The Encyclopedia of World Religions

Jesus S 239

sis on the KINGDOM OF G OD and the coming of the Son of Man may link him to other, more obscure movements that seem to have expected some sort of social and political upheaval. Some late 20th century scholars emphasized Jesus’ connections to the peasant classes in Galilee. They also saw both Jesus’s moral teachings and his way of living—his wandering—as a Jewish Galilean version of the moral advice and way of life of Greek-speaking philosophers known as Cynics (not to be confused with “cynic” in its ordinary English sense.) Jesus was executed by crucifixion under the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, whom sources outside the Bible depict as particularly cruel. The Bible records that on the night before his trial and execution, Jesus celebrated a final meal with his disciples ( see APOSTLES ). During the meal, Jesus distributed bread, which he had broken, and wine to his disciples. This act became the model for one of Christianity’s most important acts of worship, the E UCHARIST . Jesus’ crucifixion began early on a Friday morning. He is said to have died around 3:00 P . M . The gospels record how Jesus’ body was removed from the CROSS that afternoon and placed in a sealed, guarded tomb. The next Sunday morn ing several followers found the tomb unsealed, unguarded, and empty. On that basis, and on the basis of appearances of Jesus to them, these follow ers proclaimed that Jesus was the MESSIAH whom God had raised from the dead ( see RESURRECTION ). He is said shortly thereafter to have ascended into HEAVEN , and he is expected to return again at the final day of judgment ( see JUDGMENT OF THE DEAD ). TEACHINGS According to one account, Jesus identified two pre eminent commandments: Love God and love your fellow human beings (Matthew 22.34–40, Mark 12.28–34, Luke 10.25–28). In the famous Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), Jesus shows how far these commandments extend. For example, he teaches that if someone strikes a person on one cheek, that person should turn the other cheek and allow it to be struck, too, and that if someone takes a person’s coat, that person should give away her or his cloak, too.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem to Joseph and Mary during the reign of King Herod the Great (d. 4 B . C . E .). M AGI —the Bible does not say how many— came from the east to present to the child gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then Joseph, warned by an angel in a dream, took Mary and Jesus to Egypt to protect the baby from the jeal ous rage of Herod, who ordered all baby boys to be killed. The gospel of Luke tells a different story. It connects Jesus’ birth with a census that occurred when Quirinius was governor of Syria. On the least strained interpretation, this event occurred when the territory of Judea (now southern Israel) was transferred from Herod’s son and successor to Roman rule in 6 C . E ., 10 years after Herod’s death. According to Luke, the ANGEL Gabriel announced to Mary that she was pregnant. Because of the census, Mary and Joseph journeyed to Bethlehem. All the rooms were taken, so Jesus was born in a stable. Angels announced Jesus’ birth to shepherds, who came and worshipped him. When he was eight days old, Jesus was circumcised; then he was presented at the Temple in J ERUSALEM , where two pious older people, Simeon and Anna, praised him. According to the gospels, Jesus began a spe cial mission when he was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. With a band of close followers, he wandered the countryside from Gali lee (now northern Israel) to Judea and sometimes farther afield, teaching and working MIRACLES , especially HEALING . As preserved in both the Bible and books outside the Bible, Jesus’ teachings took several basic forms. The most well-known teach ings include parables, stories told to teach a reli gious lesson, and beatitudes, statements beginning “Blessed are . . .” Scholars have tried to place Jesus in several historical contexts. He has some affinities to early rabbinical J UDAISM ( see P HARISEES ). For example, Jesus taught in SYNAGOGUES , his followers called him RABBI , and his teachings about love, the com mandments, and PRAYER (for example, the L ORD ’ S P RAYER ) are all reminiscent of rabbinical teachings, especially the teachings of the school of the Jew ish sage Hillel. At the same time, Jesus’ empha