Who was Jesus Christ?
One Person Changed the World's Calendar
Jesus of Nazareth lived 2,000 years ago in a remote province of the Roman Empire. He held no political power and commanded no military armies—yet his birth divides human history into “before” and “after.” Our entire Western calendar (BC/AD) confirms that this one life remains the most influential in history.
Why His Appearance Was So Explosive
Jesus did not appear in a vacuum. The Jewish people lived under Roman oppression and longed passionately for the promised Savior, the “Messiah.” They expected a political liberator.
But then Jesus came.
He challenged the entire religious and social order:
He forgave sins—something that, according to Jewish understanding, only God Himself can do.
He claimed to be the Messiah foretold by the prophets—and even the Son of God.
His radical message of loving one’s enemies and showing mercy stood in stark contrast to the values of His time.
His words and actions were so extraordinary that they inevitably provoked extreme reactions: people either followed Him with total devotion or rejected Him so decisively that they demanded His death.
Why This Context Matters to Us Today
This historical background is more than dry facts. It shows us two crucial truths:
His claims were unmistakable. Jesus’ contemporaries understood exactly what He meant: He equated Himself with God. This was the core reason for the conflict with the religious leaders.
His influence is unexplainable otherwise. How could the execution of a simple itinerant preacher from the provinces become the turning point of world history? The simplest explanation remains the most compelling: because He was exactly who He claimed to be.
The question “Who was Jesus?” is not an academic exercise. It is the most important question every person must answer—then and now.
What Jesus Said About Himself
Jesus made claims about His identity that were radical and unique for His time. He was a Jew who knew the Scriptures and religious expectations intimately—and He knew that His words would be understood as a divine claim. He did not present Himself merely as a teacher or prophet, but as the Son of God, the Messiah, and the mediator between God and humanity.
Some of Jesus’ central claims:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
→ Jesus claims unique salvation and divine authority.“I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12)
→ He positions Himself as the spiritual guidance for humanity.“Before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58)
→ With this statement, He consciously identifies Himself with God’s self-revelation in the Old Testament (Exodus 3:14).Acceptance of Worship and Messiah Confirmation: Jesus allowed people to worship Him (Matthew 14:33; Matthew 28:9) and clearly confirmed that He was the Messiah (Matthew 16:13–20; John 4:26).
These statements were not meant symbolically—they were radical and provocative. They convinced His disciples to entrust their lives to Him, while simultaneously leading to conflict with the religious leaders of His time, who viewed His claims as blasphemy.
Why this is crucial:
Jesus consciously claimed a divine identity within the Jewish faith context. This self-understanding forms the foundation of His followers’ conviction and explains why His life, message, and death have lastingly shaped history.
The Conviction of the Followers
Jesus’ disciples did not simply believe He was a good teacher—they were convinced He was the promised Messiah, the Son of God, and the Savior of the world.
Core Convictions of the Disciples:
Jesus as the Messiah: “We have found the Messiah” (John 1:41). The disciples recognized in Him the long-awaited Redeemer of Israel.
The Resurrection of Jesus: After His death, the disciples were utterly convinced that Jesus had physically risen from the dead—they saw Him, spoke with Him, and touched Him (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-29).
Significance for Humanity: They believed that through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, reconciliation with God became possible (Romans 5:10-11; John 3:16).
The disciples understood perfectly how to interpret Jesus’ statements within the Jewish faith context. Many of His words contained a clear divine claim, and they recognized the unique authority with which He spoke. Their faith was so powerful that many were willing to die for this conviction. Historians widely agree that they genuinely and deeply believed what they documented in the Gospels.
What Jesus’ Opponents Said About Him
Jesus’ words were not merely provocative—they made it clear that He claimed to be far more than just a man.
The religious leaders of His time recognized this immediately. They knew exactly how His claims were to be understood within the framework of Jewish belief: this was not just about wisdom or good teaching, but a clear claim to divinity.
Despite their skepticism, many could not deny that Jesus spoke with extraordinary authority and conviction. Even high-ranking Pharisees admitted: “No one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him” (John 3:2). His words impressed, provoked, and divided people—and in the end, it was precisely this claim that led the religious leaders to convict Him on charges of blasphemy and sentence Him to death (Markus 14:61-64).
The fact that His opponents clearly understood that Jesus was making a divine claim underscores a critical point: here was someone whose claim could not be ignored.
The Most Important Question: Who Was Jesus?
The historical sources, the reactions of His opponents, and the devotion of His followers paint a clear picture: Jesus of Nazareth was no ordinary man. His radical claims, His unique life, and His enduring influence demand a decision.
So, who was Jesus?
The evidence leaves only three logical possibilities:
A Liar? Then He was the most deceitful and self-destructive charlatan in history, who died for a lie He knowingly propagated.
A Lunatic? His words reveal a clarity and depth that remain the standard for morality and wisdom to this day. Profound, world-altering wisdom and insanity are mutually exclusive.
The Lord? Then He was exactly who He claimed to be: the Son of God, the Savior of the world.
The overwhelming historical and personal evidence points to the third option. The disciples who followed Him came to this conclusion—not blindly, but because they were eyewitnesses to His words, His deeds, and, above all, His resurrection.
The question to you is the same one Jesus asked His disciples:
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15)
Simon Peter answered:
“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus replied:
“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 16:16-17)
This realization—that Jesus is the Son of God—does not come from human logic alone; it is a revelation from God. Yet it is given to those who seek Him honestly.
This question cannot be answered by historical analysis alone. It requires a personal decision. Jesus invites you not merely to study Him as a historical figure, but to know Him as the Lord of your life and to experience this life-changing certainty for yourself.
Faith and science?
Many people believe that faith and science are in conflict. Yet pioneers like Newton, Kepler, and Pasteur saw no contradiction—for them, scientific discovery and Christian faith complemented each other perfectly.