Jesus Christ is the central figure of Christianity. He is believed by Christians to be the Messiah (Christ) prophesied in the Old Testament. Here is an overview of what the Bible teaches about Jesus:
Jesus’ Identity
The Bible declares Jesus to be God incarnate – the eternal Son of God who took on human flesh and nature to become both fully God and fully man (John 1:1-3, 14; Colossians 2:9; Philippians 2:5-8). He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation (Colossians 1:15). Jesus claimed divinity and oneness with God the Father (John 10:30).
Jesus’ Pre-Existence and Role in Creation
Jesus existed with God the Father before creation (John 1:1-3). All things were created by Jesus and for Him (Colossians 1:16). He upholds the universe by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3). Through Jesus, God created everything in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible (Colossians 1:16).
Jesus’ Earthly Life and Ministry
Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (Luke 1:26-35). He lived a sinless life (Hebrews 4:15). At about 30 years of age, Jesus began His public ministry after being baptized by John the Baptist (Luke 3:21-23). For approximately 3 and a half years, Jesus went about preaching the good news of the kingdom of God, teaching, ministering, and performing many miracles, signs and wonders (Matthew 4:23, 9:35, Acts 10:38). He chose twelve disciples to follow Him (Mark 3:13-19). He spoke with authority, taught profound spiritual truths, and demonstrated His power over nature, illness, demons, and death.
Jesus’ Death and Resurrection
Jesus willingly went to the cross and laid down His life to make atonement for the sins of the world (John 10:15-18, 2 Corinthians 5:21). He died and was buried, and on the third day rose again from the dead in victory over sin and death (Matthew 12:40, 28:1-10; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8). He appeared to many after His resurrection and commissioned His followers to take the gospel to the ends of the earth before ascending to heaven (Matthew 28:16-20; Acts 1:3-11).
Jesus’ Exaltation and Return
God exalted Jesus to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names (Philippians 2:9-11). Jesus is now seated at the right hand of God the Father (Ephesians 1:20-23). He intercedes for believers as the high priest and mediates between God and man (Hebrews 7:25, 9:24). Jesus will return again in power and glory to judge the world, conquer evil forever, and usher in His eternal kingdom (Matthew 24:30-31, Acts 1:11, Revelation 19:11-21).
Jesus’ Offices and Functions
Jesus serves in these primary roles:
- Christ/Messiah (God’s Anointed One) – the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (John 1:41; Acts 9:22)
- Lord – Master, God, Divine Ruler (Luke 2:11; Philippians 2:11)
- Son of God – a title indicating deity and oneness with God (Matthew 16:16-17; John 10:36)
- Son of Man – a title emphasizing Jesus’ humanity (Matthew 20:28; John 3:13-14)
- Savior of the World – the One who died to redeem and reconcile sinners to God (Luke 2:11; John 4:42)
- Lamb of God – the sacrifice for the sins of the world (John 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:7)
- High Priest – mediator between God and man (Hebrews 3:1, 7:23-28)
- King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16)
- Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42, 2 Timothy 4:1)
- The Word – eternal self-expression of God the Father (John 1:1)
- Immanuel – “God with us” (Matthew 1:23)
- Head of the Church (Ephesians 5:23, Colossians 1:18)
These titles and functions give insight into who Jesus is and what He came to accomplish.
Jesus’ Nature and Character
Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man united in one divine-human person forever. As the Son of God, Jesus has always existed and is eternal. He is loving, gracious, merciful, righteous, just, holy, and perfect in all His nature and attributes. Jesus lived a sinless life (Hebrews 4:15). He cares deeply for people and demonstrated God’s love in both His actions and teachings (Mark 6:34, Luke 7:13, John 13:1). Jesus is described as gentle, humble, patient, wise, faithful, and compassionate. He is also holy, righteous, just, and zealous for God’s purposes. Encountering Jesus and following Him impacts people at the deepest level. He is the source of eternal salvation, life, and hope.
Jesus’ Teachings and Ministry
Some key themes emerge in Jesus’ teachings and ministry in the Gospels:
- The kingdom of God – Jesus proclaimed the arrival of God’s kingdom and the restoration of God’s authority on earth. He taught about seeking God’s kingdom first (Matthew 6:33).
- Discipleship – Jesus called people to follow Him wholeheartedly. He emphasized loving and obeying God along with loving others (Matthew 22:37-40).
- Love and grace – Jesus exemplified God’s love and demonstrated grace to sinners. He taught the importance of mercy, forgiveness, compassion and care for the needy (Matthew 25:31-46).
- Holiness and repentance – Jesus called people to repentance and promised forgiveness of sin (Luke 5:32). He emphasized moral purity, obedience to God’s commands, and dedication of heart to God (Matthew 5-7).
- Humility and servanthood – Jesus modeled servant leadership and humble submission to God (Mark 10:45). He washed His disciples’ feet (John 13:3-17) and taught that the first shall be last (Matthew 20:26-28).
- Spiritual rebirth – Jesus taught that one must be born again spiritually to enter God’s kingdom (John 3:3-8). Faith in Christ provides eternal life (John 3:16).
- End times – Jesus spoke about future events like the destruction of the temple, His second coming, the resurrection, eternal judgment, and more (Matthew 24-25).
Jesus’ teachings focused on God’s kingdom, the spiritual condition of the heart, and living according to God’s standards. His messages and parables contain timeless spiritual truths.
Jesus’ Miracles and Signs
The Gospels record over 30 miracles performed by Jesus, including healings, exorcisms, dominance over nature, power over death, and more. Some examples:
- Turning water into wine (John 2:1-11)
- Feeding the 5000 (Mark 6:30-44)
- Healing a blind man (Mark 8:22-26)
- Walking on the water (Matthew 14:22-33)
- Raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-45)
- The resurrection (John 20:1-9)
Jesus’ miracles demonstrated His divinity and power as the Son of God. They revealed His compassion and concern for people’s needs. The miracles fulfilled prophecy and authenticated Jesus’ identity and message (Matthew 11:2-6).
Old Testament Prophecies About Jesus
The Old Testament contains over 300 prophecies about the promised Messiah. Jesus fulfilled these prophecies made centuries earlier, including predictions about His ancestry, birthplace, ministry, miracles, suffering, death, and resurrection. Some key prophecies Jesus fulfilled:
- Born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18-25)
- From the line of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3, Matthew 1:1-17)
- From the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10, Luke 3:23-38)
- From the house of David (2 Samuel 7:12-13, Matthew 1:1)
- Born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2, Luke 2:1-7)
- Preceded by a messenger (Isaiah 40:3, Matthew 3:1-3)
- Rejected by His own people (Isaiah 53:3, John 1:10-11)
- Betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12, Matthew 26:14-16)
- Pierced hands and feet (Psalm 22:16, John 20:25-27)
- Vicarious, substitutionary death (Isaiah 53:5, Romans 5:6-8)
- Resurrection from the dead (Psalm 16:10, Acts 2:25-32)
Jesus’ life was the fulfillment of prophecies about the coming Deliverer and Messiah who would redeem God’s people.
Jesus’ Death on the Cross
Jesus willingly suffered and died by crucifixion to pay the penalty for humankind’s sin and rebellion against God. Though completely innocent of any sin or wrongdoing (Hebrews 4:15), Jesus bore the punishment sinners deserved (2 Corinthians 5:21). He became sin on sinners’ behalf so that they could be reconciled to God and become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus’ death on the cross fulfilled God’s redemptive plan (Acts 2:22-24).
Some key points about Jesus’ death:
- He endured intense physical suffering, along with bearing sin’s curse and separation from God the Father (Matthew 27:26-31; Luke 22:44).
- It demonstrated immense love, both in the Father sending the Son and the Son giving His life voluntarily (John 3:16, 10:18; Romans 5:8).
- God’s justice and mercy meet at the cross – righteous judgment for sin and merciful redemption for sinners (Romans 3:25-26).
- Jesus’ death satisfied God’s righteous wrath against human sinfulness (1 John 2:2, 4:10; Romans 3:25).
- Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice is fully sufficient to cleanse from sin and redeem humanity (Hebrews 7:27, 9:12, 28, 10:10).
- The removal of sin’s penalty, along with Christ’s righteousness credited to believers, enables fellowship with a holy God (2 Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 2:13-14).
Jesus’ sacrificial death as humanity’s substitute is the heart of the gospel and salvation (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension
Three days after His death, Jesus rose again victoriously over sin, hell, and death. The resurrection demonstrated God the Father’s approval of Jesus’ sacrifice and confirmed His identity as the incarnate Son of God (Romans 1:4). Key points about His resurrection include:
- Through His resurrection, Jesus broke the power of sin and death and enables forgiven sinners to spiritually rise from death to new life here and now (1 Corinthians 15:54-57; Romans 6:4).
- Jesus rose with a transformed physical body – He retained His identity, yet could appear and disappear, was not limited by distance or other physical barriers (Luke 24:31; John 20:19).
- Jesus appeared to many individuals and groups of disciples multiple times over a 40-day period after rising from the dead (Acts 1:3).
- Jesus’ resurrection was a historical event attested to by many eyewitnesses, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy (1 Corinthians 15:4-8).
- The resurrection affirms Jesus’ divinity, that He is the Son of God who has conquered death (Romans 1:4).
- After 40 days on earth, Jesus ascended bodily into heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father (Acts 1:9-11).
The resurrection is the foundation of the Christian faith. Jesus’ resurrection confirms His life, teachings, and atoning death. It points ahead to the resurrection of believers (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).
Salvation Through Jesus Christ
Sin has separated all human beings from God (Isaiah 59:2). Jesus is the only way to a restored relationship with God the Father and eternal life (John 14:6). Salvation comes through believing in Jesus and trusting in His death and resurrection on one’s behalf. Those who put their faith in Christ receive forgiveness, redemption, reconciliation, and are born again by the power of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:7, 2 Corinthians 5:17). Being saved by grace through faith is God’s free gift based on Jesus’ sacrifice (Ephesians 2:8-9). Good works and religious efforts cannot earn salvation.
When a person is saved, they experience:
- Forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7)
- Transfer from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of Christ (Colossians 1:13-14)
- Redemption and freedom from slavery to sin (Romans 6:15-18)
- Cleansing of conscience and peace with God (Hebrews 9:14, Romans 5:1)
- Adoption into God’s family as His children (John 1:12-13)
- The Holy Spirit dwelling within (1 Corinthians 6:19)
- Eternal life (John 3:16)
- A restored relationship and fellowship with God (1 John 1:3)
Salvation transforms a person’s life and destiny for all eternity. The believer in Christ is a new creation and now part of God’s family and His kingdom (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Jesus Christ’s Continuing Work and Relevance
After His ascension to heaven, Jesus continues His work on behalf of believers:
- As High Priest, He intercedes for believers before God the Father (Romans 8:34).
- He sends the Holy Spirit to indwell, guide, and empower believers (John 14:26, 16:13).
- He is the mediator between God and man, bridging the gap between the holy God and sinful humanity (1 Timothy 2:5)
- He is the head of the church and dwells among believers collectively (Ephesians 1:22-23, Matthew 18:20).
- He sustains the universe and governs history according to God’s sovereign plan (Colossians 1:17, Revelation 1:5).
- He is preparing an eternal dwelling place for believers in heaven (John 14:2-3).
- He will return as king to judge the world, rule forever, and bring redemption to completion (Matthew 25:31–46, 2 Timothy 4:1, Revelation 22:12-13).
For the believer, Christ lives within through the Holy Spirit and empowers them to follow Him, bear spiritual fruit, and carry out His mission (Galatians 2:20, Matthew 28:18-20). Every Christian’s hope is the return of Christ and the completion of their salvation.
Jesus is the fulfillment of Messianic prophecy and God’s revelation of Himself to humanity. He is the Savior of the world and hope for all who trust in Him. Understanding who Jesus is and what He accomplished transforms a person’s eternal destiny.