CHAPTER 3

Chapter 3

The Life
of Jesus
Martyr
Martyr is a
Greek word
that means
witness. It
was first
ascribed to
Christians to
designate
those who
bore witness
to their faith
God Enters History in the Person of Jesus Christ
by dying for it.
Where did Jesus Live?
Bethlehem: Jesus was
born when Mary and
Joseph traveled to the
hometown of Joseph
Nazareth: the boyhood
home of Jesus located in
Galilee
Jerusalem: the holy city
of the Jews where the
Temple was located and
where Jesus spent much
of his public ministry
God Enters History in the Person of Jesus Christ
When in Time did Jesus Live?

God Enters History in the Person of Jesus Christ

GOSPEL
Preached by
Jesus

Proclaimed
by the
The proclamation of the Apostles

Good News of salvation,

that God has sent his beloved
Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem Written as
four records
sinners so that they might
receive adoption as sons and
daughters of God. This Good
News was preached by Jesus,
Events of Jesus Life
proclaimed by the Apostles
Major Events in Jesus Life
1. Jesus Jewish name was given to Mary by the angel Gabriel at the time
of the Annunciation.
2. Jesus hometown was Nazareth. However, because of a census
ordered by the Roman government, Jesus birth took place in
Bethlehem, the place of origin of Joseph, his foster father.
3. After being baptized by the prophet John the Baptist, likely between
AD 27 and 30, Jesus began his own public ministry.
4. Jesus manner of preaching and his actions led some people to think
of him as a great prophet.
5. Eventually, the Jewish religious leaders handed Jesus over to the
Roman officials for arrest. He was found guilty of blasphemy. Pontius
Pilate sentenced him to the cruelest form of capital punishment:
crucifixion.
Events of Jesus Life
 Journal
Reflection
What evidence of
Christs historical life
do you find most
compelling? Why?
How has this
evidence impacted
your faith?
Events of Jesus Life
 Written Recordings Outside of the Bible
Perso Main Source Evidence
n
Tacitus Annals Mentions Christians in connection with Nero and the great fire in
Rome/executed by Pontius Pilate
Suetonius Lives of the Caesars Connects Chrestus (Christ) with Jewish riots in Rome
Pliny the correspondence with Christians met together to worship, sang hymns, recited a creed,
younger Emperor Trajan and promised to live morally and worship Jesus Christ.
Josephus Jewish Antiquities John the Baptist was a good man. Annas the Younger put James
the Just to death in AD 62. James was the brother of Jesus who
is called Christ.
Thallus quotations in historical Thallus wrote about the earthquake and darkness that
documents descended on the land when Jesus died.
Mara bar letter to his son Jews (Jewish leaders) killed their wise King and afterwards were
Serapion ruined and driven from their land. The wise King lived on in the
teaching that he had given.
Lucian of work of satire He mocked the Christian faith in the Resurrection and said that
Samosata Christians follow the teaching of that one who is their founder
and lawgiver who was crucified.
More Evidence of the Historical Life of Jesus
Celsus Against Celsus by Origen Celsus made these claims: Jesus father was a Roman soldier;
What the Gospels Reveals about the Life of Jesus
 Four Gospels
Authentic
testimonies of
faith in Jesus
Christ
Inspired
writings
Written sources
Expression of
the Churchs
Mark Luke John
Matthew
faith in Jesus

What the Gospels Reveals about the Life of Jesus


Amen, amen, I say to
you, whatever you ask
the Father in my name
he will give you (Jn
16:23).
Abba means father or
dad. Jesus used Abba
to reveal that God is
Father in an unheard-of
sense
Good
Samaritan

The Prodigal
Who but God Son
alone can
forgive sins?
(Mk 2:7)
What the Gospels Reveals about the Life of Jesus
What the Gospels Reveals about the Life of Jesus
Early Christian Persecution
YEAR Event or Era of Persecution for Early Christians
AD
64 Nero deflects blame for great fire in Romeblames first Jews then
Christians
95-96 Domitian Empire (much persecution)
98-117 Trajans Empire (Pliny encountered Christians and immediately condemned
them to death sparing those who claimed to be reformed
124-125 Cases against Christians must have misdeeds named or serious
consequences for accusers
125-160 Period of relative tolerance
161 Marcus Aurelius came to power. Polycarp sentences Christians to death
175 Christians property seized
193 Severan Dynastychurch became stronger, consolidated in cities, grew.
202-210 Anti Christian sentiments grew
235-238 Persecution agaisnt church leaders grew
249-251 Severe test for Christians
258-259 Bloodiest persecution
260-303 Peaceful time for Christians
The Witness of Early Martyrs to the Life of Jesus
303 The Great Persecutions
Journal Reflection
Describe a time when
you have felt
compromised or
threatened by your
religious beliefs.

The Witness of Early Martyrs to the Life of Jesus