The central person of Christianity
Who Is Jesus?
According to the New Testament, Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Son of God, the Son of Man, the Savior who died for sins, and the risen Lord who calls people to trust and follow him.
Direct answer
Jesus is the central figure of Christian faith and salvation.
Jesus of Nazareth was a first-century Jewish teacher whose life, crucifixion, and proclaimed resurrection stand at the center of Christianity.
The New Testament does not present Jesus merely as a moral teacher. It identifies him as the Christ, the Son of God, the Son of Man, the Word made flesh, Savior, Lord, and risen King.
Historic Christianity teaches that Jesus is truly human and truly divine. Christians believe that through his death and resurrection, God provides forgiveness, reconciliation, and eternal life.
Biblical identity
The New Testament describes Jesus with several connected titles
No single title explains everything the New Testament says about Jesus. Together, these titles describe his identity, mission, authority, and relationship with God.
Jesus is the Messiah
The word Christ means Messiah or Anointed One. The New Testament presents Jesus as the promised King and Savior anticipated in Israel's Scriptures.
Jesus is the Son of God
This title describes Jesus' unique relationship with the Father and is central to the New Testament's claims about his identity and authority.
Jesus is the Son of Man
Jesus frequently used this title for himself. It expresses his humanity while also echoing the authoritative heavenly figure described in Daniel 7.
Jesus is Lord
The earliest Christians confessed Jesus as Lord, recognized his authority, worshiped him, and called people to trust and obey him.
Jesus is Savior
The New Testament connects salvation with Jesus' life, sacrificial death, resurrection, grace, forgiveness, and victory over sin and death.
Jesus is the risen King
Christian faith does not end with the crucifixion. The New Testament proclaims that God raised Jesus from the dead and exalted him.
Key Bible passages
What Scripture says about Jesus
These verses come from different parts of the New Testament. Reading their surrounding chapters provides the fullest context.
John 1:1
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
John begins by presenting the Word as eternal, personally distinct from God, and fully divine. The following verses identify this Word with Jesus.
John 1:14
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
John teaches that the eternal Word truly became human. Historic Christianity describes Jesus as fully divine and fully human, not partly one and partly the other.
Matthew 16:16
"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Peter identifies Jesus as the promised Messiah and Son of God. Jesus treats this confession as a truth revealed by the Father.
Mark 10:45
"For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."
Jesus describes his mission through service and sacrifice. His death is presented as purposeful and connected with the rescue of others.
John 11:25
"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live."
Jesus does not speak only as a teacher pointing toward life. He presents himself as the resurrection and the life and calls people to believe in him.
His life and mission
The story of Jesus moves from his birth to his promised return
His birth and early life
Matthew and Luke describe Jesus' birth within Jewish history and connect it with God's promises. Luke places his life within the rule of identifiable political leaders.
His public ministry
Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God, taught with authority, called disciples, healed the sick, confronted hypocrisy, forgave sins, and welcomed people often pushed aside by society.
His crucifixion
All four Gospels describe Jesus being crucified under the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. Christians understand his death as sacrificial and central to reconciliation with God.
His resurrection
The Gospels proclaim that Jesus' tomb was found empty and that he appeared alive to his followers. The resurrection became central to apostolic preaching.
His exaltation and promised return
The New Testament teaches that Jesus ascended, reigns with authority, intercedes for believers, and will return to judge, restore, and complete God's purposes.
What Jesus taught
Jesus taught about God, the kingdom, love, repentance, and discipleship
The kingdom of God
Jesus announced God's reign and called people to repentance, faith, obedience, justice, mercy, and hope.
Love for God and neighbor
Jesus identified wholehearted love for God and love for one's neighbor as the greatest commandments.
Forgiveness and reconciliation
Jesus taught his followers to seek forgiveness, forgive others, pursue reconciliation, and reject revenge.
Humility and service
Jesus rejected status-seeking leadership and taught that greatness in his kingdom is expressed through service.
Faith and discipleship
Jesus called people not merely to admire him but to trust him, learn from him, obey him, and follow him.
Judgment and eternal life
Jesus spoke about accountability before God, the seriousness of sin, mercy, resurrection, judgment, and eternal life.
The cross and resurrection
Christianity understands Jesus through both his death and resurrection
The crucifixion was not an accidental ending to Jesus' ministry. The New Testament interprets his death as a willing sacrifice connected with sin, forgiveness, reconciliation, covenant, victory, and love.
The resurrection is equally central. The earliest Christian message proclaimed that God raised Jesus from the dead and that he appeared to his followers.
Without the resurrection, Jesus might be remembered only as a teacher who was executed. The New Testament instead presents him as the living Lord who defeated death and gives hope of resurrection to others.
History and faith
Historical questions and theological claims are related but not identical
Historical study can examine early texts, locations, rulers, cultural settings, crucifixion, and the beliefs of Jesus' earliest followers.
Christian confession goes further. It claims that Jesus is the Messiah, Son of God, Savior, risen Lord, and rightful King. Those claims involve history, interpretation, and faith.
A careful guide should not pretend that every historical or theological question is settled by one isolated verse. Christians read individual passages within the whole witness of Scripture.
Common questions
Questions people often ask about Jesus
Was Jesus a real historical person?
Jesus is presented in early Christian writings as a Jewish teacher who lived in the first century and was crucified under Pontius Pilate. His historical existence is distinct from the further theological question of who he is.
Was Jesus only a teacher?
Jesus was a teacher, but the New Testament makes much larger claims. It identifies him as Messiah, Son of God, Lord, Savior, judge, and risen King.
Did Jesus claim divine authority?
The Gospels portray Jesus forgiving sins, accepting worship, claiming authority over the Sabbath, identifying himself with unique divine language, and speaking as the final judge.
Why do Christians worship Jesus?
Christians worship Jesus because the New Testament presents him as sharing the divine identity, risen from the dead, exalted as Lord, and worthy of honor given to God.
Personal response
The New Testament calls people to respond to Jesus
The Gospels do not present Jesus merely as a subject for detached curiosity. Jesus calls people to repent, believe, follow him, receive his teaching, and trust him.
Learning who Jesus is therefore leads naturally to questions about the gospel and salvation: What did he accomplish? Why did he die? What does it mean to believe in him?
Christians from different traditions may describe parts of conversion, baptism, discipleship, and assurance differently. These differences should be discussed honestly while keeping Jesus at the center.
Summary
Jesus is presented as Messiah, Savior, Lord, and risen King
Jesus of Nazareth was a Jewish teacher who announced God's kingdom, called disciples, taught with authority, and was crucified under Roman rule.
The New Testament proclaims that he is much more than a teacher: the Christ, Son of God, Son of Man, Word made flesh, Savior, Lord, and risen King.
Christian faith centers on trusting who Jesus is, what he accomplished through the cross and resurrection, and his call to follow him.