Muhammad and Jesus 3

Biographical Sketch:

Life of Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ was born about 6 B. C. in Bethlehem, an obscure village in the Roman province of Palestine. It was a time when many Jews were looking for the long promised Messiah spoken of hundreds of years before by Hebrew prophets. Luke, who documented the life of Jesus, writes that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, and that the angel Gabriel proclaimed him as the “Son of the most High,” the “Savior of men” (Luke 1:26-38).

Jesus worked as a carpenter in the Galilean town of Nazareth. At age 30 he began his public ministry by teaching God’s Word and performing nature-defying miracles. Jesus’ words and miraculous deeds attracted huge crowds like a magnet. He spoke of God with an authority that marveled everyone.

Jesus’ sinless life of moral purity amazed both his followers and his enemies. He also astounded them by turning water into wine, walking on water, calming storms at sea, giving sight to the blind, healing paralyzed limbs, and restoring life to the dead. No one had ever demonstrated such power and authority. And his enemies were unable to refute Jesus' amazing power over nature.

Not only did Jesus perform great miracles, but he also spoke words of such profound wisdom, that it was said of him that “no man has ever spoken like this.” His words were spoken with authority and revealed remarkable insight about the human condition. In fact, Jesus said his words were the words of God Himself.

Although the crowds that followed Jesus loved and accepted him, Jewish religious leaders were jealous of his fame and wisdom. In their envy, they continually sought to trip him up or catch him in a violation of their law.

But Jesus’ life was pure and above reproach. Rather than violating God’s law, Jesus fulfilled every single command by his righteous life. Jesus continually demonstrated heartfelt compassion for the poor and downcast. He looked beyond the outward appearances of men into their hearts. Jesus was always kind, going out of his way to help people, regardless of how important they were.

Jesus never boasted about himself. And his humility was blended with incredible courage and strength. He condemned religious hypocrisy, and spoke boldly in the face of overwhelming opposition from the Jewish leaders and Roman rulers. But Jesus also taught forgiveness, and demonstrated it by forgiving his executioners as he hung on the cross uttering, “Father forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:26-49).

Jesus made claims that totally infuriated his enemies. Jesus’ claims make it impossible that he was simply a prophet, a great religious leader, or merely a good man. “He was either who he claimed to be, [God] or he was a liar, or a madman, or something worse.”

Jesus was betrayed by Judas, one of his 12 disciples, and turned over to his Jewish enemies. The Romans then crucified Jesus on a cross and certified his death. After verifing his death, his body was placed into a rich man’s tomb in Jerusalem.

Jesus had told his disciples he would rise from the grave three days after his crucifixion. His disciples didn’t believe his words at first, and they fled the scene, afraid they would be killed like their leader. 

But three days after Jesus' crucifixion, they were suddenly changed. In a dramatic turnaround, they began proclaiming that Jesus had risen, and eventually died as martyrs for what they believed to be true.

Before he ascended, Jesus promised that he would return to earth someday as Ruler. His followers’ conviction spread like a wildfire, consuming the entire Roman Empire. Our world has never been the same.