عیسی-حدود ۴ پیش از میلاد – ۳۰ / ۳۳ میلادی
که به عیسی مسیح و عیسای ناصری نیز معروف است
شخصیت مرکزی مسیحیت، بزرگ‌ترین دین جهان، است.
عقاید مسیحی دربارهٔ عیسی بدین قرار است که نطفهٔ او توسط روح‌القدس بسته شد
عیسی در شکل کنونی (Ἰησοῦς)[پ] در زبان یونانی ریشه دارد. نام یونانی خود از ישוע (یشوع) عبری گرفته‌است. این اسم که در اصل יהושע (یِهُشوعا، به‌طور خلاصه‌تر یوشع) بوده
اناجیل هم‌نوا بر ابعاد مختلف شخصیت عیسی پرداخته‌اند. در مرقس، عیسی پسر خداست که معجزاتش حضور ملکوت الهی را نشان می‌دهند.[۶۲] او، به عنوان خادم خدا و انسان‌ها، یک معجزه‌گر خستگی‌ناپذیر است
محل زندگی عیسی در کودکی، بنا به اناجیل لوقا و متی، شهر ناصره در جلیل بود
مطابق اناجیل هم‌نوا تبلیغ عمومی عیسی در دو منطقه متفاوت اتفاق می‌افتد. او ابتدا در جلیل به تبلیغ می‌پردازد و به نتیجه می‌رسد. سپس به اورشلیم سفر می‌کند و پس از تبلیغ در آنجا، او را رد می‌کنند و سپس می‌کشند
عیسی صرافان را از معبد دوم بیرون و آن‌ها را متهم می‌کند که معبد را با فعالیت‌های تجاری خود به مقر دزدها تبدیل کرده‌اند.
هر چهار انجیل متعارف مصلوب شدن عیسی را روایت کرده‌اند. بعد از محاکمه‌ها، عیسی را درحالی‌که صلیب خود را حمل می‌کرد به گلگتا بردند؛ مسیری که طی کردند را به صورت سنتی راه اندوه می‌نامند.
سربازان عیسی را بر صلیب کشیدند و لباس‌هایش را غارت کردند. در بالای سر عیسی بر روی صلیب نوشته شده بود: «عیسای ناصری، پادشاه یهود.»
بسیاری از پژوهشگران مدرن توافق دارند که پدر عیسی، یوسف نجار، قبل از اینکه او تبلیغ خود را آغاز کند، مُرد.
بیشتر پژوهشگران مدرن غسل تعمید عیسی را، در کنار مصلوب شدن او، یک واقعیت تاریخی روشن می‌دانند
در انجیل‌ها روایت شده که یکی از حواریون عیسی به او خیانت کرد و تحویلش داد. به عقیدهٔ پژوهشگران زیادی این یک روایت بسیار قابل اعتماد است. عیسی به دستور پونتیوس پیلاطس، فرماندار رومی یهودیه، اعدام شد
پیلاطس به احتمال زیاد وعده‌های عیسی در ربط با ملکوت الهی را تهدیدی علیه حکومت روم در منطقه یافت و برای اعدام عیسی با رهبران یهودیان همکاری کرد. کاهنان اعظم صدوقی معبد دوم احتمالاً بنا به دلایل سیاسی خواستار اعدام عیسی بودند، نه به‌خاطر آموزه‌های دینی او. ممکن است به چشم آن‌ها، عیسی تهدیدی برای ثبات موجود به حساب می‌آمده، خصوصاً بعد از آشوبی که او در معبد ایجاد کرد.[۳۲۰] عوامل دیگری نظیر ورود پیروزمندانهٔ عیسی به اورشلیم هم احتمالاً در این تصمیم اثر گذاشته‌اند
عیسی در جلیل رشد کرد و بخش اعظم تبلیغش در آنجا انجام شد. در سدهٔ یکم میلادی در جلیل و یهودیه زبان‌های آرامی یهودی فلسطینی، عبری و یونانی رایج بودند که آرامی زبان غالب منطقه بود.[۳۳۶][۳۳۷] توافق جامعی وجود دارد که عیسی بیشتر آموزه‌هایش را در آرامی به لهجهٔ جلیلی عرضه کرد.[۳۳۹][۳۴۰] او احتمالاً تا حدودی با یونانی هم آشنایی داشت ولی آشنایی‌اش با لاتین کمتر محتمل است
عیسی شخصیت مرکزی مسیحیت است. در میان مسیحیان نظرات دربارهٔ عیسی متفاوت است
بیشتر مسیحیان عقیده دارند عیسی هم یک انسان بود و نیز پسر خدا.[۹۰] با وجود اینکه بحث‌هایی در میان الهی‌دانان در ربط با طبعیت ذات او وجود دارد، مسیحیان تثلیثی در کل بر آنند که عیسی کلمه، تجسم و پسر خداست؛ پس هم کاملاً الهی است و هم کاملاً انسانی.
قرآن ۲۵ مرتبه از او یاد کرده‌است
قرآن تولد عیسی را یکی از آیات خدا محسوب می‌کند[۴۱۰][۴۱۱] و می‌گوید خدا روحش را در مریم دمید؛[۴۱۰][۴۱۱] عیسی به همین جهت روح‌الله خوانده می‌شود
بهائیان عیسی را یکی از مظاهر ظهور — واسطهٔ میان خدا و انسان که پیام او را منتقل می‌کنند[۴۲۴]—می‌دانند
در تفکرات بهائی، عیسی به عنوان پسر خدا پذیرفته شده‌است.[۴۲۶] علی‌رغم این، تجلی «ذات وصف‌ناپذیر» الهی در یک انسان را به دلیل باورشان به «ذات متعالی و همیشه‌حاضر خدا» رد می‌کنند
در مانویت، مانند سنت‌های قدیمی‌تر گنوسی، میان شخصیت زمینی عیسی و شخصیت آسمانی او تمایز قائل شده‌است. یکی عیسی ناصری، یک مرد زمینی است و دیگری یک ناجی آسمانی.
و این ابعاد به ترتیب عیسی درخشان، عیسی زجرکش، عیسی ناصری، عیسی برخاسته [از مرگ]
در مسیحیت گنوسی (که امروزه تقریباً منقرض شده‌است)[۴۳۱] عقیده بر این است عیسی از ملک الهی فرستاده شد و دانش نهانی (گنوسیس) لازم برای رستگاری را با خود آورد. بیشتر گنوسی‌ها معتقد بودند که عیسی انسانی است که هنگام تعمید، خود روح «مسیح» به او وارد شد. این روح هنگام مصلوب‌شدن بدن عیسی را ترک کرد، اما زمانی که از مرگ برخاست دوباره به او پیوست. علی‌رغم این، برخی از گنوسی‌ها معتقد بودند که عیسی تن جسمانی نداشت و تنها به نظر می‌رسید که دارد
در دین دروز، عیسی یکی از پیامبران مهم خدا محسوب می‌شود.[۳۶۳][۳۶۴] برخی از هندوها عیسی را یک اوتار یا مرتاض به حساب می‌آورند.[۴۳۳] پاراماهانزا یوگاناندا، یک گوروی هندی، اعتقاد داشت که روح الیسع در عیسی حلول کرده‌است.[۴۳۴] چندی از بودیست‌ها، از جمله چهاردهمین دالایی لاما، عیسی را به یک بوداسف که زندگی خود را وقف رفاه مردم کرد، برمی‌شمارند.[۴۳۵] نظرات دربارهٔ عیسی در معنویت عصر نو متفاوت است.[۴۳۶] در حکمت الهی که بسیاری از تعالیم عصر نو از آن ریشه گرفته‌است،[۴۳۷] عیسی با عنوان «استاد عیسی» خطاب می‌شود و عقیده بر آن است که او یک مصلح معنوی بود
مسیح (به عبری: מָשִׁיחַ (Māšîaḥ) (ماشیح)) (به سریانی: ܡ ܫ ܝ ܚ ܐ (M'shiha)) در عهد عتیق به معنی پادشاه یا کاهنی است که با روغن مقدس مسح شده. در عهد جدید، مسیح به شکل یک لقب برای عیسی استفاده شده و به‌طور عام «مسیح» به عنوان مترادف با عیسی ناصری در نظر گرفته می‌شود.
بر طبق انجیل پیروان عیسای ناصری او را پس از مرگ و رستاخیزش، عیسی مسیح یا عیسی کریستیوس نامیدند
مسیح (عبری :מָשִׁיחַ ماشیا، آرامی: משיחא، یونانی: Μεσσίας، عربی: المسیح، لاتین :Messias) به معنی لغوی مسح شده است. در عبری، مسیح معمولاً به عنوان ملک هاماشیا (מלך המשיח) شناخته می‌شود که به معنی لغوی مسیح پادشاه است.
در نسخه یونانی عهد عتیق تمامی ۳۹ بار استفاده از لغت عبری مسیح به لغت یونانی کریستوس (Χριστός) ترجمه شده‌است.
در آخرت‌شناسی یهودی این اصطلاح به یک پادشاه یهودی از نسل داوود اطلاق می‌شود که با روغن مقدس مسح خواهد شد تا پادشاه حکمفرمانی خدا باشد و بر قوم یهود در عصر مسیحایی حکومت کند. در یهودیت مسیح با خدا یکی نبوده و فرزند او نیست. باور به آمدن مسیح یکی از اصول اصلی دین یهودیت است ماشیح
در اسلام نیز عیسی را پیامبر و رسول خدا و نیز مسیح می‌دانند
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Judea – then part of the Roman Empire, under the rule of Herod. Jesus was born into a Jewish family; his parents were Mary and Joseph of Nazareth. Jesus was born in Bethlehem because his father had to travel to his place of birth to take part in the Roman census. Because of over-crowding due to the census, the family were offered a place in a stable, and hence Jesus was born in the humblest of surroundings – in a manger surrounded by animals.
According to the Gospels, the birth of Jesus was proclaimed to shepherds in nearby fields. Later on, Jesus was visited by three wise men from the east offering gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Shortly after Jesus’ birth, Herod was told a ‘future king of the Jews’ had been born in his kingdom. Feeling his temporal power threatened, he ordered all young Jewish boys to be killed. The Gospels relate how Joseph was warned in a dream and, as a result, took his family to Egypt before returning to Nazareth when it was considered safe.
Not much is known about Jesus’ early life, the Gospels concentrate on the last couple of years when he was active in his ministry. However, Jesus is believed to have followed in his father’s footsteps and trained to be a carpenter. Some have also suggested during this period Jesus travelled to India and Persia where he learned something of India’s spiritual tradition before returning to Nazareth to begin his ministry.
All three synoptic gospels say Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist, in the River Jordan. This symbolic baptism was the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.
Following his baptism, Jesus spent 40 days in the desert where he was tempted by the Devil. However, he passed the test and refused any temptations of wealth or worldly gain.
Jesus’s teachings were characterised by short, pithy statements that used striking imagery to capture the imagination of listeners. His most famous teachings are the sermon on the mount.
In the last months of his life, Jesus entered into Jerusalem and was greeted enthusiastically by crowds who shouted ‘Hosanna’. Jesus then entered the main temple and created controversy by overturning the tables of the money lenders. Jesus criticised them for conducting business in a sacred temple – claiming they had turned the temple into a ‘den of robbers.’ The radical nature of Jesus’ teachings, in addition to his growing following, aroused the concern of the religious authorities, who felt threatened by the message of Jesus.
In the history of early Christianity, there was much debate about the nature of Jesus Christ. Some felt Jesus was a direct incarnation of God; others felt he was both divine and human. There were different branches of Christianity emphasising different aspects. For example, the Gnostics emphasised the immanence of God and the ability for followers to have a direct relationship with God.
Many key figures in the Enlightenment/Renaissance felt Jesus to be a supreme teacher of moral and religious ideals, but rejected claims to divinity and miracles such as the virgin birth. For example, Thomas Jefferson wrote the ‘Life and Morals of Jesus Christ’ (known as the Jefferson Bible. Benjamin Franklin also looked to Jesus Christ as a great moral teacher, but, didn’t accept all the teachings of the Christian church.
In the Hindu/Indian tradition, Jesus Christ is seen as a realised spiritual Master. A person who has achieved self-realisation or God-realisation. Jesus Christ is also looked upon as an Avatar – a realised soul with a special mission to save innumerable souls. Many Indian spiritual Master view Jesus Christ as divine – ‘an incarnation of God’ but they do not accept that Jesus Christ was alone in achieving this spiritual realisation.
Jesus Christ is the designation of Jesus of Nazareth (d. c. 30 CE), who was an itinerant Jewish prophet from the Galilee in northern Israel. He preached the imminent intervention in human affairs by the God of the Jews, when God would establish his kingdom on earth. The proper name Jesus was Greek for the Hebrew Joshua ("he who saves"). 'Christ' (Greek: Christos) was translated from the Hebrew meshiach (messiah). 'Messiah' meant "anointed one" where anointing was part of the coronation ritual by God for Jewish kings. "Jesus the Christ" became shortened over time to Jesus Christ, beginning with the letters of Paul in the 50s and 60s of the 1st century CE. A popular title became his designation as the "son of God", both in function and nature.
Catholic Christians have always believed that Jesus Christ would come back to close the current period of human history in earth. The time when Jesus will return is given many names: the Day of the Lord, the Parousia, the end time, and the Second Coming of Christ.
Paul further placed the significance of Jesus' first coming in the larger frame work of all salvation history, declaring: "For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive" (1 Cor. 15:22, emphasis added). Here Christ is revealed as the second Adam, the new Father of the human race, who has determined the future of mankind "much more" than did Adam, just as eternal life is "much more" than death (see also Rom. 5:14, 15). In Christ we may "rejoice in the hope of the glory of God" (Rom. 5:2), because "Christ was raised from the dead" and "death no longer has mastery over him" (Rom. 6:9). The raising of Christ from the dead is clearly the indispensable foundation of all Christian faith and hope.
Before He establishes His kingdom on earth, Jesus will come for His Church, an event commonly referred to as the "Rapture." At that time the dead in Christ will be raised and living Christians will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and be with Him forever.2 In this resurrection, those who have died in Christ will have their redeemed souls and spirits united with a body similar to Christ's glorified body. Christians living at the time of this event will not die, but will be changed to be like Christ.3 This expectation is a motivation for holy living, as well as a source of comfort.4 No man knows the day or the hour when this will take place.5
Background: "The Return of Christ" is a glorious event on God's prophetic calendar, but this wonderful doctrine can at times be confusing because some passages are ambiguous as to which aspect of the Return of Christ is being described and many commentaries use the term Second Coming generally to refer to both aspects of Christ's return (some of course because they do not accept a "two phase" return). The following table is an attempt to summarize the differences in the future Return of Christ. This chart is based on a literal interpretation of Scripture and not a specific theological persuasion, although admittedly this tabulation is more in keeping with what dispensationalists have taught.
A number of the New Testament passages are somewhat ambiguous (see examples of these passages) as to which event is intended and one can read diametrically opposite comments by respected scholars that make relatively dogmatic interpretations regarding these ambiguous passages. While these ambiguous passages do at times tend to favor one event over the other event, the distinction is not always sufficiently distinctive to allow one to make the dogmatic statements one encounters in the Christian literature. It is little wonder that this wonderful future event on the Christian's calendar can be a source of some confusion. Furthermore, as I have studied this subject and the passages in question, it seems quite possible that in a number of passages the intended meaning is purposely ambiguous so that believers might be stimulated to anticipate the occurrence of both great eschatological events, the Rapture and the Second Coming.
Dr Walvoord, who is without doubt the most influential and respected evangelical writer regarding Biblical study of future events (eschatology) differentiates between the Rapture and the Second Coming writing…
For the sake of brevity, the term rapture or translation is used for the coming of Christ for His church, while the term Second Coming is uniformly used as a reference to His coming to the earth to establish His millennial kingdom, an event which all consider post-tribulational. While the words rapture and translation are not quite identical, they refer to the same event. By the term rapture reference is made to the fact that the church is “caught up” from the earth and taken to heaven. By the term translation the thought is conveyed that those who are thus raptured are transformed in their physical bodies from natural and corruptible bodies to spiritual, incorruptible, and immortal bodies. Strictly speaking, the dead are raised while the living are translated. In common usage, however, this distinction is not normally maintained.
While I humbly agree with both these highly esteemed scholars, the problem arises when one is reading another writer's comments, in which they may use the term "Second Coming" in a more generic and/or a less distinctive manner.
The approach adopted by this website is to refer to Christ's return for His saints as the Rapture and His return with His saints as the Second Coming. If a clear distinction cannot be made in a passage under discussion, that qualifier is added.
The upshot is that if you see the term Second Coming of Christ in the Christian literature, you need to try to discern the author's intended meaning (and this distinction is not always clear from my cursory review). Many times the context of the passage may favor either the Rapture or the Second Coming but that distinction is not always clear as previously noted.
Walvoord comments on the importance of the Second Coming writing
Note that Whiting refers to the Rapture as the "first aspect" of our Lord's second advent and and the Second Coming as the "second or judgment aspect". Note also that Whiting identifies the verses he feels speak of these two events but some of these designations are far from definitive. For example, he designates 1Thessalonians 5:23 (note) as a reference to the Second Coming while Dr Walvoord says this same verse refers to the Rapture! This example is not to given as a criticism but simply to emphasize that if the experts in eschatology cannot agree which aspect of Christ's return a given verse refers, it is little wonder that the average layman might become confused. Below is 1 Thessalonians 5:23…
Speaking to the disciples as representatives of especially the Jewish nation in the time of the end, Jesus begins in Matt 24:15 to give them the specific sign of the end of the age which is the great tribulation (Matt 24:21). He said to His disciples, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains” (Matt 24:15-16). Here He is predicting a specific event so clear and so obvious that it will serve as a signal to Israel to flee to the mountains. The event will not be something vague, but it is identified as a prophetic event predicted by Daniel the prophet who called it “the abomination of desolation.” (Reference)
The revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ will bring His long-due and eternally deserved exaltation. He will finally be crowned “Lord of lords and King of kings” (Rev. 17:14+). He has been generally neglected, humiliated, despised, and rejected for 2,000 years since His first coming. His second coming will end that, for then “every knee [will] bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth” (Phil. 2:10).
