Was Jesus a Jew or Christian?

Answer 1

Jesus was Jewish. He was born a Jew, lived a Jewish life, taught and read in the synagogue, and was called 'rabbi' by some of his followers. The word 'Christian' refers to the followers of 'the Christ' - the Messiah, the anointed one. Jesus, in this context could not have been a 'Christian' by definition. However, Jesus was no ordinary Jew. Christians believe that he was sent by God as God in human form (hence the other name that Jesus used 'Emman\uel' which means 'God with us'). God the Father had revealed himself to the Jews over thousands of years in the stories in the Old Testament (or the 'Old Covenant'/Old Agreement') but the Jews continued to rebel against God to such an extent that even when the prophets foretold the messiah coming the Jews still ignored them.

Jesus, because of his teaching, his miracles and his crucifixion and resurrection, was seen as the fulfilment of the New Covenant (hence the accounts of his life are in the part of the Bible called the New Testament) between God and humankind. He showed the way to God through love and not mindless rules, and he made it very clear that his message was for all humanity and not just for the Jews.

After his crucifixion and resurrection, the ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit, his followers were mostly still Jews following 'The Way' as it was called. In fact, many new non-jewish adherents of the Way got into arguments about whether or not they should be circumcised, and whether or not certain foods were banned, just like in the old Jewish days. St Paul (who wrote many of the letters in the New Testament) pointed out that Jesus required that this new 'Way' was open to all, circumcised or not, pork-eaters or not. What mattered was the content of their hearts and not rules.

So the followers of the new Jesus movement, where a new relationship with God was possible through the salvation offered by Jesus, continued to be called 'the Way' - in fact they were not eventually called 'Christians' until many years later.

Great FULL answer. . .

To keep it short and simple, Jesus mother Mary was Jewish, therefore Jesus was Jewish. Today he is worshiped mainly in Christianity. (refer to last paragraph of top answer)

Answer 2

He was Jewish. This is because Christianity, generally speaking, came out of the belief of the story of Jesus. Since he was alive before the creation of Christianity, he was in fact Jewish.

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Big emphasis on the "was" here. Jesus WAS jewish, until He claimed the mantle of Messiah for Himself. In Judaism, one remains Jewish until one embraces another religion. Then one ceases to be Jewish. This has been discussed an ruled upon in Halacha (Jewish Law) cneturies ago, and right up to the modern Israeli Supreme Court.

Answer 3

Jesus was from a Jewish family; in religious practice in his lifetime, he was his Father's son. doing his Father's business. The followers of Jesus became the Christians (followers of Christ), a term that wasn't used in Jesus' lifetime. Over time, Christians began to identify themselves into specific groups; one of those groups was Catholics. Although he showed respect for his family's Jewish beliefs, Jesus' only religion was to do God, his Father's, work.

Answer 4

Christianity did not exist at the time of Jesus. He himself was following the teachings of the one and same religion, in which Adam and Eve, David and Solomon, Moses and Abraham believed.

Jesus had been ascended for some unspecified length of time before the Antiochians first used this term. Therefore, the above writer is correct to point out that Christianity did not exist while Jesus was corporeally upon the Earth. So in answer to the question: No, strictly speaking, Jesus was not a Christian. Regarding Jesus' name: On this point the above writer grievously errs. The name Jesus in no way is related to the name Esau.. except for the fact that they're both Hebrew names. In the book of Malachi, G-d says, "And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness." (Malachi 1:3) Esau (Esav) comes from a Hebrew root meaning "to do or to make" and actually means, "handled." The name Jesus derives from Hebrew roots meaning "YHVH saves." Do you think that G-d, after intricately weaving the Son as seamlessly as possible into history, would goof on the name?

Islamic answer:

The person of Jesus or Isa in Arabic (peace be upon him) is of great significance in both Islam and Christianity. Jesus was not his real name and the word Christ or Christianity did not exist at the time of Jesus.

Let me first explain the real name of Jesus and then once that's clarified, I would be able to explain his religion.

The Holy Quran refers to Jesus as "Eesa", and this name is used more times than any other title, because this was his "Christian"1 name. Actually, his proper name was "Eesa" (Arabic), or "Esau". (Hebrew); classical "Yeheshua", which the Christian nations of the West Latinised as Jesus.

Neither the "J" nor the second "s" in the name Jesus is to be found in the original tongue - they are not found in the Semitic languages.

The word is very simply - "E S A U" - a very common Jewish name, used more than sixty times in the very first booklet alone of The Bible, in the part called "Genesis". There was at least one "Jesus" sitting on the"bench" at the trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin. Josephus the Jewish historian mentions some twenty five Jesus' in his "Book of Antiquities". The New Testament speaks of "Bar-Jesus"- a magician and a sorcerer, a false prophet (Act 13:6); and also "Jesus-Justus" - a Christian missionary, a contemporary of Paul (Colossians 4:11). These are distinct from Jesus the son of Mary. Transforming "Esau" to (J)esu(s) - Jesus - makes it unique. This unique (?) name has gone out of currency among the Jews and the Christians from the 2nd century after Christ. Among the Jews, because it came to be the proper name of their God(?) - their God incarnate. The Muslim will not hesitate to name his son - "Eesa" - because it is an honoured name, the name of a righteous servant of the Lord.

Another answer:

Says in Old and New Testament that Jesus was a Jew, but see site below.

Answer:

No. Because Christianity is based on the death and ressurection of Jesus so it was not possible for any one to be a Christian until after Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus is the son of God son there is no need for him to be a Christian.

Answer 5

No.

The Christian claim is that Jesus of Nazareth was God (capital G) made man. Jesus was fully divine as He was human.

If Jesus had been just a good, godly man then there would be considerable difficulties believing what the New Testament tells us about His life and ministry.

In verse one John writes "….and the word was God". The Greek word order and grammar of this phrase makes it plain that "the Word was God" not "a God". - Vincent.

There are other verses throughout the New Testament that support the teaching that Jesus was God eg Col 1:15, 2:9 Hebrews 1:8.

Answer 6

Jesus is the eternal 'Word' (see John 1:1-4), presently 1 of 2 divine beings in the God family. He was the God who created man and walked with him in the Garden. He was the Melchizedek of Abram's time (see Hebrews 5 through 7 for the explanation) and the God to the prophets. He took on the role of mankind's savior, called Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In this role, He was born of the tribe of Judah to fulfill the 'Scepter' prophesy (Genesis 49:10), thus making Him physically Jewish.

Part of His human mission was to establish the 'Church of God' as it is called about a dozen times in the New Testament. This Apostolic Church would be corrupted by philosophical thought and other manmade ideas soon after the Ascension of Christ and 'evolved' into what is called 'Christianity' today.

Answer 7

Jesus was a Jew who went on to found a different religion.See also the Related Link.

Why didn't the Jews accept Jesus

Answer 8

He was not just A God - He was the only God who exists. God, by His very definition cannot have another. Everything that exists in Creation is contingent. God, by definition is uncreated and non-contingent. In other words God is existence itself - and anyone can know that with the use of reason.

Because of His great love for us, He incarnated as man, but remained 100% God, the only God.

Answer 9

Jesus was neither a Muslim or a christian but he was a Jew because the Christian faith had not yet been established and he just was not a Muslim

Answer 10

Jesus was born a Jew and eventually moved away from Judaism to begin his new religion.