The Life Of Jesus

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Part One

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Incarnation Cycle and the Childhood of Jesus

These episodes concern Jesus's conception, birth, infancy, and youth

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1.1

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Annunciation

The archangel Gabriel tells Mary that she will bear God's son. The Holy Spirit, usually as a dove, represents the Incarnation, the miraculous conception.

26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

34"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

35The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[c] the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37For nothing is impossible with God."

38"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

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1.2

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Visitation

The pregnant Mary visits her older cousin, Elizabeth, who is to bear John the Baptist and who is the first to recognize the divine nature of the baby Mary is carrying.

41When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"

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1.3

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Nativity

At the birth of Jesus, the Holy Family- Mary, his foster father Joseph, and the child- is usually depicted in a stable, or in Byzantine representations, in a cave.

1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.
4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

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1.4

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Annunciation to the Shepherds and Adoration of the Shepherds

An angle announces the birth of Jesus to shepherds in a field at night. The shepherds then go to the birthsite to pay homage to the Infant Jesus.

8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

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1.5

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Adoration of the Magi

The Magi, wise men from the East (called the three kings in the middle ages), follow a bright star for twelve days until they find the Holy family and present their precious gifts to the infant Jesus

1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east[b] and have come to worship him."
3When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ[c] was to be born. 5"In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:
6" 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'[d]"

7Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."

9After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east[e] went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

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1.6

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Presentation in the Temple

Mary and Joseph take the baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem, where Simeon, a devout man, and Anna, a prophetess, forsee Jesus' messianic (savior's) mission and martyr's death

21On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
22When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"[b]), 24and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."[c]

25Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you now dismiss[d] your servant in peace.
30For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
32a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel."

33The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

36There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.[e] She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

39When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

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1.7

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Massacre of the Innocents and the Flight into Egypt

King Herod orders all children under the age of two in and around Bethlehem killed to preclude his being murdered by a rival newborn king. The Holy Family flees into Egypt

13When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." 14So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."[f]
16When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
18"A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more."[g]

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Part 2

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Public ministry cycle

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2.1

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Baptism

John the Baptist baptises Jesus in the Jordan River, recognizing Jesus' incarnation as the son of God. This marks the beginning of Jesus' ministry.

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2.2

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Calling of Matthew

A tax collector, Matthew, becomes Jesus' first desciple when Jesus calls to him, "follow me."

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2.3

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Jesus walking on the water

During a storm, Jesus walks on the water of the Sea of Galilee to reach his apostles in a boat.

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2.4

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Raising of Lazarus

Jesus brings his friend Lazarus back to life four days after Lazarus' death and burial

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2.5

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Delivery of the Keys to Peter

Jesus names the apostle Peter his successor by giving him the keys to the kingdom of Heaven

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2.6

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Transfiguration

As Jesus' closest disciples watch, God transforms Jesus into a dazzling vision and proclaims him to be his own son

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2.7

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Cleansing the Temple

Enraged, Jesus clears the temple of moneychangers and animal traders

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Part Three

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The Passion Cycle

The Passion cycle(from 'passio', Latin for suffering) relates Jesus' death, resurrection from the dead, and ascension into Heaven

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3.1

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Entry into Jerusalem

Welcomed by crowds as the Messiah, Jesus rides a donkey into Jerusalem

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3.2

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Last Supper

At the Passover seder, Jesus tells his disciples of his impending death and lays the foundation for the Christian rite of the Eucharist: the taking of bread and wine in rememberance of Christ. (Strictly speaking, Jesus is called Jesus until he leaves his earthly physical form, after which he is called Christ.)

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3.3

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Jesus Washing the Disciples' Feet

Following the Last Supper, Jesus washes the feet of his disciples to demonstrate humility

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3.4

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Agony in the Garden

In the garden of Gethsemane(geth-SEM-uh-nee), the disciples sleep while Jesus battles with his mortal dread of suffering and dying

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3.5

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Jesus' Betrayal and Arrest

The disciple Judas Iscariat takes money to identify Jesus to the Roman soldiers. Jesus is arrested

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3.6

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Denial of Peter

As Jesus predicted, Peter, waiting outside the High Priest's palace, denies knowing Jesus three times, as Jesus is being questioned by the high priest, Caiaphas

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3.7

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Jesus Before Pilate

Jesus is questioned by the Roman governor Pontius Pilate regarding whether he calls himself the King of the Jews. Jesus does not answer. Pilate reluctantly condemns him.

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3.8

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Flagellation

Jesus is whipped by Roman soldiers

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3.9

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Jesus mocked and crowned with thorns

Pilate's soldiers mock Jesus by dressing him in robes, crowning him with thorns, and calling him King of the Jews

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3.10

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Carrying the cross (road to Calvary)

Jesus carries the wooden cross on which he will be crucified from Pilate's house to the hill of Golgotha (GOL-guh-thuh), "the place of the skull"

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3.11

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Crucifixion

Jesus is nailed to the cross by his hands and feet and dies after great physical suffering

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3.12

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Descent from the Cross (Deposition)

Jesus' followers lower his body from the cross and wrap it for burial. Also present are the Virgin, the apostle John, and Mary Magdalen

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3.13

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Lamentation (Pieta')

The grief stricken followers gather around Jesus' body. In the pieta', his body lies in the lap of the Virgin

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3.14

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Entombment

The Virgin and others place Jesus' wrapped body in a sarcohagus, or a rock tomb

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3.15

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Decent into Limbo

Christ descends into Hell, or Limbo, to free deserving souls who have not heard the Christian message- the prophets of the Old Testament, the Kings of Israel, and Adam and Eve

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3.16

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Resurrection

Christ rises from the dead on the third day after his entombment

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3.17

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The Marys at the Tomb

As terrified soldiers look on, Christ's female followers (The Virgin mary, Mary Magdalen, and Mary, mother of the apostle James) discover the empty tomb

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3.18

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Noli Me Tangere, Supper at Emmaus (u-MAY-us), Doubting of Thomas

In three episodes during the forty days between his resurrection and ascent into heaven, Christ tells Mary Magdalen not to touch him; shares a supper with his disciples at Emmaus; and invites the apostle Thomas to touch the lance wound in his side.

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3.19

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The Ascension

As his disciples watch, Christ is taken into heaven from the Mount of Olives