Who is Jesus?

There is good evidence that a man called Jesus lived in the Palestine area about 2000 years ago. The Bible contains four accounts of his life (known as the Gospels). From these emerges a picture of a man who was a charismatic teacher and healer, and who was executed by the Roman occupying force of the time. We're shown a general acceptance by people of the time that he was a good man. However, as well as doing good, he taught some pretty revolutionary things (In the Bible see Matthew chapters 5 - 7 - known as the "The Sermon on the Mount" for example) This teaching disturbed the religious authorities, and when he claimed to be "The Son of God" they wanted to be rid of him - and, at about the age of 33 a mock trial led to his death by crucifixion.

The story didn't end there though - he'd claimed that he would come back to life again. His body was placed in a tomb following the crucifixion. Afraid that his followers would steal his body to make this claim look convincing, the authorities placed guards on the tomb, and sealed the entrance with a large stone. But the record tells how the women who took prepared spices for the body along to the tomb found there not a dead body, but the stone rolled away and an empty tomb. (See Luke chapter 24) Later Jesus appeared to many of his followers. (See Acts chapter 1)

So who is Jesus?

Maybe he was just a good man - one of many teachers at the time? There seems little doubt that he did indeed do a lot of good deeds (He healed plenty of sick people, for example). But he also claimed a very special relationship to God, in fact to be his son. Unless he was deluded that was not something a "good man" would do.

Some try to dismiss him as mad or deluded - why else would he persist in his activities until he got himself killed? But no-one close to him at the time seemed to think he was anything but sane. People claiming to be God tend to suffer other delusions as well!

Maybe he was a bad man - stirring up trouble for himself and his followers, perhaps trying to start a revolution for his own profit. But his actions show no evidence that he was bad, or "in it for himself". In fact quite the reverse.

If he wasn't bad or mad we have to take him seriously - and that means looking at what he taught, and what the results of his teaching have been in many lives over the last 2000 years. He taught that no-one could get to know God except through Him. This is because no-one on their own can measure up to God's standards, because He is perfectly righteous. He has to punish wrong-doing (sin). The Bible explains that God accepts the death of Jesus, who was sinless, as a sacrifice that satisfies his justice, allowing him to offer forgiveness and acceptance to anyone who asks.

(See also "What is a Christian")