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Jesus
The Catholic Christian Position

The Historical Jesus

1. The principal non-Christian sources for the proof of Jesus’ existence are: the Roman writers, Suetonius, Pliny the Younger, and Tacitus, and the Jewish writer, Josephus. These writers existed from 49 to 70 A.D. (C.E.). They specifically mention the man, Jesus Christ.
2. The principal Christian sources of Jesus’ existence are: the four writers of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), the Acts of the Apostles (an early history of Jesus and his followers from 30 to 80 A.D., Paul’s letters and the early writings of Church leaders. Paul a convert from Judaism brought the Christian Faith to many areas of the world such as Greece, Turkey and Europe.
3. The four gospels speak of Jesus’ sermons, miracles, sayings, and stories.
4. The Acts of the Apostles speak of the early Christianity’s major leaders, Peter, Paul, Timothy, Barnabas, and others.
5. The key themes of Paul’s letters are: Jesus is Lord; Jesus is Savior of Jew and non-Jew; Jesus fulfilled the Jewish scriptures; Jesus is the head of all followers who are Christians. The followers of Jesus were first called Christians in the city of Antioch, Syria at the end of the first century. A.D.
6. Jesus’ homeland was Palestine. Today it is call Israel. It is approximately 150 miles long, 100 miles wide. Its geological characteristics are: valleys, mountains, plains and bodies of water. Two of these water bodies are the Sea of Galilee (Jesus spends a lot of time here) and the Dead Sea.
7. Climatically, Palestine (Israel) has two seasons: summer and winter. Politically in Jesus’ time, Palestine under Roman rule was divided into three parts: Judea, Samaria and Galilee. Jesus’ ministry was predominately spent in Galilee, the northern section of Palestine. Very little time was spent in Samaria and Judea. In Judea was the capital Jerusalem where Jesus would go for Passover and other occasions.
8. Palestinian Judaism in Jesus’ time had three sects: Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes. The Pharisees were the orthodox strict Jew. The Sadducees were the conservatists made up of the priests, their families and the wealthy families. The Essenes were generally pacifist. Their religious doctrines differed. Many historians believe Jesus was basically a Pharisee.
9. Less influential groups were the Zealots and the scribes. The Zealots were the extreme Jewish nationalists. The scribes were the lawyers.

Jesus the Person
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, Palestine around 4 B.C. (B.C.E.) and died in Jerusalem around 30 A.D. (C.E.). Jesus died under the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate in the reign of the Roman Emperor Tiberius. The exact dates of Jesus’ birth and death cannot be pinpointed exactly, but his life must fall between the death of Herod, the King (4 B.C.) and 3 A.D. He was born of Jewish parents, Mary and Joseph. When he was a young boy he lived in a town called Nazareth. It was a small town with about two hundred people. Like Joseph, called by Christians, his foster father, he learned to be a carpenter. Christians believe that Jesus was miraculously conceived by God in the womb of Mary, his mother. Similar to his fellow countrymen and women he lived under the power of the Roman Empire. Palestine was one of the many countries under the jurisdiction of Rome.

As a young man, Jesus attended the synagogue in Nazareth where he learned religious ideas from the local rabbi. On the Sabbath, as a faithful Jew, he went to the Jewish services. There he prayed, meditated, and discussed the meaning of the Jewish scriptures (called Old Testament by Christians). He spoke and read Hebrew and Aramaic.

When he was about thirty years old, he started to preach and teach in many towns of Galilee and other areas. Soon a number of people followed and listened to him. The numbers grew daily. Within a short time, his reputation spread. Some called him a prophet. Some called him a messiah and a holy man. Others called him a rebel. His followers believed him to be the Son of God.

A more detailed view of Jesus’ daily life will provide a clearer picture of him. What type of house did he live in? What foods did he eat? What kind of clothing did he wear? Was he educated? What diseases prevailed? How did he travel? What were the religious practices of his day?

Palestinian housing for low income people (Jesus’ family) was flat-roofed with an external staircase and inner raised platform built of mud and/or wood. The family used the roof like an extra room since there was usually one room in the house. Joseph’s carpenter’s shop was part of the house on the ground level. Water was kept in a jar outside the house. The ground floor area was divided into two sections: one area for living, the other for the animals. There was no fireplace. The fire was made in a hole in the earth floor. The wealthy homes were constructed with stone and bricks. They had several rooms with a courtyard in the center of the complex, two or three bedrooms, a dining room, a storeroom, and a cooking area.

With regard to food, Jesus’ diet varied and included lentils, corn, beans, onions, cucumbers, garlic, herbs, melons, figs, dates, nuts, pomegranates, grapes and cheese. Fish rather than lamb and veal were eaten. His normal drink would have been milk, wine, and water.

Jewish men like Jesus wore long cotton tunics with a leather belt. In the wintertime, the poor wore over the tunic a light coat made of goat’s hair; the rich man’s coat would be made from real wool. Because of the heat, men and women wore a turban or a square piece of cloth held on the head by a cord. His footwear would have been of a cow-hide sole fastened to the ankle by a leather thong passing between the large and second toes.

Jesus like all males went to school attached to the synagogue when he was six. History, mathematics, reading and a trade were taught. Jesus learned carpentry. Other trades such as tanning, masonry, shepherding, fishing and farming were options to young Jewish boys.

Jesus’ town had either a physician or a surgeon. Jewish communities were very aware of personal cleanliness and diseases.

How did Jesus travel? Like many ordinary people of the day, he went on foot. There were times when he used donkeys, the chief means of transportation for poor people. Wealthier people traveled by horse, carriages, or chariots. Camels and donkeys were used for traveling together as a caravan for safety against thieves.

Like many faithful Jews, Jesus attended daily religious services. He would have gone to the local synagogue for weekly Sabbath services. By law, every Jewish person was generally required to make three trips to the Temple annually in Jerusalem.

Jesus' Teachings
Jesus’ teaching is concrete, striking and living. At other times his words are paradoxical, hyperbolic and provocative. But always there is a central theme (idea) to repent and reform one’s life. These ideas are at the core of his key message—THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Repent from your sins and make the Kingdom of God a better place for people to live in. It is accomplished when a person changes one’s sinful ways. That means a person must have a change of mind. The Kingdom of God is improved by observing the Ten Commandments of God. They speak of real life issues relating to God and humanity: God, family, sex, work, charity, property, speech and thoughts.

Finally we can summarize what Christians believe- namely -Jesus Christ is truly the Son of God who came to this world to save all peoples.

What Catholic Christians believe in Jesus Christ can be summarized in what Catholics call the Apostles’ Creed:

We (Catholics) believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

We believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended to the dead. One the third cay he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.