Jesus: history and faith across traditions

Known as

Jesus of Nazareth; Yeshua (Hebrew); Isa (Arabic)

Lived

About 4 BCE to about 30 CE, in Galilee and Judea

Main sources

The four Gospels and Paul’s letters; brief mentions in Josephus and Tacitus

In Christianity

The Christ, Son of God, crucified and risen

In Islam

A great prophet and the Messiah, not divine and not crucified

In Judaism

Not regarded as the Messiah

Most historians, religious and non-religious, agree that Jesus was a real person. Sources include the Gospels and Paul’s letters in the New Testament, as well as brief references by the Jewish historian Josephus and the Roman historian Tacitus.

Widely accepted historical points include that Jesus was born around 4 BCE, grew up in Nazareth, was baptized by John the Baptist, taught in Galilee using parables, gathered disciples, was known as a healer, came into conflict with religious and political authorities, and was crucified in Jerusalem. After his death, his followers proclaimed that he had risen from the dead, and the movement spread quickly.

The Gospels present Jesus proclaiming the kingdom of God: God’s reign breaking into the world. His teaching emphasized love of God and neighbour, forgiveness, mercy toward sinners and outcasts, care for the poor and humility. The Sermon on the Mount includes the Beatitudes and the Lord’s Prayer and calls for loving one’s enemies.

He taught often through parables, such as the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son, which remain among the best-known stories in the world.

For Christians, Jesus is the Christ, from the Greek for Messiah, “anointed one.” Christians believe he is the Son of God, fully divine and fully human, the second person of the Trinity. They believe his death on the cross atones for sin and that his resurrection on the third day defeated death.

Christian worship centres on Jesus. Christmas celebrates his birth and Easter his resurrection, which Christians regard as the most important feast. Christians expect his return at the end of time to judge the world and renew creation. Christian traditions differ on many questions but agree on this core.

The Quran honours Jesus, Isa, as one of the greatest prophets and as al-Masih, the Messiah. It affirms his virgin birth to Mary, his miracles and his revealed scripture, the Injil. It calls him a word and a spirit from God.

Islam teaches that Jesus is not divine or the Son of God, and the Quran states that he was not crucified, though it was made to appear so. Many Muslims believe God raised him bodily to heaven and that he will return before the end of time. Muslims add a blessing of peace when they mention his name.

Judaism does not regard Jesus as the Messiah, because Jewish messianic expectations, such as universal peace and the rebuilding of the Temple, were not fulfilled, and because the belief that a human being is divine conflicts with Jewish understanding of God. Medieval Jewish texts sometimes portrayed Jesus negatively, often in response to Christian persecution. Many modern Jewish scholars study him as a Jewish teacher of his era and have contributed significantly to historical research on his life.

Some Hindus, including Mahatma Gandhi, admired Jesus’ moral teaching, especially the Sermon on the Mount. Some Buddhists have compared his compassion to that of a bodhisattva. The Baha’i faith regards him as a manifestation of God. These views reflect each tradition’s own framework rather than Christian belief.

Jesus is the English form of the Greek Iesous, from the Hebrew Yeshua, meaning “God saves.” Christ is a title, not a surname. Christians also call him Lord, Son of God, Son of Man, Saviour and Lamb of God.

Jesus was a first-century Jewish teacher crucified under Pontius Pilate. Christians worship him as the divine Son of God who died and rose again for humanity’s salvation; Muslims honour him as a human prophet and Messiah who was not crucified; and Judaism does not accept him as the Messiah. His teaching of love, mercy and the kingdom of God has shaped world history.