How did you learn most about the life of Jesus?

Answer 1

By reading the first four books of the New Testament (Matthew, Luke Mark & John). Outside The Bible, you will not find anything that relates to the life of Jesus.

Most things I learnt about the life of Jesus, I learnt after I believed upon Him for salvation. Before that it was all head knowledge. To understand the life of Jesus means an awful lot more than reading a book, although that will help, especially the Bible. But if one reads it in total unbelief, then it will not help.

To learn most about the life of Jesus, one needs to become one of His followers and then the Spirit of truth will guide and provide deeper understanding. Also the life of Jesus is in a sense lived-out, however imperfectly in the lives of those who truly believe and follow Him.

Answer 2

The New Testament of the Bible is the primary source of knowledge about the historical Jesus. Non-Christian sources used to establish the historical existence of Jesus are the works of first-century historians Josephus and Tacitus.

Answer 3

Historians are not satisfied that they know the facts with reasonable certainty unless they have at least two separate and independent sources of information on a subject, preferring contemporary accounts written by eyewitnesses. At this stage, they only have one source, which is the gospels. Apart from the gospels, there are only Christian accounts from later centuries and non-Christian sources which were probably reliant on Christian testimony. The first-century Jewish historian, Josephus, briefly mentions Jesus but historians say that the two existing versions of this account, the Flavius Testimonium, have been altered by Christians and they are unsure what, if anything that Josephus actually wrote[citations needed].

The gospels must be considered as one account, not four, and not as eyewitness accounts, because it has been established that Mark was not only the first New Testament gospel to be written, but also the main source directly (Matthew and Luke) or indirectly (John) for the later three New Testament gospels. All the New Testament gospels were originally anonymous until attributed to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John later in the second century, but historians and biblical scholars say there is no good reason to accept those attributions. In particular, scholars say that none of the gospels could have been written by an eyewitness to the events portrayed. This is saying that there must be serious doubts about the accuracy of the gospels as a historical record, but if any gospel is a source of knowledge about the historical Jesus, it must be Mark's Gospel.

For that reason, much research has gone into analysis of Mark in recent times, slowly bringing new facts to light. For example, it has been well established that Mark's Gospel originally ended at verse 16:8, with the young man telling the women that Jesus was risen and they fled in terror, telling no one. The 'Long Ending' (verses 16:9-20) was added much later, after the other gospels had been written. Historians must dismiss the stories of the appearances of the risen Jesus, which in any case differ quite markedly from gospel to gospel.

Research that will be particularly useful to historians in the study of Mark's Gospel, by helping to establish the likelihood that certain events actually happened, is the discovery of a framework parallel structure that encompasses the entire gospel. A parallel structure is a literary sequence in which an opening set of events is contrasted by a second, parallel set that mirrors the first. Parallel structures were used in ancient times to add emphasis or to develop themes that were otherwise hidden. The structure of Mark is summarised below:

A . John explains the coming of Jesus (Mark 1:1-8)

B .The baptism of Jesus (1:9)

C . The voice of God from heaven, "Thou art my beloved son" (1:11)

D . The forty days in the wilderness as an allusion to Elijah and Moses (1:13)

E . The people were astonished at what Jesus taught (1:22)

F . Jesus casts out an unclean spirit (1:23-26)

G . Pharisees took counsel with the Herodians how they might destroy Jesus (3:6)

H . Demons, whenever they see Jesus, fall down and say that he is the Son of God.

-- Jesus commands that they tell no one of this (3:11-12)

I .. Jesus calls the 12 disciples (3:13-19)

J .. Jesus rejects his own family: he has a new family, his followers (3:31-35)

K . Jesus rebukes the wind (4:36-41)

L . The demoniac, wearing no clothes (5:15), cries out that Jesus not torment him and Jesus sends out the demons (5:1-20)

M . Jesus comes into his own country (6:1)
-- Where he was brought up

N . The people misunderstand Jesus and he can do no mighty work (6:2-6)

O . Jesus sends out the disciples and curses those who will not receive them (6:7-11)
-- in sending the disciples with authority and expecting all to receive them, Jesus is asserting his own authority

P . Herod thinks that Jesus is John the Baptist risen from the dead (6:14)

Q . Herodias and her daughter conspire to kill John the Baptist (6:16-29)

R . Feeding the thousands, and related miracles and discourses (6:33-8:21)

S . Who do people say that I am (8:27)

T . Peter affirms faith in Jesus as the Christ (8:29)

U . Whosoever shall be ashamed of me: of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed (8:38)

V . The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and scribes (8:31a)

W . Be killed and after three days rise again (8:31b)

X . Prophecy of second coming (9:1)- Jesus tells the disciples that some of them would not taste death until they saw the kingdom of God coming with power.

B' .The Transfiguration of Jesus (9:2-3)

C' .The voice of God from heaven, "This is my beloved son" (9:7)

D' . Jesus talks to Elijah and Moses then to the disciples about Elijah (9:4-13)

E' .A great multitude was amazed at Jesus (9:15)

F' .Jesus cast out a dumb spirit (9:17-27)

G' .They shall kill the Son of man and he shall rise on the third day (9:31)

H' .Jesus clarifies his divine status, saying that he is not God: "Why call me good? There is none good but God" (10:18)

I' . Peter says the disciples have left all and followed Jesus (10:28)

J' . Those who have left their family for Jesus have a new family: all Jesus' followers (10:29-30)

K'. Jesus rebukes the 'sons of thunder', James and John (10:35-45 - cf 3:17)

L' .Blind Bartimaeus cries out for mercy and casts off his clothes, then Jesus heals him (10:46-52)

M' .Jesus comes into Jerusalem (11:1-10)
-- Where he will die

N' .Jesus misunderstands the fig tree that can provide no fruit (11:13-14)

O' .Jesus casts out them that sold and bought in the Temple and curses them for making the Temple a den of thieves (11:15-17)
-- Jesus is asserting his authority

P' .Jesus asks whether the baptism of John is from heaven or of men, and the priests, scribes and elders can not answer (11:30-33)

Q' .Parable of husbandmen who conspire to kill the vineyard owner's son (12:1-9)

X' .Prophecy of second coming (chapter 13)

-- on clouds of glory, within the lifetimes of some of those to whom he was speaking

R' .The Last Supper (14:17-25)

S' .Art thou the Christ, Son of God (14:61)

T' .Peter denies Jesus three times (14:66-72a)

U' .And when he thought thereon, Peter wept (14:72b)

V' .The chief priests, elders and scribes delivered Jesus to Pontius Pilate (15:1)

-- Delivering Jesus is a similar concept to rejecting him.
-- Both parts of the pair involve chief priests, elders and scribes

W' .Jesus dies and on the third day rises again (15:37, 16:6)

A' .The young man explains the departure of Jesus(16:6-8)

Notice how each important event in the story of Jesus has a matching event in just the right place to create emphasis or develop a theme not otherwise apparent? Life is never so perfectly organised, so the most we can say is that Mark's Gospel might contain something historical but, if so, probably not a great deal. Rhoads, Dewey and Michie go as far as to say (Mark as Story, page 5) Mark should be read as story rather than as history.

Answer 4

History struggles at times to report accurately. Even today, attempting to report on certain events of WWII is challenging and that is less than a century ago. How much more challenging would it be to report on a 1st Century AD 'holy man?' But there are items worth considering.

Without a doubt, the primary source of the historical life events of Jesus would be the New Testament - 8 individual writings from 8 different writers. There are some other worthwhile notations from non-religious sources indicating that He lived. Consider Thallus (circa 52 AD), Suetonius (circa 50 AD), Josephus (93-94 AD) and Tacitus (115 AD). There are also notable entries in the Jewish Talmud (a source one wouldn't expect noting Jesus) Sanhedrin 43a and in Islam. A Greek satirist Lucian also notes Jesus.

Suffice it to say, virtually all scholars who write on the subject accept that Jesus existed. The more we unearth - like the recent 1990 tomb of the High Priest Joseph Caiaphas (Yehosef bar Qafa) who the Bible mentions as the High Priest during Jesus' trial and crucifixion - the more real the picture becomes of the historical Jesus.

Answer 5

The only information about the life of Jesus comes from the gospels, and Mark's Gospel is the earliest of these as well as being the principal source forthe others, directly (Matthew, Luke) or indirectly (John). If Mark's Gospel is in error, we have no other source to correct it.

Answer 6

A King James Version Bible. You can find one at most dollar stores, or Christian book stores.

Answer 7

My knowledge is from the bible as well as bible studies.

Answer 8

The most accessible and trusted sources are from the New Testament of the Bible. The life of Jesus is talked about in the books Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Answer 9

Jesus gave his life as a Ransom on behalf of many....Matthew 20:28

Jesus is the Son of God....John 17:3

Jesus is the now ruling as King in heaven....Matthew 28:18

Answer 10

The Gospels are the main source for the earthly Life Of Our Lord Jesus.