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Who is…
Jesus
Hebrew: יֵשׁוּעַ —transliteration: Yeshua (an alternate form of Yehoshua = Joshua) or Yahshua
Aramaic: ܝܫܘܥ —transliteration: Ishoʕ (pronounced EE-show)
Greek: Ιησούς —transliteration: Iēsous, Iesous, or IESVS (Jesus)
Meaning: Salvation, or “The Lord is Salvation,” “The Lord Saves”
“Jesus” is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua which was originally Hoshea (Oshea) (Numbers 13:8, 16—the King James Version of the Bible spells it “Oshea”), but changed by Moses into Jehoshua (Yehoshua) (Numbers 13:16; 1 Chronicles 7:27), or Joshua. After the Exile it assumed the form Jeshua, from which came the Greek form Jesus.
The name was given to our Lord to denote the object of his mission, TO SAVE. An angel told Joseph (his foster-father),
“You are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” —Matthew 1:21
Visit our special page Who is Jesus Christ? His Life, Death and Resurrection—Discover answers to many questions about Jesus Christ)
Also, read the story of Jesus Christ in our illustrated God’s Story section—GO
JESUS CHRIST—Jesus Christ is the official, name of our Lord. To distinguish him from others with the name Jesus, he is spoken of as “Jesus of Nazareth” (John 18:7), and “Jesus the son of Joseph” (John 6:42).
Early Earthly Life
The life of Jesus on Earth may be divided into 2 great periods, (1) his private life, till he was about 30 years of age; and (2) his public life, which lasted about 3 years.
In the “fulness of time” he was born at Bethlehem, in the reign of the emperor Augustus, of Mary, who was betrothed to Joseph, a carpenter (Matthew 1:1; Luke 3:23; compare John 7:42). His birth was announced to shepherds (Luke 2:8-20). Wise men from the east came to Bethlehem to see him who was born “King of the Jews,” bringing gifts with them (Matthew 2:1-12). Herod’s cruel jealousy led to Joseph’s flight into Egypt with Mary and the infant Jesus, where they waited till the death of this king (Matthew 2:13-23), when they returned and settled in Nazareth, in Lower Galilee (2:23; compare Luke 4:16; John 1:46, etc.).
At the age of 12 years he went up to Jerusalem to the Passover with his parents. There, in the temple, “in the midst of the doctors,” all that heard him were “astonished at his understanding and answers” (Luke 2:41, etc.).
18 years pass during which we have no record, except that he returned to Nazareth and “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52). [Some have claimed that during this period, Jesus went to India and learned from Hindu Gurus? Is this true?]
He entered his public ministry when he was about 30 years of age. It is generally believed to have lasted about 3 years. Each of these years had particular features of its own.
The years of Jesus Christ’s ministry
The 1st year may be called the year of obscurity, both because the records of it which we possess are scanty, and because he seems during it to have been only slowly emerging into public notice. It was spent for the most part in Judea.
The 2nd year was the year of public favor, during which the country had become thoroughly aware of him; his activity was constant, and his reputation was known through the length and breadth of the land. It was almost wholly passed in Galilee.
The 3rd was the year of opposition, when the public favor ebbed away. His enemies multiplied and assailed him with more and more persistence, and at last he fell victim to their hatred. The first six months of this final year were passed in Galilee, and the last six in other parts of the land —James Stalker, Life of Jesus Christ, p. 45
The Gospels are eyewitnesses accounts of the words and work of Jesus Christ in many different aspects. (See CHRIST.)
Lineage, from David to MARY, mother of Jesus
KING DAVID (and Queen Bathsheba) → Prince Nathan → Mattathah (Mattatha) → Menan (Menna) → Melea → Eliakim → Jonan (Jonam) → Joseph → Judah (Judas) → Simeon → Levi → Matthat → Jorim → Eliezer → Jose (Joshua, Jesus) → Er → Elmodam → Cosam → Addi → Melchi → Neri → Shealtiel → Zerubbabel → Rhesa → Joannas (Joanna) → Judah → Joseph → Semei → Mattathiah (Mattathias) → Maath → Naggai → Hesli (Esli) → Nahum → Amos → Mattathiah (Mattathias) → Joseph → Janna → Melchi → Levi → Matthat → Heli/Eli → MARY, mother of Jesus → JESUS THE CHRIST, the 2nd Adam, the God-Man (wholly God and wholly human)
See: Luke 3:23–38
Creation of Christ’s physical body
The 2nd Adam’s physical body was wholly created by God the Holy Spirit (incarnated) as a fetus in the virgin Mary’s womb. His DNA code was created by God, as was the 1st Adam’s. Neither of them inherited their DNA from any man or woman. Like the 1st Adam, Jesus had no inherited sin nature; He was totally sinless. However, unlike the 1st Adam, Jesus remained innocent of any sin throughout His entire Earthly life and forevermore.
The 1st Adam was created as an adult. However, the 2nd Adam was created as a tiny fetus taking nourishment from His mother’s womb and growing as would any child till birth and eventual adulthood, experiencing life’s pains, difficulties, joys and temptations.
- How is ADAM a type? Answer (about the 1st Adam and the 2nd Adam, Jesus Christ)
- Is Jesus Christ a man, or is he God? Answer
- Is Jesus Christ really God? Answer
- Was Jesus Christ God, manifest in human form? Answer
- If Jesus was the Son of God, why did He call Himself the Son of Man? Answer
- Could Jesus Christ have sinned? Answer
- If Jesus is God, how could he die? If Jesus died on the cross, then how can he be alive today? Answer
- How did Jesus Christ die? Answer
- MIRACLES—Has science disproved the miracles associated with Jesus Christ? Answer
- TRINITY—How can one God be three persons? Answer
About JESUS CHRIST—Answers to frequently-asked-questions
- Who is Mary, mother of Jesus?
- How do we know the Bible is true? Answer
Lineage, from David to Joseph, adoptive father of Jesus
King David (and Queen Bathsheba) → King Solomon → King Rehoboam → King Abijah (Abijam) → King Asa → King Jehoshaphat → King Jehoram (Joram) → King Ahaziah (Uzziah) → King Jotham → King Ahaz → King Hezekiah → King Manasseh → King Amon → King Josiah → Jeconiah (Jechonias, Jehoiachin, Jekonjah, Coniah, Neri) → Prince Shealtiel (exiled to Babylon) → Prince Zerubbabel (royal leader of the return exiles, rebuilt the altar and Temple foundation) → Prince Abiud (Abihud) → Governor Eliakim → Azor → Zadok → Achim → Eliud → Eleazar → Matthan → Jacob → JOSEPH, the legal father of Jesus Christ
See: Matthew 1:1–17
Lineage, from Creation to David
God → ADAM → Seth → Enos → Cainan → Mahalaleel → Jared → Enoch → Methuselah → Lamech → NOAH → Shem → Arpachshad → Shelah → EBER (founder of the Hebrew race) → Peleg → Reu → Serug → Nahor → Terah → ABRAHAM → Isaac → Jacob → JUDAH → Perez → Hezron → Ram → Amminadab → Nahshon → Salmon → Boaz → Obed → Jesse → KING DAVID
Archaeology and Jesus Christ
What is the Sea of Galilee?
Synagogues related to Jesus
Who is Jacob?
Temple in Jerusalem—steps, signs and stones
The Caiaphas Ossuary and other burial sites of Biblical people
The Pilate Stone (Pontuis Pilate)
Heel Bone of the Crucified Man
- How did Jesus Christ die? Answer
Tomb of Jesus in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Nazareth Inscription
What is Nazareth?
Also see about Jesus Christ
Don’t miss our feature pages about Jesus Christ
Do you understand God’s Story, from Creation to eternity? Summary, in chronological order.- What does the name “CHRIST” mean? Answer
- What does the word “MESSIAH” mean? Answer
- How do we KNOW that Jesus was the Messiah? Answer
- List of MESSIANIC PROPHECIES FULFILLED by Jesus Christ
- What is the INCARNATION? Answer
- How and why did Christ greatly HUMBLE himself for our sake (humiliation of Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God)? Answer
- What are the COMINGS OF CHRIST? Answer
- Miracles of the Bible
- Is Jesus Christ a man, or is he God? Answer
- If Jesus is God, how could he die? If Jesus died on the cross, then how can he be alive today? Answer
- What are the different meanings of “son of god?”?
- What is the TRINITY? Answer
- Isn’t the virgin birth of Jesus Christ mythological and scientifically impossible? Answer
- Has science disproved the miracles associated with Jesus Christ? Answer
- How do we know that Jesus Christ really rose from the dead?Answer
- How did Jesus die? Answer
- Did Jesus really sweat drops of blood? Answer
- How Jesus Died: The Final 18 Hours
- Isn’t the virgin birth of Jesus Christ mythological and scientifically impossible? Answer
- Discover some popular misconceptions about Jesus Christ’s birth
- Is THE DA VINCI CODE “the most serious assault against Christianity”? Answer
- In what ways is King David a TYPE of Jesus Christ—what parallels are there between David and the Messiah? Answer
Jesus was the name of 4 other men in the Bible
Jesus (Joshua), the son of Nun
The King James Version says “Jesus” in Acts 7:45 and Hebrews 4:8. All new translations avoid confusion by using the name “Joshua.”
Jesus Justus, a Jewish Christian and co-laborer with Paul (Col. 4:11)
Jesus bar-Abbas (sometimes just called Barabbas)—a prisoner released by Pontius Pilate (Matthew 27:16-17)
Jesus (aka Jose, Joshua), an ancestor of Jesus Christ (Luke 3:29)
Translated as Jose in the King James Version and NJKV, and Joshua in the NIV, NASB, and NRSV.