Who Was Jesus?

Even most skeptics concede that there probably was a first-century man, living in the Roman province of Judea, who preached a controversial message and was killed for doing so. But was this Jesus just another itinerant preacher around whom some legends developed? Or was this the Son of God, who came preaching a message that very few today understand? Even if you think you believe in Jesus, the answer may surprise you!

About one-third of Earth's inhabitants call themselves Christian. But even among them, relatively few really know what Jesus taught, or what the Bible reveals about the true Jesus Christ. He Himself said there would be many imitators—He called them "false christs" (Matthew 24:24). The Apostle Paul warned against "another Jesus whom we have not preached… a different spirit which you have not received… [or] a different gospel" (2 Corinthians 11:4). Do you know the true Messiah—the real Jesus Christ?

What does the Bible reveal? Was Jesus just a teacher? Or was He that and more? In John 4, Jesus is speaking to a woman at Jacob's well near the city of Sychar in Samaria. This woman became convinced that He was the promised Messiah—the Christ. She told the whole community about this man whom, she said, "told me all that I ever did" (v. 39). As a result, many other Samaritans came to hear Jesus speak, and they persuaded Him to stay for two days. What was their impression of Jesus? "And many more believed because of His own word. Then they said to the woman, 'Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world'" (John 4:41–42).

The name Jesus signifies "Savior." Was Jesus the Savior of the world? One should rather ask: "Is He the Savior of the world?" The proofs of fulfilled prophecy, historical accuracy, the preservation of the text and the revelation of life's mysteries and meaning, all support the truth that He is! Yes, Jesus became the Savior of the world. But how did He become so? He was Immanuel, "God with us"—God in the flesh! Where did He come from? "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made" (John 1:1–3).

This Word of whom the Apostle John spoke was the One who became Jesus Christ in the flesh. Notice: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). He sacrificed His life to pay for the sins of the world, as only He could do. He was pictured as the sacrificial lamb. Notice how John the Baptist testified of Him: "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!'" (John 1:29). He was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, as prophesied (Zechariah 11:12–13). Having entered Jerusalem on a donkey, He would be like a smitten shepherd (Zechariah 9:9; 13:7).

Altogether, there are more than 100 prophecies in the Old Testament foretelling the coming of the Messiah. Some cynics say that somehow Jesus "arranged" His ministry to fulfill those prophecies, or say that the New Testament writers invented the gospel narratives that demonstrate their fulfillment. But did hundreds of Jesus' own contemporaries—who lived at the time Paul was writing his letters and who knew firsthand many of those who had witnessed the events being described (1 Corinthians 15:6)—allow themselves to become martyred for a fiction? Yes, there are always skeptics—like those today who doubt firsthand accounts of wartime atrocities in World War II, Kampuchea and Iraq—but Paul and the other writers of Scripture were writing to their contemporaries, at a time when thousands were willing to die under persecution for their beliefs, because of what they had seen and heard for themselves!

Yes, you can believe in the words of Scripture! But it is shocking to realize how many preachers will tell you to believe—but never tell you to repent. But Jesus Himself told us all to repent! Our Savior commands every human being on earth to repent and believe. Does God really demand action from those who believe? The Apostle Peter said that He does. What did Peter say on the day of Pentecost, addressing thousands in his inspired sermon on the day the New Testament Church began? He said: "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission [forgiveness] of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). Thousands who heard him were convicted of their sins, and were baptized on that day, receiving the promised gift of the Holy Spirit.

Perhaps you feel the pain of guilt and sin. There is a way to turn your life around. Jesus, the Lamb of God, took upon Himself your sins. But in order to be reconciled to God, you must believe—and respond to—the true gospel. As Jesus proclaimed: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15).

A Revolutionary Jesus?

When I was about 12 years old, I questioned the teachings I heard in church. I said to myself: "I wonder if Jesus even exists." So, I thought: "Well, I will just read what these biographers Matthew, Mark, Luke and John said about Him." Even as a 12-year-old, I was amazed by what I found, particularly when I started reading the "Sermon on the Mount." For example, Jesus said: "But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also" (Matthew 5:39). I thought: "His teachings are revolutionary!" And in my own limited way, I changed my approach to life, though I would not be called to real repentance until many years later.

Many, when they finally read the Bible for themselves, have experiences like mine. Author Bruce Barton was "turned off" by the false Jesus presented in a Sunday School class. He wrote: "The little boy [Barton, writing about himself] looked up at the picture which hung on the Sunday-school wall. It showed a pale young man with flabby forearms and a sad expression. The young man had red whiskers. Then the little boy looked across to the other wall. There was Daniel, good old Daniel, standing off the lions. The little boy liked Daniel. He liked David, too, with the trusty sling that landed a stone square on the forehead of Goliath. And Moses, with his rod and his big brass snake. They were winners—those three.… But Jesus! Jesus was the 'lamb of God.' The little boy did not know what that meant, but it sounded like Mary's little lamb. Something for girls—sissified. Jesus was also 'meek and lowly,' a 'man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.' He went around for three years telling people not to do things" (The Man Nobody Knows, pp. i–ii).

Like Barton, I once had a false concept of the real Jesus. Perhaps you have, too. But if you will read the Bible for yourself, you may be surprised to discover that many of the popular images, concepts, and teachings often presented as "Christianity" are quite different from the truths found in Scripture.

Barton came to see a contradiction between Jesus' preaching and the world's false image of Him. Barton wrote of his re-discovery of the biblical Jesus Christ: "The more sermons he [Barton] heard and the more books he read the more mystified he became. One day he decided to wipe his mind clean of books and sermons. He said, 'I will read what the men who knew Jesus personally said about him. I will read about him as though he were a new historical character, about whom I had never heard anything at all.' The man was amazed. A physical weakling! Where did they get that idea? Jesus pushed a plane and swung an adze; he was a successful carpenter. He slept outdoors and spent his days walking around his favorite lake. His muscles were so strong that when he drove the money-changers out, nobody dared to oppose him! A kill-joy! He was the most popular dinner guest in Jerusalem! The criticism which proper people made was that he spent too much time with publicans and sinners… and enjoyed society too much. They called him a 'wine bibber and a gluttonous man'…. When the man finished his reading he exclaimed, 'This is a man nobody knows'" (ibid., pp. iii–iv).

Truth Hidden

But how can we come to know the true Jesus? Surprisingly, some of the most common religious traditions can be deceiving—even about something as basic as His birth. Why was Jesus born? Notice what the angel told Mary before His birth: "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end" (Luke 1:31–33).

Jesus' message was about the Kingdom of God on earth! He will return as King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 17:14; 19:16). He will sit upon the throne of David, and rule over all the nations. As Isaiah wrote: "Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end" (Isaiah 9:7). That is great news, and we all need to pray, as Jesus taught us: "Your Kingdom come!"

When was Jesus born? Was Jesus born in December on Christmas Day? It may be surprising to some, but we can be sure that He was not. Luke recounts that Joseph and Mary had traveled back to Bethlehem for the census mandated by Caesar Augustus. The city was crowded, so Joseph and Mary had to accept less than the best accommodations. After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, He was placed in a manger (Luke 2:7). Notice the setting and the time of year: "Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night" (v. 8).

Most Bible scholars plainly admit that shepherds were not in the field in December. The cold, rainy season began long before December 25. Jesus was probably born in late September or early October, as most reputable Bible commentaries acknowledge. Why do we so often accept traditions and teachings without checking up on them? Some of our concepts and ideas disagree with the Bible! Jesus never observed His birthday, and neither did the Apostles! As the Encyclopaedia Britannica states: "According to a Roman almanac, the Christian festival of Christmas was celebrated in Rome by ad 336" ("Christmas," p. 903). Notice also the following: "The Fathers of the 2nd and 3rd centuries, such as Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and Epiphanius, contended that Christmas was a copy of a pagan celebration" ("Christianity" p. 499).

When you read the book of Acts, you see that the Apostolic Church of the first century—the New Testament Church—never observed Christmas or the birth of Christ. The true Apostolic Church of the first century observed the biblical festivals: the New Testament Passover, Days of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day. Scripture records plainly that Jesus Christ observed the Last Great Day of the Feast. The Apostle John referred to this Feast day when he wrote: "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water'" (John 7:37–38).

Jesus observed the biblical festivals, and genuine Christians strive to follow His example. As the Apostle Peter stated: "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps" (1 Peter 2:21).

Is traditional Christianity following in Jesus' steps? Is it observing the weekly Sabbath—the seventh day of the week—as Jesus did? Christ stated that He, "the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath" (Mark 2:28). As we know from Genesis 2:3, God sanctified the seventh day at creation. And for whom was the Sabbath made? Jesus stated: "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27). The Sabbath was made for all humanity as a day of rest, and as a memorial of God's great creation. Remember, God created all things, including the Sabbath day, through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:9).

The Historic Jesus

The Jewish historian Josephus referred to Jesus' brother, the Apostle James, who wrote the New Testament book of James. In the first century ad, Josephus wrote the following: "Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled the Sanhedrin of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others, [or, some of his companions]; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned" (Antiquities of the Jews, Bk. 20, chap. 9, sec. 1).

Yes, there is historic evidence for the existence of Jesus Christ. Amazingly, some will accept the testimony of a historian like Josephus, yet ignore the eyewitness testimony of Jesus' contemporaries. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all wrote and testified about the life, miracles, and teachings of our Savior. The Apostle John even wrote: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us" (1 John 1:1–2).

The Apostle John testifies in this passage that not only did he and the other Apostles hear and see the Word of Life—Jesus, the Messiah—but they also touched Him. After His resurrection, Jesus told doubting Thomas to put his hand into the spear wound that killed Him. He commanded: "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing" (John 20:27). What was Thomas' response? "And Thomas answered and said to Him, 'My Lord and my God!'" (v. 28).

Jesus Christ died and was resurrected. He is alive today. If He were not, we would still be in our sins. As Paul wrote: "For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!" (1 Corinthians 15:16–17). But the good news is stated next: "But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead" (vv. 20–21).

So who was Jesus? The more important question is—who is Jesus? He is our living Savior! He is our great High Priest, as the Apostle Paul explains (Hebrews 3:1; 4:14). He is at the right hand of God in heaven, where He "makes intercession for us" (Romans 8:34). He will soon come back to planet Earth as King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16), to establish the Kingdom of God right here, to bring world peace! Will you be ready for His return? Will you accept His sacrifice, repent and live a life of obedience to Him? Thank God that the Bible reveals Jesus Christ—the living, loving Savior of the world!