Jesus is one of most important figures in the history of the world. He is even the most important person in the Christian faith. In the Bible you will find a lot of stories and quotes by Jesus and numerous books have been written about his life and mission. People from all over the world want to know more about this extraordinary man. Who is Jesus? Did Jesus really exist? Where was Jesus born? Is Jesus God?
What does Jesus’ name mean?
For many people Jesus is an historical figure from the past. An interesting man and many are inspired by his outlook on life and his sense of justice. That’s it. But this Jesus has a greater influence on our lives than we may realize. First of all take a look at our calendar. Look at today’s date. This date is determined by the birth of Jesus. The day he was born marks the beginning of our era.
What’s in a name?
Christmas is a joyful family gathering for many of us. But we don’t always realize that the birth of Jesus has truly changed the world forever. His mum and dad, Joseph and Mary, welcomed their little baby boy and said: His name is Jesus. That means ‘Jahweh saves’. Jahweh is a Jewish description of God. His name means God saves. Christians believe that this was the purpose of Jesus: Saving us. In the Bible you will find a lot of different names to describe Jesus. All highlighting various aspects of his character.
He is seen as the Son of God. His arrival was also the birth of the church. Did Jesus really exist? Yes! The fact that he has walked on this earth, has had an incredible impact. For instance: Where do all these holidays come from? Every year we celebrate Christmas, Easter and even Carnival. All these holidays mark important moments in Jesus’ life.
What was Jesus’ mission?
Let’s start at the beginning: Where was Jesus born? He was born in Israël, in the town of Bethlehem. Israël was a Jewish country and Jesus was born as a Jew. His mission in life became not only to let the Jews know but people worldwide: God saves. His name is Jesus. His name is the perfect recap for what Christians believe was Jesus’ mission.
So Joseph and Mary were his parents so you may wonder why he is called the Son of God? That’s a really good question and why did God become human? God has created the earth, the people, all the animals, nature – he the creator of all. He loves his creation immensely. But a lot of people have no interest in this creator. Perhaps because he seems so far away. You can’t see him. You can’t touch him. You can’t have a normal conversation with him. What are we supposed to do with a God all high and mighty on his throne locked up in heaven? What does he know about the struggles we face on this earth? God missed that very connection. He wanted to experience life on earth in order to truly connect. To hold people, experience life, to be close. You could even describe Jesus as an agent in the family business. He came to represent his father. He came as the Son of God.
Jesus has said and done so many things in his life. He reached the age of 33 years old. The time line of Jesus filled with extraordinary encounters and bizarre events. His death was a game changer. Whether you believe he is the Son of God or not, you cannot deny his great impact on the world. The fact that you reading about Jesus right now, over 2000 years after he died, is proof that his life had great meaning.
To this day millions of people, in every nation and tongue, believe that God saves.
Explore and research and discover our answer to the question: Who is Jesus?