jesus in the New Testament is primarily outlined in the four
canonical gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
s, which includes his genealogy and
nativity,
public ministry,
passion, prophecy,
resurrection
Resurrection or anastasis is the concept of coming back to life after death. In a number of religions, a dying-and-rising god is a deity which dies and is resurrected. Reincarnation is a similar process hypothesized by other religions, which ...
and
ascension.
Other parts of the
New Testament
The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christ ...
– such as the
Pauline epistles
The Pauline epistles, also known as Epistles of Paul or Letters of Paul, are the thirteen books of the New Testament attributed to Paul the Apostle, although the authorship of some is in dispute. Among these epistles are some of the earliest extan ...
which were likely written within 20 to 30 years of each other, and which include references to key episodes in the life of
Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
, such as the
Last Supper
Image:The Last Supper - Leonardo Da Vinci - High Resolution 32x16.jpg, 400px, alt=''The Last Supper'' by Leonardo da Vinci - Clickable Image, Depictions of the Last Supper in Christian art have been undertaken by artistic masters for centuries, ...
,
[''Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey'' by Craig L. Blomberg 2009 pp. 441–442][''The encyclopedia of Christianity, Volume 4'' by Erwin Fahlbusch, 2005 pp. 52–56][''The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary'' by Craig A. Evans 2003 pp. 465–477] and the
Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of the Apostles ( grc-koi, Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων, ''Práxeis Apostólōn''; la, Actūs Apostolōrum) is the fifth book of the New Testament; it tells of the founding of the Christian Church and the spread of its messag ...
(
1:1–11), which includes more references to the
Ascension episode than the
canonical gospels
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
– also expound upon the life of Jesus. In addition to these biblical texts, there are extra-biblical texts that
Christians
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
believe make reference to certain events in the life of Jesus, such as
Josephus on Jesus
The extant manuscripts of the book '' Antiquities of the Jews'', written by the first-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus around AD 93–94, contain two references to Jesus of Nazareth and one reference to John the Baptist.
The first ...
and
Tacitus on Christ
The Roman historiography, Roman historian and Roman Senate, senator Tacitus referred to Jesus, Crucifixion of Jesus, his execution by Pontius Pilate, and the existence of Early centers of Christianity#Rome, early Christians in Rome in his final w ...
.
In the gospels, the ministry of Jesus starts with
his Baptism by
John the Baptist
John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...
. Jesus came to the
Jordan River
The Jordan River or River Jordan ( ar, نَهْر الْأُرْدُنّ, ''Nahr al-ʾUrdunn'', he, נְהַר הַיַּרְדֵּן, ''Nəhar hayYardēn''; syc, ܢܗܪܐ ܕܝܘܪܕܢܢ ''Nahrāʾ Yurdnan''), also known as ''Nahr Al-Shariea ...
where he was baptized by John the Baptist, after which he
fasted for forty days and nights in the Judaean Desert. This early period also includes the first miracle of Jesus in the
Marriage at Cana
The transformation of water into wine at the wedding at Cana (also called the marriage at Cana, wedding feast at Cana or marriage feast at Cana) is the first miracle attributed to Jesus in the Gospel of John.
In the Gospel account, Jesus Chris ...
.
The principle locations for the ministry of Jesus were
Galilee
Galilee (; he, הַגָּלִיל, hagGālīl; ar, الجليل, al-jalīl) is a region located in northern Israel and southern Lebanon. Galilee traditionally refers to the mountainous part, divided into Upper Galilee (, ; , ) and Lower Galil ...
and
Judea
Judea or Judaea ( or ; from he, יהודה, Hebrew language#Modern Hebrew, Standard ''Yəhūda'', Tiberian vocalization, Tiberian ''Yehūḏā''; el, Ἰουδαία, ; la, Iūdaea) is an ancient, historic, Biblical Hebrew, contemporaneous L ...
, with some activities also taking place in nearby areas such as
Perea
Perea or Peraea (Greek: Περαία, " the country beyond") was the portion of the kingdom of Herod the Great occupying the eastern side of the Jordan River valley, from about one third the way down the Jordan River segment connecting the Sea ...
and
Samaria
Samaria (; he, שֹׁמְרוֹן, translit=Šōmrōn, ar, السامرة, translit=as-Sāmirah) is the historic and biblical name used for the central region of Palestine, bordered by Judea to the south and Galilee to the north. The first- ...
. Jesus' activities in Galilee include a number of miracles and teachings.
Genealogy and Nativity
![Gerard van Honthorst 001](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Gerard_van_Honthorst_001.jpg)
The genealogy and
Nativity of Jesus
The nativity of Jesus, nativity of Christ, birth of Jesus or birth of Christ is described in the biblical gospels of Gospel of Luke, Luke and Gospel of Matthew, Matthew. The two accounts agree that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judaea (Roman ...
are described in two of the four
canonical gospels
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
: the
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel of Matthew), or simply Matthew. It is most commonly abbreviated as "Matt." is the first book of the New Testament of the Bible and one of the three synoptic Gospels. It tells how Israel's Messiah, Jesus, comes to his people and for ...
and the
Gospel of Luke
The Gospel of Luke), or simply Luke (which is also its most common form of abbreviation). tells of the origins, birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. Together with the Acts of the Apostles, it makes up a two-volu ...
. While Luke traces the genealogy upwards towards Adam and God, Matthew traces it downwards towards Jesus. Both gospels state that Jesus was begotten not by
Joseph
Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the mo ...
, but conceived miraculously in the womb of
Mary, mother of Jesus
Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...
by the
Holy Spirit
In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is the divine force, quality, and influence of God over the Universe or over his creatures. In Nicene Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is the third person of the Trinity. In Islam, the Holy Spirit acts as ...
.
[''The purpose of the Biblical genealogies'' by Marshall D. Johnson 1989 pp. 229–233] Both accounts trace Joseph back to
King David
David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
and from there to
Abraham
Abraham, ; ar, , , name=, group= (originally Abram) is the common Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father of the special relationship between the Jew ...
. These lists are identical between Abraham and David (except for one), but they differ almost completely between David and Joseph. Matthew gives Jacob as Joseph's father and Luke says Joseph was the son of Heli. Attempts at explaining the differences between the genealogies have varied in nature. Much of modern scholarship interprets them as literary inventions.
The Luke and Matthew accounts of the birth of Jesus have a number of points in common; both have Jesus being born in
Bethlehem
Bethlehem (; ar, بيت لحم ; he, בֵּית לֶחֶם '' '') is a city in the central West Bank, Palestine, about south of Jerusalem. Its population is approximately 25,000,Amara, 1999p. 18.Brynen, 2000p. 202. and it is the capital o ...
, in Judea, to a virgin mother. In the Luke account Joseph and Mary travel from their home in Nazareth for the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
to Bethlehem, where Jesus is born and laid in a manger. Angels proclaim him a savior for all people, and shepherds come to adore him; the family then returns to Nazareth. In Matthew,
The Magi follow a star to Bethlehem, where the family are living, to bring gifts to Jesus, born the ''
King of the Jews''.
King Herod massacres all males under two years old in Bethlehem in order to kill Jesus, but Jesus's family flees to Egypt and later settles in Nazareth. Over the centuries, biblical scholars have attempted to reconcile these contradictions,
[Mark D. Roberts ''Can We Trust the Gospels?: Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John'' Good News Publishers, 2007 p. 102] while modern scholarship mostly views them as legendary.
[''The Gospel of Matthew'' by ]Daniel J. Harrington
Daniel J. Harrington, S.J. (July 19, 1940February 7, 2014), was an American academic and Jesuit priest who served as professor of New Testament and chair of the Biblical Studies department at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry (for ...
1991 p. 47[Sanders, E. P. ''The historical figure of Jesus''. Penguin, 1993. pp. 85–88.][Jeremy Corley ''New Perspectives on the Nativity'' Continuum International Publishing Group, 2009 p. 22.] Generally, they consider the issue of historicity as secondary, given that gospels were primarily written as theological documents rather than chronological timelines.
[''Interpreting Gospel Narratives: Scenes, People, and Theology'' by Timothy Wiarda 2010 pp. 75–78][''Jesus, the Christ: Contemporary Perspectives'' by Brennan R. Hill 2004 p. 89][''The Gospel of Luke'' by Timothy Johnson 1992 p. 72][''Recovering Jesus: the witness of the New Testament'' Thomas R. Yoder Neufeld 2007 p. 111]
Ministry
![Ghirlandaio, Domenico - Calling of the Apostles - 1481](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Ghirlandaio%2C_Domenico_-_Calling_of_the_Apostles_-_1481.jpg)
The five major milestones in the New Testament narrative of the life of Jesus are his
Baptism
Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost inv ...
,
Transfiguration,
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross or beam and left to hang until eventual death from exhaustion and asphyxiation. It was used as a punishment by the Persians, Carthagin ...
,
Resurrection
Resurrection or anastasis is the concept of coming back to life after death. In a number of religions, a dying-and-rising god is a deity which dies and is resurrected. Reincarnation is a similar process hypothesized by other religions, which ...
and
Ascension.
[''Essays in New Testament interpretation'' by Charles Francis Digby Moule 1982 p. 63][''The Melody of Faith: Theology in an Orthodox Key'' by Vigen Guroian 2010 p. 28][''Scripture in tradition'' by John Breck 2001 p. 12]
In the gospels, the
ministry of Jesus
The ministry of Jesus, in the canonical gospels, begins with his baptism in the countryside of Roman Judea and Transjordan, near the River Jordan by John the Baptist, and ends in Jerusalem, following the Last Supper with his disciples.''Chri ...
starts with
his Baptism by
John the Baptist
John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...
, when he is about thirty years old. Jesus then begins preaching in Galilee and gathers disciples.
[Redford, Douglas. ''The Life and Ministry of Jesus: The Gospels'', 2007 pp. 117–130][''Christianity:くぁ an introduction'' by Alister E. McGrath 2006 pp. 16–22] After the
proclamation of Jesus as Christ, three of the disciples witness his
Transfiguration.
[''The Christology of Mark's Gospel'' by Jack Dean Kingsbury 1983 pp. 91–95][''The Cambridge companion to the Gospels'' by Stephen C. Barton pp. 132–133] After the
death of John the Baptist
The beheading of John the Baptist, also known as the decollation of Saint John the Baptist or the beheading of the Forerunner, is a biblical event commemorated as a Liturgical year, holy day by various Christianity, Christian churches. Accordi ...
and the Transfiguration, Jesus starts his final journey to Jerusalem, having
predicted his own death there.
[''St Mark's Gospel and the Christian faith'' by Michael Keene 2002 pp. 24–25] Jesus makes a
triumphal entry into Jerusalem
In the accounts of the four canonical Gospels, Jesus Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem took place in the days before the Last Supper, marking the beginning of his Passion, his time of suffering, death, and resurrection celebrated during ...
, and there friction with the
Pharisees increases and one of his disciples
agrees to betray him for
thirty pieces of silver
Thirty pieces of silver was the price for which Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, according to an account in the Gospel of Matthew 26:15 in the New Testament. Before the Last Supper, Judas is said to have gone to the chief priests and agreed to hand ...
.
[''The people's New Testament commentary'' by M. Eugene Boring, Fred B. Craddock 2004 pp. 256–258][''The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary: Matthew-Luke, Volume 1'' by Craig A. Evans 2003 pp. 381–395]
In the
gospels
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
, the
ministry of Jesus
The ministry of Jesus, in the canonical gospels, begins with his baptism in the countryside of Roman Judea and Transjordan, near the River Jordan by John the Baptist, and ends in Jerusalem, following the Last Supper with his disciples.''Chri ...
begins with
his baptism in the countryside of
Roman Judea
Judaea ( la, Iudaea ; grc, Ἰουδαία, translit=Ioudaíā ) was a Roman province which incorporated the regions of Judea, Samaria, and Idumea from 6 CE, extending over parts of the former regions of the Hasmonean and Herodian kingdoms o ...
and
Transjordan Transjordan may refer to:
* Transjordan (region), an area to the east of the Jordan River
* Oultrejordain, a Crusader lordship (1118–1187), also called Transjordan
* Emirate of Transjordan, British protectorate (1921–1946)
* Hashemite Kingdom of ...
, near the
river Jordan
The Jordan River or River Jordan ( ar, نَهْر الْأُرْدُنّ, ''Nahr al-ʾUrdunn'', he, נְהַר הַיַּרְדֵּן, ''Nəhar hayYardēn''; syc, ܢܗܪܐ ܕܝܘܪܕܢܢ ''Nahrāʾ Yurdnan''), also known as ''Nahr Al-Shariea ...
, and ends in
Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
, following the
Last Supper
Image:The Last Supper - Leonardo Da Vinci - High Resolution 32x16.jpg, 400px, alt=''The Last Supper'' by Leonardo da Vinci - Clickable Image, Depictions of the Last Supper in Christian art have been undertaken by artistic masters for centuries, ...
with his
disciples.
The
Gospel of Luke
The Gospel of Luke), or simply Luke (which is also its most common form of abbreviation). tells of the origins, birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. Together with the Acts of the Apostles, it makes up a two-volu ...
(
3:23) states that Jesus was "about 30 years of age" at the start of his ministry.
[''The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament'' by ]Andreas J. Köstenberger
Andreas Johannes Köstenberger (born November 2, 1957), usually cited as Andreas J. Köstenberger, is Research Professor at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Until 2018 he was Senior Research Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theolog ...
, L. Scott Kellum 2009 p. 114Paul L. Maier
Paul L. Maier (born May 31, 1930) is a historian and novelist. He has written several works of scholarly and popular non-fiction about Christianity and novels about Christian historians. He is the former Russell H. Seibert Professor of Ancient H ...
"The Date of the Nativity and Chronology of Jesus" in ''Chronos, kairos, Christos: nativity and chronological studies'' by Jerry Vardaman, Edwin M. Yamauchi 1989 pp. 113–129 A
chronology of Jesus
A chronology of Jesus aims to establish a timeline for the events of the life of Jesus. Scholars have correlated Jewish and Greco-Roman documents and astronomical calendars with the New Testament accounts to estimate dates for the major even ...
typically has the date of the start of his ministry estimated at 27–29 and the end in the range 30–36.
[''Jesus & the Rise of Early Christianity: A History of New Testament Times'' by Paul Barnett 2002 pp. 19–21]
Jesus's early Galilean ministry begins when after his Baptism he goes
back to Galilee from his time in the
Judean desert
The Judaean Desert or Judean Desert ( he, מִדְבַּר יְהוּדָה, Midbar Yehuda}, both ''Desert of Judah'' or ''Judaean Desert''; ar, صحراء يهودا, Sahraa' Yahuda) is a desert in Palestine and Israel that lies east of Jerusa ...
.
[''The Gospel according to Matthew'' by Leon Morris p. 71] In this early period he preaches around
Galilee
Galilee (; he, הַגָּלִיל, hagGālīl; ar, الجليل, al-jalīl) is a region located in northern Israel and southern Lebanon. Galilee traditionally refers to the mountainous part, divided into Upper Galilee (, ; , ) and Lower Galil ...
and recruits
his first disciples who begin to travel with him and eventually form the core of the
early Church
Early Christianity (up to the First Council of Nicaea in 325) spread from the Levant, across the Roman Empire, and beyond. Originally, this progression was closely connected to already established Jewish centers in the Holy Land and the Jewish ...
as it is believed that the Apostles dispersed from Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
to found the Apostolic See
An apostolic see is an episcopal see whose foundation is attributed to one or more of the apostles of Jesus or to one of their close associates. In Catholicism the phrase, preceded by the definite article and usually capitalized, refers to the S ...
s. The ''Major Galilean ministry'' which begins in Matthew 8
Matthew 8 is the eighth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and continues the narrative about Jesus' ministry in Galilee previously described in Matthew 4:23– 25. It follows on from the Sermon on the Mount, noting in its ...
includes the commissioning of the Twelve Apostles
The commissioning of the Twelve Apostles is an episode in the ministry of Jesus that appears in all three Synoptic Gospels: Matthew 10:1–4, Mark 3:13–19 and Luke 6:12–16. It relates the initial selection of the Twelve Apostles ...
, and covers most of the ministry of Jesus in Galilee.[''A theology of the New Testament'' by George Eldon Ladd 1993 p. 324][''The Life and Ministry of Jesus: The Gospels'' by Douglas Redford 2007 pp. 143–160] The ''Final Galilean ministry'' begins after the death of John the Baptist
The beheading of John the Baptist, also known as the decollation of Saint John the Baptist or the beheading of the Forerunner, is a biblical event commemorated as a Liturgical year, holy day by various Christianity, Christian churches. Accordi ...
as Jesus prepares to go to Jerusalem.[Steven L. Cox, Kendell H Easley, 2007 ''Harmony of the Gospels'' pp. 97–110][''The Life and Ministry of Jesus: The Gospels'' by Douglas Redford 2007 pp. 165–180]
In his later Judean ministry Jesus starts his final journey to Jerusalem through Judea.[Steven L. Cox, Kendell H Easley, 2007 ''Harmony of the Gospels'' pp. 121–135][''The Life and Ministry of Jesus: The Gospels'' by Douglas Redford 2007 pp. 189–207] As Jesus travels towards Jerusalem, in the later Perean ministry, about one third the way down from the Sea of Galilee
The Sea of Galilee ( he, יָם כִּנֶּרֶת, Judeo-Aramaic: יַמּא דטבריא, גִּנֵּיסַר, ar, بحيرة طبريا), also called Lake Tiberias, Kinneret or Kinnereth, is a freshwater lake in Israel. It is the lowest ...
(actually a fresh water lake) along the River Jordan, he returns to the area where he was baptized.[Steven L. Cox, Kendell H Easley, 2007 ''Harmony of the Gospels'' p. 137][''The Life and Ministry of Jesus: The Gospels'' by Douglas Redford 2007 pp. 211–229][''Mercer dictionary of the Bible'' by Watson E. Mills, Roger Aubrey Bullard 1998 p. 929] The final ministry in Jerusalem is sometimes called the Passion Week
Holy Week ( la, Hebdomada Sancta or , ; grc, Ἁγία καὶ Μεγάλη Ἑβδομάς, translit=Hagia kai Megale Hebdomas, lit=Holy and Great Week) is the most sacred week in the liturgical year in Christianity. In Eastern Churches, wh ...
and begins with Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem
In the accounts of the four canonical Gospels, Jesus Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem took place in the days before the Last Supper, marking the beginning of his Passion, his time of suffering, death, and resurrection celebrated during ...
.[Steven L. Cox, Kendell H Easley, 2007 ''Harmony of the Gospels'' pp. 155–170] The gospels provide more details about the final ministry than the other periods, devoting about one third of their text to the last week of the life of Jesus in Jerusalem.[''Matthew'' by David L. Turner 2008 p. 613] In the gospel accounts, towards the end of the final week in Jerusalem, Jesus has the Last Supper
Image:The Last Supper - Leonardo Da Vinci - High Resolution 32x16.jpg, 400px, alt=''The Last Supper'' by Leonardo da Vinci - Clickable Image, Depictions of the Last Supper in Christian art have been undertaken by artistic masters for centuries, ...
with his disciples, and the next day is betrayed, arrested
An arrest is the act of apprehending and taking a person into custody (legal protection or control), usually because the person has been suspected of or observed committing a crime. After being taken into custody, the person can be questi ...
and tried. The trial ends in his crucifixion and death. Three days after his burial, he is resurrected and appears to his disciples and a multitude of his followers (numbering around 500 in total) over a 40-day perio
1 Corinthians 15 NIV
http://www.leaderu.com/everystudent/easter/articles/josh2.html Evidence for the Resurrection], after which he Ascension of Jesus, ascends to Heaven.
Locations of Ministry
In the New Testament accounts, the principle locations for the ministry of Jesus
The ministry of Jesus, in the canonical gospels, begins with his baptism in the countryside of Roman Judea and Transjordan, near the River Jordan by John the Baptist, and ends in Jerusalem, following the Last Supper with his disciples.''Chri ...
were Galilee and Judea, with activities also taking place in surrounding areas such as Perea and Samaria.
The gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
narrative of the ministry of Jesus is traditionally separated into sections that have a geographical nature.
:* ''Galilean ministry'': The ministry of Jesus begins when after his baptism, he returns to Galilee, and preaches in the synagogue of Capernaum.[''Jesus in the Synagogue of Capernaum: The Pericope and its Programmatic Character for the Gospel of Mark'' by John Chijioke Iwe 1991 p. 7] The first disciples of Jesus
The calling of the disciples is a key episode in the life of Jesus in the New Testament. It appears in Matthew 4:18–22, Mark 1:16-20 and Luke 5:1–11 on the Sea of Galilee. John 1:35–51 reports the first encounter with two of the disciples ...
encounter him near the Sea of Galilee
The Sea of Galilee ( he, יָם כִּנֶּרֶת, Judeo-Aramaic: יַמּא דטבריא, גִּנֵּיסַר, ar, بحيرة طبريا), also called Lake Tiberias, Kinneret or Kinnereth, is a freshwater lake in Israel. It is the lowest ...
and his later Galilean ministry includes key episodes such as the Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Mount (anglicized from the Matthean Vulgate Latin section title: ) is a collection of sayings attributed to Jesus of Nazareth found in the Gospel of Matthew (chapters 5, 6, and 7). that emphasizes his moral teachings. It is ...
(with the Beatitudes
The Beatitudes are sayings attributed to Jesus, and in particular eight blessings recounted by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew, and four in the Sermon on the Plain in the Gospel of Luke, followed by four woes which mirr ...
) which form the core of his moral teachings. Jesus's ministry in the Galilee area draws to an end with the death of John the Baptist
The beheading of John the Baptist, also known as the decollation of Saint John the Baptist or the beheading of the Forerunner, is a biblical event commemorated as a Liturgical year, holy day by various Christianity, Christian churches. Accordi ...
.
:* ''Journey to Jerusalem'': After the death of the Baptist, about half way through the gospels (approximately Matthew 17
Matthew 17 is the seventeenth chapter in the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament section of the Christian Bible. Jesus continues his final journey to Jerusalem ministering through Galilee. William Robertson Nicoll identifies "three impressiv ...
and Mark 9
Mark 9 is the ninth chapter of the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It begins with Jesus' prediction that "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see
that the kingdom of God h ...
) two key events take place that change the nature of the narrative by beginning the gradual revelation of his identity to his disciples: his proclamation as Christ by Peter and his transfiguration. After these events, a good portion of the gospel narratives deal with Jesus's final journey to Jerusalem through Perea
Perea or Peraea (Greek: Περαία, " the country beyond") was the portion of the kingdom of Herod the Great occupying the eastern side of the Jordan River valley, from about one third the way down the Jordan River segment connecting the Sea ...
and Judea. As Jesus travels towards Jerusalem through Perea he returns to the area where he was baptized.
:* ''Final week in Jerusalem'': The final part of Jesus's ministry begins (Matthew 21
Matthew 21 is the twenty-first Chapters and verses of the Bible, chapter in the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament section of the Christian Bible. Jesus Triumphal entry into Jerusalem, triumphally or majestically arrives in Jerusalem and comm ...
and Mark 11
Mark 11 is the eleventh chapter of the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, beginning Jesus' final week before His death as He arrives in Jerusalem for the coming Passover. It contains the stories of Jesus' entry into Je ...
) with his triumphal entry into Jerusalem
In the accounts of the four canonical Gospels, Jesus Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem took place in the days before the Last Supper, marking the beginning of his Passion, his time of suffering, death, and resurrection celebrated during ...
after the raising of Lazarus
Lazarus of Bethany (Latinised from Lazar, ultimately from Hebrew Eleazar, "God helped"), also venerated as Righteous Lazarus, the Four-Days Dead in the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the subject of a prominent sign of Jesus in the Gospel of John, ...
episode which takes place in Bethany
Bethany ( grc-gre, Βηθανία,Murphy-O'Connor, 2008, p152/ref> Syriac: ܒܝܬ ܥܢܝܐ ''Bēṯ ʿAnyā'') or what is locally known as Al-Eizariya or al-Azariya ( ar, العيزرية, " laceof Lazarus"), is a Palestinian town in the West B ...
. The gospels provide more details about the final portion than the other periods, devoting about one third of their text to the last week of the life of Jesus in Jerusalem which ends in his crucifixion. The New Testament accounts of the resurrection appearances of Jesus
The resurrection of Jesus ( grc-x-biblical, ἀνάστασις τοῦ Ἰησοῦ) is the Christian belief that God raised Jesus on the third day after his crucifixion, starting – or restoring – his exalted life as Christ and Lord ...
and his ascension are also in Judea.
Baptism and temptation
The Baptism of Jesus
The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist is a major event in the life of Jesus which is described in the three synoptic Gospels of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark and Luke). It is considered to have taken place at Al-Maghtas (also called Bethan ...
marks the beginning of his public ministry. This event is recorded in the Canonical Gospels
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
of Matthew, Mark and Luke. In John 1:29–33, rather than a direct narrative, John the Baptist
John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...
bears witness to the episode.[''Jesus of history, Christ of faith'' by Thomas Zanzig 2000 p. 118][''The Gospel and Epistles of John: A Concise Commentary'' by Raymond Edward Brown 1988 pp. 25–27]
In the New Testament
The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christ ...
, John the Baptist preached a " baptism with water", not of forgiveness but of penance or repentance for the remission of sins (), and declared himself a forerunner to one who would baptize 'with the Holy Spirit and with fire' (). In so doing he was preparing the way for Jesus.[Harrington, Daniel J., SJ. "Jesus Goes Public." ''America,'' Jan. 7–14, 2008, pp. 38ff] Jesus came to the Jordan River
The Jordan River or River Jordan ( ar, نَهْر الْأُرْدُنّ, ''Nahr al-ʾUrdunn'', he, נְהַר הַיַּרְדֵּן, ''Nəhar hayYardēn''; syc, ܢܗܪܐ ܕܝܘܪܕܢܢ ''Nahrāʾ Yurdnan''), also known as ''Nahr Al-Shariea ...
where he was baptized by John. The baptismal scene includes the Heaven
Heaven or the heavens, is a common religious cosmological or transcendent supernatural place where beings such as deities, angels, souls, saints, or venerated ancestors are said to originate, be enthroned, or reside. According to the belie ...
s opening, a dove-like descent of the Holy Spirit
In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is the divine force, quality, and influence of God over the Universe or over his creatures. In Nicene Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is the third person of the Trinity. In Islam, the Holy Spirit acts as ...
, and a voice from Heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased."
Most modern scholars view the fact that Jesus was baptized by John as an historical event to which a high degree of certainty can be assigned.[''The Gospel of Matthew'' by Daniel J. Harrington 1991 p. 63][''Christianity: A Biblical, Historical, and Theological Guide'' by Glenn Jonas, Kathryn Muller Lopez 2010 pp. 95–96][''Studying the historical Jesus: evaluations of the state of current research'' by Bruce Chilton, Craig A. Evans 1998 pp. 187–198][''Jesus as a figure in history: how modern historians view the man from Galilee'' by Mark Allan Powell 1998 p. 47] James Dunn states that the historicity of the Baptism and crucifixion of Jesus
The crucifixion and death of Jesus occurred in 1st-century Judea, most likely in AD 30 or AD 33. It is described in the four canonical gospels, referred to in the New Testament epistles, attested to by other ancient sources, and consid ...
"command almost universal assent".[''Jesus Remembered'' by James D. G. Dunn 2003 p. 339] Along with the crucifixion of Jesus
The crucifixion and death of Jesus occurred in 1st-century Judea, most likely in AD 30 or AD 33. It is described in the four canonical gospels, referred to in the New Testament epistles, attested to by other ancient sources, and consid ...
most scholars view it as one of the two historically certain facts about him, and often use it as the starting points for the study of the historical Jesus.[
The temptation of Jesus is detailed in the gospels of ]Matthew
Matthew may refer to:
* Matthew (given name)
* Matthew (surname)
* ''Matthew'' (ship), the replica of the ship sailed by John Cabot in 1497
* ''Matthew'' (album), a 2000 album by rapper Kool Keith
* Matthew (elm cultivar), a cultivar of the Ch ...
, Mark
Mark may refer to:
Currency
* Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
* East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic
* Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927
* Fi ...
, and Luke
People
*Luke (given name), a masculine given name (including a list of people and characters with the name)
*Luke (surname) (including a list of people and characters with the name)
*Luke the Evangelist, author of the Gospel of Luke. Also known as ...
. In these narratives, after being baptized
Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost ...
, Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
fasted
Fasting is the abstention from eating and sometimes drinking. From a purely physiological context, "fasting" may refer to the metabolic status of a person who has not eaten overnight (see "Breakfast"), or to the metabolic state achieved after co ...
for forty days and nights in the Judaean Desert
The Judaean Desert or Judean Desert ( he, מִדְבַּר יְהוּדָה, Midbar Yehuda}, both ''Desert of Judah'' or ''Judaean Desert''; ar, صحراء يهودا, Sahraa' Yahuda) is a desert in Palestine and Israel that lies east of Jerusa ...
. During this time, Satan
Satan,, ; grc, ὁ σατανᾶς or , ; ar, شيطانالخَنَّاس , also known as Devil in Christianity, the Devil, and sometimes also called Lucifer in Christianity, is an non-physical entity, entity in the Abrahamic religions ...
appeared to Jesus and tempted him. Jesus having refused each temptation, Satan departed and angel
In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.
Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...
s came and brought nourishment to Jesus.
Calling the disciples and early Ministry
The calling of the first disciples is a key episode in the gospels which begins the active ministry of Jesus, and builds the foundation for the group of people who follow him, and later form the early Church. It takes place in , and on the Sea of Galilee
The Sea of Galilee ( he, יָם כִּנֶּרֶת, Judeo-Aramaic: יַמּא דטבריא, גִּנֵּיסַר, ar, بحيرة طبريا), also called Lake Tiberias, Kinneret or Kinnereth, is a freshwater lake in Israel. It is the lowest ...
. reports the first encounter with two of the disciples a little earlier in the presence of John the Baptist
John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...
. Particularly in the Gospel of Mark
The Gospel of Mark), or simply Mark (which is also its most common form of abbreviation). is the second of the four canonical gospels and of the three synoptic Gospels. It tells of the ministry of Jesus from his baptism by John the Baptist to h ...
the beginning of the ministry of Jesus and the call of the first disciples are inseparable.
In the Gospel of Luke
The Gospel of Luke), or simply Luke (which is also its most common form of abbreviation). tells of the origins, birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. Together with the Acts of the Apostles, it makes up a two-volu ...
(), the event is part of the first miraculous catch of fish
The miraculous catch of fish, or more traditionally the miraculous draught of fish(es), is either of two events commonly (but not universally) considered to be miracles in the canonical gospels. The miracles are reported as taking place years apa ...
and results in Peter
Peter may refer to:
People
* List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* Peter (given name)
** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church
* Peter (surname), a sur ...
as well as James
James is a common English language surname and given name:
*James (name), the typically masculine first name James
* James (surname), various people with the last name James
James or James City may also refer to:
People
* King James (disambiguat ...
and John
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Secon ...
, the sons of Zebedee, joining Jesus vocation
A vocation () is an occupation to which a person is especially drawn or for which they are suited, trained or qualified. People can be given information about a new occupation through student orientation. Though now often used in non-religious co ...
ally as disciples. The gathering of the disciples in follows the many patterns of discipleship that continue in the New Testament, in that who have received someone else's witness become witnesses to Jesus themselves. Andrew follows Jesus because of the testimony of John the Baptist, Philip
Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularize ...
brings Nathanael and the pattern continues in where the Samaritan Woman at the Well
The Samaritan woman at the well is a figure from the Gospel of John. John 4:4–42 relates her conversation with Jesus at Jacob's Well near the city of Sychar.
Biblical account
The woman appears in ; here is John 4:4–26:
This episode takes ...
testifies to the town people about Jesus.
This early period also includes the first miracle of Jesus
The miracles of Jesus are miraculous deeds attributed to Jesus in Christian and Islamic texts. The majority are faith healings, exorcisms, resurrections, and control over nature.
In the Synoptic Gospels (Mark, Matthew, and Luke), Jesus r ...
in the Marriage at Cana
The transformation of water into wine at the wedding at Cana (also called the marriage at Cana, wedding feast at Cana or marriage feast at Cana) is the first miracle attributed to Jesus in the Gospel of John.
In the Gospel account, Jesus Chris ...
, in the Gospel of John
The Gospel of John ( grc, Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ἰωάννην, translit=Euangélion katà Iōánnēn) is the fourth of the four canonical gospels. It contains a highly schematic account of the ministry of Jesus, with seven "sig ...
where Jesus and his disciples are invited to a wedding and when the wine runs out Jesus turns water into wine by performing a miracle.
Ministry and miracles in Galilee
Jesus's activities in Galillee include a number of miracles and teachings. The beginnings of this period include The Centurion's Servant
Healing the centurion's servant is one of the miracles performed by Jesus of Nazareth as related in the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke (both part of the Christian biblical canon). The story is not recounted in the Gospels of either John ...
(8:5–13) and Calming the storm (Matthew 8:23–27) both dealing with the theme of faith overcoming fear. In this period, Jesus also gathers disciples, e.g. calls Matthew. The Commissioning the twelve Apostles
The commissioning of the Twelve Apostles is an episode in the ministry of Jesus that appears in all three Synoptic Gospels: Matthew 10:1–4, Mark 3:13–19 and Luke 6:12–16. It relates the initial selection of the Twelve Apost ...
relates the initial selection of the twelve Apostles
In Christian theology and ecclesiology, the apostles, particularly the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Twelve Disciples or simply the Twelve), were the primary disciples of Jesus according to the New Testament. During the life and minist ...
among the disciples of Jesus.
In the Mission Discourse
Matthew 10 is the tenth chapter in the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament section of the Christian Bible. This chapter opens with Jesus calling some of his disciples and sending them out to preach and heal. This section is also known as the ...
, Jesus instructs the twelve apostles
In Christian theology and ecclesiology, the apostles, particularly the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Twelve Disciples or simply the Twelve), were the primary disciples of Jesus according to the New Testament. During the life and minist ...
who are named in Matthew 10:2–3 to carry no belongings as they travel from city to city and preach. Separately in Luke 10:1–24 relates the Seventy Disciples
The seventy disciples or seventy-two disciples, known in the Eastern Christian traditions as the seventy apostles or seventy-two apostles, were early emissaries of Jesus mentioned in the Gospel of Luke. The correct Greek terminology is evdomikont ...
, in which Jesus appoints a larger number of disciples and sent them out in pairs with the ''Missionary's Mandate'' to go into villages before Jesus arrives there.[''Luke'' by Sharon H. Ringe 1995 pp. 151–152]
After hearing of John the Baptist's death, Jesus withdraws by boat privately to a solitary place near Bethsaida
Bethsaida (; from gr, Βηθσαϊδά from Hebrew/Aramaic ''beth-tsaida'', lit. " house of hunting" from the Hebrew root ; ar, بيت صيدا), also known as Julias, is a place mentioned in the New Testament. Julias lay in an administrative d ...
, where he addresses the crowds who had followed him on foot from the towns, and feeds them all by " five loaves and two fish" supplied by a boy. Following this, the gospels present the '' Walking on water'' episode in Matthew 14:22–23, Mark 6:45–52 and
John 6:16–21 as an important step in developing the relationship between Jesus and his disciples, at this stage of his ministry. The episode emphasizes the importance of faith by stating that when he attempted to walk on water, Peter
Peter may refer to:
People
* List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* Peter (given name)
** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church
* Peter (surname), a sur ...
began to sink when he lost faith and became afraid, and at the end of the episode, the disciples increase their faith in Jesus and in Matthew 14:33 they say: "Of a truth thou art the Son of God".
Major teachings in this period include the Discourse on Defilement
The Discourse on Defilement is an account of the teaching of Jesus recorded in the New Testament in the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Mark .
In the account in the Gospel of Matthew, the Pharisees complain to Jesus that his disciples break ...
in Matthew 15:1–20 and Mark 7:1–23 where in response to a complaint from the Pharisees Jesus states: "What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'".
Following this episode Jesus withdraws into the "parts of Tyre and Sidon
Sidon ( ; he, צִידוֹן, ''Ṣīḏōn'') known locally as Sayda or Saida ( ar, صيدا ''Ṣaydā''), is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate, of which it is the capital, on the Mediterranean coast. ...
" near the Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...
where the Canaanite woman's daughter
The Exorcism of the Syrophoenician woman's daughter is one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels and is recounted in the Gospel of Mark in Chapter 7 () and in the Gospel of Matthew in Chapter 15 (). In Matthew, the story is recounted as the h ...
episode takes place in Matthew 15:21–28 and Mark 7:24–30.[''Jesus the miracle worker: a historical & theological study'' by Graham H. Twelftree 1999 pp. 133–134] This episode is an example of how Jesus emphasizes the value of faith, telling the woman: "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." The importance of faith is also emphasized in the Cleansing ten lepers
Jesus' cleansing of ten lepers is one of the miracles of Jesus reported in the Gospels (Gospel of Luke ).
Narrative
Ten lepers, seeing Jesus, "raised their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” Jesus healed all ten, telling th ...
episode in Luke 17:11–19.
In the Gospel of Mark, after passing through Sidon
Sidon ( ; he, צִידוֹן, ''Ṣīḏōn'') known locally as Sayda or Saida ( ar, صيدا ''Ṣaydā''), is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate, of which it is the capital, on the Mediterranean coast. ...
Jesus enters the region of the Decapolis
The Decapolis (Greek: grc, Δεκάπολις, Dekápolis, Ten Cities, label=none) was a group of ten Hellenistic cities on the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire in the Southern Levant in the first centuries BCE and CE. They formed a group b ...
, a group of ten cities south east of Galilee, where the Healing the deaf mute of Decapolis, Healing the deaf mute miracle is reported in s:Bible (American Standard)/Mark#7:31, Mark 7:31–37, where after the healing, the disciples say: "He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak." The episode is the last in a series of narrated miracles which builds up to Peter's proclamation of Jesus as Christ in Mark 8:29.
Proclamation as Christ
The Confession of Peter refers to an episode in the New Testament in which in Jesus asks a question to his disciples: "Who do you say that I am?" Apostle Peter proclaims Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
to be Christ – the expected Messiah. The proclamation is described in the three Synoptic Gospels: s:Bible (American Standard)/Matthew#16:13, Matthew 16:13–20, s:Bible (American Standard)/Mark#8:27, Mark 8:27–30 and s:Bible (American Standard)/Luke#9:18, Luke 9:18–20.[''The Collegeville Bible Commentary: New Testament'' by Robert J. Karris 1992 pp. 885–886][''Who do you say that I am? Essays on Christology'' by Jack Dean Kingsbury, Mark Allan Powell, David R. Bauer 1999 p. xvi]
Peter's Confession begins as a dialogue between Jesus and his disciples in which Jesus begins to ask about the current opinions about himself among "the multitudes", asking: "Who do the multitudes say that I am?" The disciples provide a variety of the common hypotheses at the time. Jesus then asks his disciples about their own opinion: ''But who do you say that I am?'' Only Simon Peter answers him: ''You are the Christ, the Son of the living God''.
In s:Bible (American Standard)/Matthew#16:17, Matthew 16:17 Jesus blesses Peter for his answer, and later indicates him as the rock of the Church, and states that he will give Peter "the keys of the kingdom of heaven".[''The people's New Testament commentary'' by M. Eugene Boring, Fred B. Craddock 2004 p. 69]
In blessing Peter, Jesus not only accepts the titles Christ and Son of God which Peter attributes to him, but declares the proclamation a divine revelation by stating that his God the Father, Father in Heaven had revealed it to Peter.[''One teacher: Jesus' teaching role in Matthew's gospel'' by John Yueh-Han Yieh 2004 pp. 240–241] In this assertion, by endorsing both titles as divine revelation, Jesus unequivocally declares himself to be both Christ and the Son of God. The proclamation of Jesus as Christ is fundamental to Christology and the Confession of Peter, and Jesus's acceptance of the title is a definitive statement for it in the New Testament narrative.[''The Gospel of Matthew'' by Rudolf Schnackenburg 2002 pp. 7–9] While some of this passage may well be authentic, the reference to Jesus as Christ and Son of God is likely to be an addition by Matthew.
Transfiguration
The ''Transfiguration of Jesus'' is an episode in the New Testament narrative in which Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
is Transfiguration (religion), transfigured (or metamorphosed) and becomes radiant upon a mountain. The Synoptic Gospels (s:Bible (American Standard)/Matthew#17:1, Matthew 17:1–9, s:Bible (American Standard)/Mark#9:2, Mark 9:2–8, s:Bible (American Standard)/Luke#9:28, Luke 9:28–36) describe it, and s:Bible (American Standard)/2 Peter#1:16, 2 Peter 1:16–18 refers to it. In these accounts, Jesus and three of his apostles go to a mountain (the Mount of Transfiguration). On the mountain, Jesus begins to shine with bright rays of light. Then the prophets Moses and Elijah appear next to him and he speaks with them. Jesus is then called "Son of God, Son" by a voice in the sky, assumed to be God the Father, as in the Baptism of Jesus
The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist is a major event in the life of Jesus which is described in the three synoptic Gospels of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark and Luke). It is considered to have taken place at Al-Maghtas (also called Bethan ...
.[''Transfiguration'' by Dorothy A. Lee 2005 pp. 21–30]
The Transfiguration is one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels.[Lockyer, Herbert, 1988 ''All the Miracles of the Bible'' p. 213] This miracle is unique among others that appear in the Canonical gospels, in that the miracle happens to Jesus himself. Thomas Aquinas considered the Transfiguration "the greatest miracle" in that it complemented baptism and showed the Perfection of Christ, perfection of life in Heaven
Heaven or the heavens, is a common religious cosmological or transcendent supernatural place where beings such as deities, angels, souls, saints, or venerated ancestors are said to originate, be enthroned, or reside. According to the belie ...
. The Transfiguration is one of the five major milestones in the gospel narrative of the life of Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
, the others being Baptism
Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost inv ...
, Crucifixion
Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross or beam and left to hang until eventual death from exhaustion and asphyxiation. It was used as a punishment by the Persians, Carthagin ...
, Resurrection
Resurrection or anastasis is the concept of coming back to life after death. In a number of religions, a dying-and-rising god is a deity which dies and is resurrected. Reincarnation is a similar process hypothesized by other religions, which ...
, and Ascension. In the New Testament, Transfiguration is a pivotal moment, and the setting on the mountain is presented as the point where human nature meets God: the meeting place for the temporal and the eternal, with Jesus himself as the connecting point, acting as the bridge between heaven and earth.[''Transfiguration'' by Dorothy A. Lee 2005 p. 2]
Final journey to Jerusalem
After the death of John the Baptist
John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...
and the Transfiguration, Jesus starts his final journey to Jerusalem, having Jesus predicts his death, predicted his own death there. The Gospel of John states that during the final journey Jesus returned to the area where he was baptized, and s:Bible (American Standard)/John#10:40, John 10:40–42 states that "many people believed in him beyond the Jordan", saying "all things whatsoever John spake of this man were true". The area where Jesus was baptised is inferred as the vicinity of the Perea area, given the activities of the Baptist in Bethabara and Ænon in John s:Bible (American Standard)/John#1:28, 1:28 and s:Bible (American Standard)/John#3:23, 3:23.[''Big Picture of the Bible – New Testament'' by Lorna Daniels Nichols 2009 p. 12][''John'' by Gerard Stephen Sloyan 1987 p. 11] Scholars generally assume that the route Jesus followed from Galilee to Jerusalem passed through Perea.
This period of ministry includes the Five Discourses of Matthew, Discourse on the Church in which Jesus anticipates a future community of followers, and explains the role of his apostles in leading it.[''Preaching Matthew's Gospel'' by Richard A. Jensen 1998 pp. 25 & 158][''Behold the King: A Study of Matthew'' by Stanley D. Toussaint 2005 pp. 215–216] It includes the parables of The Lost Sheep and The Unforgiving Servant in Matthew 18 which also refer to the Kingdom of Heaven. The general theme of the discourse is the anticipation of a future community of followers, and the role of his apostles in leading it. Addressing his apostles in 18:18, Jesus states: "what things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven". The discourse emphasizes the importance of humility and self-sacrifice as the high virtues within the anticipated community. It teaches that in the Kingdom of God, it is childlike humility that matters, not social prominence and prestige.[''Matthew'' by Larry Chouinard 1997 p. 321]
At the end of this period, the Gospel of John includes the Raising of Lazarus episode in s:Bible (American Standard)/John#11:1, John 11:1–46 in which Jesus brings Lazarus of Bethany back to life four days after his burial. In the Gospel of John, the raising of Lazarus is the climax of the "seven signs" which gradually confirm the identity of Jesus as the Son of God and the expected Messiah. It is also a ''pivotal episode'' which starts the chain of events that leads to the crowds seeking Jesus on his Triumphal entry into Jerusalem – leading to the decision of Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin to plan to kill Jesus.
Final week in Jerusalem
The description of the last week of the life of Jesus (often called the Passion week) occupies about one third of the narrative in the canonical gospels. The narrative for that week starts by a description of the Triumphal entry into Jerusalem, final entry into Jerusalem, and ends with his crucifixion.[''Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey'' by Craig L. Blomberg 2009 pp. 224–229]
The last week in Jerusalem is the conclusion of the journey which Jesus had started in Galilee through Perea
Perea or Peraea (Greek: Περαία, " the country beyond") was the portion of the kingdom of Herod the Great occupying the eastern side of the Jordan River valley, from about one third the way down the Jordan River segment connecting the Sea ...
and Judea. Just before the account of the final entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, the Gospel of John includes the Raising of Lazarus episode, which builds the tension between Jesus and the authorities. At the beginning of the week as Jesus enters Jerusalem, he is greeted by the cheering crowds, adding to that tension.
The week begins with the Triumphal entry into Jerusalem. During the week of his "final ministry in Jerusalem", Jesus visits the Temple, and has a Cleansing of the Temple, conflict with the money changers about their use of the Temple for commercial purposes. This is followed by a debate with the priests and the elder in which Authority of Jesus Questioned, his authority is questioned. One of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, decides to Bargain of Judas, betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver
Thirty pieces of silver was the price for which Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, according to an account in the Gospel of Matthew 26:15 in the New Testament. Before the Last Supper, Judas is said to have gone to the chief priests and agreed to hand ...
.[''All the Apostles of the Bible'' by Herbert Lockyer 1988 pp. 106–111]
Towards the end of the week, Jesus has the Last Supper
Image:The Last Supper - Leonardo Da Vinci - High Resolution 32x16.jpg, 400px, alt=''The Last Supper'' by Leonardo da Vinci - Clickable Image, Depictions of the Last Supper in Christian art have been undertaken by artistic masters for centuries, ...
with his disciples, during which he institutes the Eucharist, and prepares them for his departure in the Farewell Discourse. After the supper, Jesus is Kiss of Judas, betrayed with a kiss while he is in agony in the garden, and is arrested
An arrest is the act of apprehending and taking a person into custody (legal protection or control), usually because the person has been suspected of or observed committing a crime. After being taken into custody, the person can be questi ...
. After his arrest, Jesus is abandoned by most of his disciples, and Denial of Peter, Peter denies him three times, as Jesus predicts his betrayal, Jesus had predicted during the Last Supper.[#refCox2007, Cox (2007) p. 182] The final week that begins with his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, entry into Jerusalem, concludes with his crucifixion and burial on that Friday.
Passion
Betrayal and arrest
In s:Bible (American Standard)/Matthew#26:36, Matthew 26:36–46, s:Bible (American Standard)/Mark#14:32, Mark 14:32–42, s:Bible (American Standard)/Luke#22:39, Luke 22:39–46 and s:Bible (American Standard)/John#18:1, John 18:1, immediately after the Last Supper, Jesus takes a walk to pray, Matthew and Mark identifying this place of prayer as Garden of Gethsemane.[''The Synoptics: Matthew, Mark, Luke'' by Ján Majerník, Joseph Ponessa, Laurie Watson Manhardt 2005 page 169][''The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament'' edited by John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck 1983 pages 83–85]
Jesus is accompanied by Peter, St. John the Apostle, John and St. James the Greater, James the Greater, whom he asks to "remain here and keep watch with me." He moves "a stone's throw away" from them, where he feels overwhelming sadness and says "My God the Father, Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. Nevertheless, let it be as you, not I, would have it." Only the Gospel of Luke mentions the details of the sweat of blood of Jesus and the visitation of the angel who comforts Jesus as he accepts the will of the Father. Returning to the disciples after prayer, he finds them asleep and in Matthew 26:40 he asks Peter: "So, could you men not keep watch with me for an hour?"
While in the Garden, Judas Iscariot, Judas appears, accompanied by a crowd that includes the Jewish priests and elders and people with weapons. Judas the kiss of Judas, gives Jesus a kiss to identify him to the crowd who then arrests Jesus. One of Jesus' disciples tries to stop them and uses a sword to cut off the ear of one of the men in the crowd. Luke states that Jesus miracles of Jesus, miraculously healed the wound and John and Matthew state that Jesus criticized the violent act, insisting that his disciples should not resist his arrest. In s:Bible (American Standard)/Matthew#26:52, Matthew 26:52 Jesus makes the well known statement: ''Live by the sword, die by the sword, all who live by the sword, shall die by the sword''.
Justice
In the narrative of the four canonical gospels after the arrest of Jesus, betrayal and arrest of Jesus, he is taken to the Sanhedrin, a Jewish judicial body. Jesus is Sanhedrin trial of Jesus, tried by the Sanhedrin, Mocking of Jesus, mocked and beaten and is condemned for making claims of being the Son of God.[''The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary: Matthew-Luke, Volume 1'' by Craig A. Evans 2003 page 487-500][''Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey'' by Craig L. Blomberg 2009 pages 396–400][''Holman Concise Bible Dictionary'' 2011 pages 608–609] He is then taken to Pontius Pilate and the Jewish elders ask Pilate to judge and condemn Jesus—accusing him of claiming to be the King of the Jews.
After questioning, with few replies provided by Jesus, Pilate publicly declares that he finds Jesus innocent, but the crowd insists on punishment. Pilate then orders Jesus' crucifixion.[''The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia'' by Geoffrey W. Bromiley 1982 pages 1050–1052] Although the Gospel accounts vary with respect to various details, they agree on the general character and overall structure of the trials of Jesus.
After the Sanhedrin trial Jesus is taken to ''Pilate's court'' in the ''praetorium''. Only in the Gospel of Luke
The Gospel of Luke), or simply Luke (which is also its most common form of abbreviation). tells of the origins, birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. Together with the Acts of the Apostles, it makes up a two-volu ...
, finding that Jesus, being from Galilee
Galilee (; he, הַגָּלִיל, hagGālīl; ar, الجليل, al-jalīl) is a region located in northern Israel and southern Lebanon. Galilee traditionally refers to the mountainous part, divided into Upper Galilee (, ; , ) and Lower Galil ...
, belonged to Herod Antipas' jurisdiction, Pilate decides to send Jesus at Herod's court, Jesus to Herod. Herod Antipas (the same man who had previously ordered the death of John the Baptist
John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...
) had wanted to see Jesus for a long time, because he had been hoping to observe one of the miracles of Jesus.[''Pontius Pilate: portraits of a Roman governor'' by Warren Carter 2003 pages 120–121] However, Jesus says almost nothing in response to Herod's questions, or the vehement accusations of the chief priests and the scribes. Herod and his soldiers mock Jesus, put a gorgeous robe on him, as the King of the Jews, and sent him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate become friends with each other that day: for before they were at enmity.[''New Testament History'' by Richard L. Niswonger 1992 page 172] After questioning Jesus and receiving very few replies, Herod sees Jesus as no threat and returns him to Pilate.[Bromiley, Geoffrey W. (1995), ''International Standard Bible Encyclopedia''. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. vol. K-P. p. 929.]
After Jesus' return from Herod's court, Pilate publicly declares that he finds Jesus to be innocent of the charges, but the crowd insists on capital punishment. The universal rule of the Roman Empire limited capital punishment strictly to the tribunal of the Roman governor and Pilate decided to publicly Blood curse, wash his hands as not being privy to Jesus' death. Pilate thus presents himself as an advocate pleading Jesus' case rather than as a judge in an official hearing, yet he orders the crucifixion of Jesus.[''The Historical Jesus Through Catholic and Jewish Eyes'' by Bryan F. Le Beau, Leonard J. Greenspoon and Dennis Hamm (Nov 1, 2000) pages 105–106]
Crucifixion and burial
Jesus' crucifixion is described in all four canonical gospels, and is attested to by other sources of that age (e.g. Josephus and Tacitus), and is regarded as a historical event.
After the trials, Jesus made his way to Calvary (the path is traditionally called via Dolorosa) and the three synoptic gospels indicate that he was assisted by Simon of Cyrene, the Romans compelling him to do so.[''The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary: Matthew-Luke, Volume 1'' by Craig A. Evans 2003 page 509-520] In s:Bible (American Standard)/Luke#23:27, Luke 23:27–28 Jesus tells the women in multitude of people following him not to cry for him but for themselves and their children. Once at Calvary (Golgotha), Jesus was offered wine mixed with gall to drink — usually offered as a form of painkiller. Matthew's and Mark's gospels state that he refused this.
The soldiers then crucified Jesus and cast lots for his clothes. Above Jesus' head on the cross was the inscription King of the Jews, and the soldiers and those passing by mocked him about the title. Jesus was crucified between two convicted thieves, one of whom rebuked Jesus, while the other defended him.[''Merriam-Webster's encyclopedia of world religions'' by Merriam-Webster, Inc. 1999 page 271] Each gospel has its own account of Jesus' last words, comprising the Sayings of Jesus on the cross, seven last sayings on the cross.[Geoffrey W. Bromiley, ''International Standard Bible Encyclopedia'', Eerdmans Press 1995, page 426][''Jesus: the complete guide'' by Leslie Houlden 2006 page 627] In s:Bible (American Standard)/John#19:26, John 19:26–27 Jesus entrusts his mother to the disciple he loved and in s:Bible (American Standard)/Luke#23:34, Luke 23:34 he states: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do", usually interpreted as his forgiveness of the Roman soldiers and the others involved.
In the three synoptic gospels, various Crucifixion of Jesus#Phenomena during the crucifixion, supernatural events accompany the crucifixion, including Crucifixion darkness and eclipse, darkness of the sky, an earthquake, and (in Matthew) the resurrection of saints.[''The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament'' by Andreas J. Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum 2009 pages 211–214] The tearing of the Herod's Temple, temple Parochet, veil, upon the death of Jesus, is referenced in the synoptic. The Roman soldiers did not break Jesus' legs, as they did to the other two men crucified (breaking the legs hastened the crucifixion process), as Jesus was dead already; this further fulfilled prophecy, as noted in John 19:36, "For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken." One of the soldiers pierced the side of Jesus with a lance and blood and water flowed out. In s:Bible (American Standard)/Mark#15:39, Mark 15:39, impressed by the events, the Roman centurion calls Jesus the Son of God.
Following Jesus' death on Friday, Joseph of Arimathea asked the permission of Pilate to remove the body. The body was Descent from the Cross, removed from the cross, was wrapped in a clean cloth and buried in a new Sepulchre, rock-hewn tomb, with the assistance of Nicodemus. In s:Bible (American Standard)/Matthew#27:62, Matthew 27:62–66 the Jews go to Pilate the day after the crucifixion and ask for guards for the tomb and also seal the tomb with a stone as well as the guard, to be sure the body remains there.
Resurrection and Ascension
The gospels state that the first day of the week after the crucifixion (typically interpreted as a Sunday), the followers of Jesus encounter him risen from the dead, after his tomb was empty tomb, discovered to be empty.[''The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary: Matthew-Luke, Volume 1'' by Craig A. Evans 2003 pages 521–530][''The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament'' edited by John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck 1983 page 91][#refCox2007, Cox (2007) pp. 216–226] The New Testament does not include an account of the "moment of resurrection" and in the Eastern Church icons do not depict that moment, but show the Myrrhbearers, and depict scenes of salvation.[Stagg, Evalyn and Frank. ''Woman in the World of Jesus.'' Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1978, p. 144–150.]
The resurrected Jesus then appears to his followers that day and a number of times thereafter, delivers sermons and has supper with some of them, before ascending to Heaven. The gospels of Luke and Mark include brief mentions of the Ascension, but the main references to it are elsewhere in the New Testament.
The four gospels have variations in their account of the resurrection of Jesus and his appearances, but there are four points at which all gospels converge: the turning of the stone that had closed the tomb, the visit of the women on "the first day of the week;" that the risen Jesus chose first to appear to women (or a woman) and told them (her) to inform the other disciples; the prominence of Mary Magdalene in the accounts. Variants have to do with the precise time the women visited the tomb, the number and identity of the women; the purpose of their visit; the appearance of the messenger(s)—angelic or human; their message to the women; and the response of the women.
In s:Bible (American Standard)/Matthew#28:5, Matthew 28:5, s:Bible (American Standard)/Mark#16:5, Mark 16:5, s:Bible (American Standard)/Luke#24:4, Luke 24:4 and s:Bible (American Standard)/John#20:12, John 20:12 his resurrection is announced and explained to the followers who arrive there early in the morning by either one or two beings (either men or angels) dressed in bright robes who appear in or near the tomb. The gospel accounts vary as to who arrived at the tomb first, but they are women and are instructed by the risen Jesus to inform the other disciples. All four accounts include Mary Magdalene and three include Mary the mother of Jesus. The accounts of s:Bible (American Standard)/Mark#16:9, Mark 16:9, s:Bible (American Standard)/John#20:15, John 20:15 indicate that Jesus appeared to the Magdalene first, and s:Bible (American Standard)/Luke#16:9, Luke 16:9 states that she was among the Myrrhbearers who informed the disciples about the resurrection. In s:Bible (American Standard)/Matthew#28:11, Matthew 28:11–15, to explain the empty tomb, the Jewish elders bribe the soldiers who had guarded the tomb to spread the rumor that Jesus' disciples took his body.
Resurrection appearances
In Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene soon after his resurrection. At first she does not recognize him and thinks that he is the gardener. When he says her name, she recognizes him yet he tells her Noli me Tangere, do not touch me, "for I am not yet ascended to my Father."
Later that day, at evening, Jesus appears to the disciples and shows them the wounds in his hands and his side in . Thomas the Apostle is not present at that meeting and later expresses doubt about the resurrection of Jesus. As Thomas is expressing his doubts, in the well known Doubting Thomas episode in s:Bible (King James)/John#20:24, John 20:24–29 Jesus appears to him and invites him to put his finger into the holes made by the wounds in Jesus' hands and side. Thomas then professes his faith in Jesus. In , in the Great Commission Jesus appears to his followers on a mountain in Galilee
Galilee (; he, הַגָּלִיל, hagGālīl; ar, الجليل, al-jalīl) is a region located in northern Israel and southern Lebanon. Galilee traditionally refers to the mountainous part, divided into Upper Galilee (, ; , ) and Lower Galil ...
and calls on them to baptize all nations in the name of the "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit".
describes the Road to Emmaus appearance in which while a disciple named Cleopas was walking towards Emmaus with another disciple, they met Jesus, who later has supper with them. has a similar account that describes the appearance of Jesus to two disciples while they were walking in the country, at about the same time in the Gospel narrative. In the Miraculous catch of 153 fish Jesus appears to his disciples on the Sea of Galilee
The Sea of Galilee ( he, יָם כִּנֶּרֶת, Judeo-Aramaic: יַמּא דטבריא, גִּנֵּיסַר, ar, بحيرة طبريا), also called Lake Tiberias, Kinneret or Kinnereth, is a freshwater lake in Israel. It is the lowest ...
, and thereafter Jesus encourages Apostle Peter to serve his followers.
Ascension
The ''Ascension of Jesus'' (anglicized from the Vulgate Latin s:Bible (American Standard)/Acts#1:9, Acts 1:9-11 section title: ''Ascensio Iesu'') is the Christian teaching found in the New Testament
The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christ ...
that the resurrection of Jesus, resurrected Jesus was Entering heaven alive, taken up to heaven in his resurrected body, in the presence of eleven of his Apostles in the New Testament, apostles, occurring 40 days after the resurrection. In the biblical narrative, an angel
In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.
Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...
tells the watching disciples that Second Coming of Jesus, Jesus' second coming will take place in the same manner as his ascension.
The canonical gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
s include two brief descriptions of the Ascension of Jesus in s:Bible (American Standard)/Luke#24:50, Luke 24:50–53 and s:Bible (American Standard)/Mark#16:19, Mark 16:19, in which it takes place on Easter Sunday.[Fred B. Craddock, Luke (Westminster John Knox Press, 2009), page 293] A more detailed account of Jesus' bodily Ascension into the clouds is given in the Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of the Apostles ( grc-koi, Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων, ''Práxeis Apostólōn''; la, Actūs Apostolōrum) is the fifth book of the New Testament; it tells of the founding of the Christian Church and the spread of its messag ...
(s:Bible (American Standard)/Acts#1:9, 1:9–11) where the narrative starts with the account of Jesus' appearances after his resurrection and describes the event as taking place forty days later.[''Luke'' by Fred B. Craddock 2009 pages 293–294][''New Testament Theology'' by Frank J. Matera 2007 pages 53–54]
Acts 1:9–12 specifies the location of the Ascension as the "Mount of olives, mount called Olivet" near Jerusalem. s:Bible (American Standard)/Acts#1:3, Acts 1:3 states that Jesus: :"showed himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing unto them by the space of forty days, and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God". After giving a number of instructions to the apostles
s:Bible (American Standard)/Acts#1:9, Acts 1:9 describes the Ascension as follows:"And when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." Following this two men clothed in white appear and tell the apostles that Second Coming, Jesus will return in the same manner as he was taken, and the apostles return to Jerusalem.
In s:Bible (American Standard)/Acts#2:30, Acts 2:30–33, s:Bible (American Standard)/Ephesians#4:8, Ephesians 4:8–10 and s:Bible (American Standard)/1 Timothy#3:16, 1 Timothy 3:16 (where Jesus as taken up in glory) the Ascension is spoken of as an accepted fact, while Hebrews 10:12 describes Jesus as Session of Christ, seated in heaven.[''Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible'' by D. N. Freedman, David Noel, Allen Myers and Astrid B. Beck 2000 page 110]
See also
Gospels, chronology and historicity
* Baptism of Jesus
The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist is a major event in the life of Jesus which is described in the three synoptic Gospels of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark and Luke). It is considered to have taken place at Al-Maghtas (also called Bethan ...
* Christ myth theory
* Chronology of Jesus
* Gospel harmony
* Historical Jesus
* Jesus in Christianity
* Life of Christ in art
* Ministry of Jesus
* Timeline of Christianity
* Timeline of the Bible
Associated sites
* Ænon
* Al Maghtas
* Bethabara
* New Testament places associated with Jesus
* Qasr el Yahud
Notes
References
*
Further reading
*Bruce J. Malina: ''Windows on the World of Jesus: Time Travel to Ancient Judea.'' Westminster John Knox Press: Louisville (Kentucky) 1993
*Bruce J. Malina: ''The New Testament World: Insights from Cultural Anthropology''. 3rd edition, Westminster John Knox Press Louisville (Kentucky) 2001
*Ekkehard Stegemann and Wolfgang Stegemann: ''The Jesus Movement: A Social History of Its First Century.'' Augsburg Fortress Publishers: Minneapolis 1999
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Life Of Jesus In The New Testament
Life of Jesus in the New Testament,
Biblical exegesis