Who was Jesus of Nazareth? How did he live? What did he do?
Patrick C. Connor
Jesus of Nazareth was a well known Jew of royal descent whose height of public visibility was somewhere between 25AD and 36AD, lasting probably about 3.5 years. He was a man of impecable character who impressed the crowds with his teaching and miracles. While many followed him as he travelled around Israel, twelve were marked out as his disciples, whom he lived closely with and privately taught. He claimed to be the "Son of Man" and "Son of God", and the prophetic Messiah for whom the Jewish people were waiting. Such claims plus words and actions toward the local Jewish authorities led to his arrest and eventual crucifixion under Pontius Pilatus. He explained that his death would represent a sacrifice to atone for wrongdoing of those who would believe, which is the heart of the Gospel message. He came back to life only two days (or on the third day) after he died.