The name “Christian” means “Christ follower,” giving Jesus a crucial, foundational role in the Christian faith. He is the second member of the Holy Trinity, also known as the Son of God the Father. Described as a mediator between God and humans, Jesus came to Earth as a human and was born and grew into adulthood, leading a sinless life and teaching others the way to heaven.
The existence of Jesus Christ is a little disputed fact across different religions and people groups. Even atheists, who do not believe in any superior supernatural being, recognize that Jesus lived around 2,000 years ago. The controversy lies within Jesus’ identity, He claimed to have been the Son of God, blasphemous in the eyes of Jewish leaders. Modern Jews believe that Jesus was a wise teacher and a good Rabbi, but not the Messiah promised in the Old Testament. In fact, in early Jewish literature dated around the first and second century A.D., there is little to no negative material about Jesus. Jewish opposition rose as Christianity spread and along with it, the divinity of Christ emphasized (“Who is Jesus, According to Other Religions”). One attribute that set Jesus apart from prophets and rabbis was His ability to perform miracles. …show more content…
In the four gospels of the New Testament, there are 37 accounts of various miracles performed by Christ. Included in these records are accounts of Jesus healing the sick, opening the eyes of the blind, turning water into wine, mobilizing the lame, and calming storms with only a few words. On several occasions it was recorded that Jesus cast demons out of animals or people that had been possessed, demonstrating His authority over Satan and his demons. Conceivably the miracles that proved Jesus’ deity the most were those in which He proved His power over death. One instance is the resurrection of Lazarus, a man from Bethany with whom Jesus was closely acquainted, found in John 11. Word of Lazarus falling ill was sent by his sisters, Mary and Martha. Upon arriving to the house of Mary and Martha a few days later, Jesus was told that Lazarus had lain in the grave for four days. Martha approached Jesus and mourned saying if Jesus had come sooner, her brother would not be dead. Jesus responded in John 11:25-26 “I am the resurrection, and the life…and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die” (KJV). Christ had the stone rolled away from the cave in which Lazarus’ body lay and commanded him to come forth, and the body regained life. Upon hearing this, Jewish leaders created a counsel to have Jesus put to death for performing witchcraft and claiming to be the Son of God. Jesus was sentenced to death by crucifixion under the charges of sedition, blasphemy, and treason, (Bere 150) despite living a completely sinless life. Three different trials occurred before the final sentence was delivered by Pilate, the Roman governor. Along with the excruciating physical pain that resulted from merciless beatings and being nailed to a wooden cross, the emotional pain suffered by Christ was unimaginable. He bore the weight of every sin that had ever been and will ever be committed by every person on earth at once. God the Father turned away from Jesus, who had become sin, and Christ died a physical death on the cross, taking the place