Who Was Jesus? A Quick Q&A

Imagine a few thousand years from now having your name plastered all over highway billboards. Such is the story of Jesus, a gentleman who—one could say—had a subtle influence on the world. Who exactly was Jesus? We believe there’s a little written about him elsewhere, but here’s a simple Q&A.

 

When was he born?

The exact year isn’t known for sure, but the consensus seems to be sometime between 6 – 4 BCE. The exact day is even less clear, though December 25 was adopted as the birthday in the first few centuries of the Common Era. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, spent time in Egypt, and ended up in Nazareth. He lived under the rule of the Roman Empire.

 

Was he Jewish?

Yes.

 

Was he the son of God?

That depends on whom you ask.

 

What did he do for a living?

He may have worked as a carpenter. At around age 30, he left Nazareth and sought out a preacher named John the Baptist (perhaps a distant cousin). After being baptized, Jesus, too, began preaching, spreading a message of love, justice, and forgiveness. His embrace of the poor and oppressed was seen as a threat by both the Jewish establishment and their Roman rulers, explaining his ultimate fate (see below).

 

Did anyone listen to his message?

Initially, it was a mixed bag. He did ultimately attract 12 disciples and many other followers. After his death, the disciples became apostles (or messengers), also known as the best marketing team of all time. Through their hard work, Jesus’ teachings spread far and wide.

 

When did he die?

He died by crucifixion in about 30 CE, commemorated today with Good Friday. Per the Bible, he was resurrected a few days later, an event that is marked by Easter Sunday.

 

How do people know so much about his life?

The Bible has served as a major resource. It has two parts—the Old Testament, which tells of occurrences before Jesus was born, and the New Testament, which tells of occurrences from the time of Jesus’ birth onward. The first four books of the New Testament—called the Gospels and written about 40 – 70 years after Jesus’ death—contain the bulk of information about him.

 

Why is he called Jesus Christ?

He is considered by some to be the Messiah, or anointed one, chosen by God to save humanity. Christos is the Greek word for anointed, explaining why he came to be known as Jesus Christ.

 

What were Jesus’ pronouns?

Well, he probably spoke Aramaic (and maybe Hebrew and Greek). But if English were in the mix, we’d guess the answer would be he/him/his, which are the ones we’ve used here.

 

Did he inspire any songs?

A ton. Here are three.

“Personal Jesus” by Depeche Mode

This tune is pretty open to interpretation.

 

“Modern Jesus” by Portugal. The Man

A ringing endorsement of modern religious institutions this is not.

 

“Jesus Christ Pose” by Soundgarden

We’ll call this a rant against the misuse of religious imagery.

 

 

No matter your own relationship with Jesus, it’s hard not to pause and marvel at the profound impact of one person on the course of humanity. And, of course, the billboard industry.