Who is Jesus?

Jesus of Nazareth lived in Roman occupied Israel from around 4 BC to around 29 AD.

Not only Christian authors (like the gospel-writers Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and the early missionary Paul), but also ancient non-Christian historians (like Pliny the Younger, Tacitus and Josephus) agree that Jesus was a holy man, a teacher who was crucified during the time of the Roman Procurator, Pontius Pilate.

There is controversy about what happens next.  As even those ancient historians record, his followers claimed that God raised Jesus from the dead.  All four gospel writers and St Paul report that three days after his death, the Risen Lord encountered his followers on the first ‘Easter Sunday’ and that he continued to appear to them over a 40 day period.

This is why Christians, to this day, observe Sunday as the chief holy day.  We believe the Risen Lord still encounters us and calls us to his service.

Jesus once asked his followers what people were saying about him.  They told him that he was widely regarded as a prophet.  Jesus then asked him what they themselves thought, and St Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ (or ‘the Messiah’, ‘God’s Chosen One’), the Son of the Living God’.  (St Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 16 verses 13 to 20.)