Jesus Christ

From Metapedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Jesus Christ
Christ the Redeemer in Rio in Black, Red and Gold.jpg

Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in Black, Red and Gold

Titles Christos, Messiah, Lamb of God, Immanuel, Alpha and Omega, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Lord of Hosts (James 5:4)
Born c. 6 to 4 BC[1] in Bethlehem, Herodian kingdom, Roman Empire
Died c. AD 30 or 33 (aged 33–38) in Jerusalem, Judaea, Roman Empire
Ethnicity Israelite (Davidic)
Citizenship Roman
Occupation Carpenter
Parents Mary and Joseph (legal father)

Jesus Christ (Year 1 of the Christian calendar - circa 30 AD), also known as Jesus of Nazareth, in Galilee[2] is held by Christianity to be the Son of God and the awaited Messiah (or "Christ") prophesized in the Old Testament. The New Testament commences with the birth of Christ. Both the Julian and the Gregorian calendars in use by Europeans world-wide commence from the year of Christ's birth.

Conception

Pontius Pilate, fifth governor (Praefectus civitatis) of the Roman province of Judaea, serving under Emperor Tiberius, speaking to the Jewish crowd: “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.” All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” (blood curse)

Traditionally, Christians believe that Mary conceived her son miraculously by the agency of the Holy Spirit. Muslims believe that she conceived her son miraculously by the command of God. Joseph was from these perspectives and according to the canonical gospels the acting adoptive father of Jesus.

Etymology and titles

“Christ” is a title derived from the Greek Χριστός (Christós), meaning the “Anointed One,” which corresponds to the Aramaic-derived “Messiah”. The name “Jesus” is an Anglicization of the Greek Ίησους (Iēsous), itself a Hellenization of Aramaic ישוע (Yeshua). Christ is not Jesus’ last name as many suspect. It is his title. Christ means “annointed” or “Messiah”. Therefore, the word Christ designates that Jesus is the awaited Messiah of Israel. The language of Jesus Christ and first century Palestine was Aramaic.

Death

He was put to death to death by crucifixion at the behest of the Elders of the Jewish people in their petition to the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate.[3] It is known that Roman soldiers did the literal work of nailing Jesus to the cross (Mark 15:24). The Gospel of John speaks of “the Jews” crying out against Jesus (John 18:38–40) and “the Jews” calling on Pilate to crucify Jesus (John 19:14–16). The Jews (religious leaders, because they feared loss of power, and others under their influence) rejected and crucified their Messiah (John 1:11). In Acts 2, Peter charged the “men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem” (Acts 2:14) with crucifying Jesus (Acts 2:23, 36). Likewise, Peter charged the men of Israel gathered at Solomon’s Portico with delivering Jesus over and denying him in the presence of Pilate (Acts 3:11–16). Most, if not all of them, had played an active role in the events leading up to Jesus’s death. This was a sin in need of repentance (Acts 3:19–20). Blood curse of the Jews (Berean Standard Bible, Matthew 27:17–25):

“So when the crowd had assembled, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him. While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered terribly in a dream today because of Him.” But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death. Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they replied. “What then should I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify Him!” “Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!” When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.” All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”

We see the same approach in Acts 4:10 and Acts 5:30 where Peter and John charge the council (i.e., the Sanhedrin) with killing Jesus. From these texts we can see that the Apostles held the Jewish leaders and the Jews in Jerusalem at that time responsible—along with other lawless men (Acts 2:23; 4:27)—for killing Jesus. In speaking to Cornelius (a Gentile), Peter relays that “they” put Jesus to death by hanging him on a tree (Acts 10:39). Given that the nearest antecedent refers to what Jesus did “in Jerusalem,” it seems likely that the “they” Peter has in mind are the Jews who rejected Jesus in Judea and the ruling class in Jerusalem. This interpretation finds confirmation in a similar statement from Paul a few chapters later. We can say with Scripture that the Jewish leaders and the crowd before Pilate delivered up Jesus to be crucified and killed.

Quotes

  • Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I myself have founded great empires; but upon what did these creations of our genius depend? Upon force. Jesus alone founded His empire upon love, and to this very day millions would die for Him. I think I understand something of human nature; and I tell you, all these were men, and I am a man: none else is like Him; Jesus Christ was more than man. This phenomenon is unaccountable; it is altogether beyond the scope of man’s creative powers. Time, the great destroyer, is powerless to extinguish this sacred flame; time can neither exhaust its strength nor put a limit to its range. This is it which strikes me most, I have often thought of it. This it is which proves to me quite convincingly the Divinity of Jesus Christ.Napoleon Bonaparte as a prisoner at Saint Helena, 1820.[4]
  • "A teaching that does not come out of Nordic blood and carry Nordic spirit cannot spread itself among Nordic races. Since Christianity had become a successful religion for two thousand years only among Nordic races (not among Jews) and Christian ideas were the greatest culturally creative force in human history, it was simply impossible that Christ, the driving force of Christianity could have been a Jew."Der Stürmer, 1938[5]

See also

Bibliography

External links

References

  1. John P. Meier writes that Jesus' birth year is c. 7 or 6 BC. Karl Rahner states that the consensus among Christian scholars is c. 4 BC. E. P. Sanders also favors c. 4 BC and refers to the general consensus. Jack Finegan uses the study of early Christian traditions to support c. 3 or 2 BC.
  2. https://www.britannica.com/place/Nazareth-Israel
  3. Schiavone, Aldo, Pontius Pilate, Liveright Pubs.Corp., London & New York, 2017, p.147-8. ISBN: 978-1-63149-235-8
  4. Napoleon Bonaparte – On the Divinity of Jesus Christ, at Saint Helena - 1820. God the Original Intent. Retrieved on 14 March 2012.
  5. The War on Easter (Archive)