Christianity: Following Jesus Christ

Christianity is the world’s largest religion, centered on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christians believe Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of humanity.

Christianity

About Christianity

Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah (Christ) foretold in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). Christianity originated in the first century AD in the Roman province of Judea and developed from the teachings of Jesus and his earliest followers.[1]

The primary sacred scripture of Christianity is the Bible. Most Christian traditions divide the Bible into two sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament. While the contents of the Old Testament differ slightly among some Christian traditions, the New Testament consists of twenty-seven books and is accepted by all major branches of Christianity.[2]

Christianity is not a single unified denomination but comprises numerous traditions, the largest being Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism. Although these traditions share many core beliefs, they differ on various theological, liturgical, and ecclesiastical matters.[3]

What Is Christianity?

Christianity is centred on the belief in one God and in Jesus Christ, whom Christians believe to be the Son of God and the promised Messiah. The name "Christian" is derived from the Greek word Christos, meaning "Anointed One," which is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word Mashiach (Messiah).[4]

According to the New Testament, the followers of Jesus were first called Christians in the city of Antioch.

"And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians."

Acts 11:26 (ESV)

Christians believe that God revealed Himself through Jesus Christ and that his teachings provide guidance for faith and life. Most Christian traditions also believe that Jesus was crucified, died, was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day.[5]

Origins of Christianity

Christianity originated in Judea during the first century AD while the region formed part of the Roman Empire. The earliest followers of Jesus were Jews who believed that he was the promised Messiah. The movement began within Judaism before gradually developing into a distinct religion as it spread among both Jewish and non-Jewish communities.[6]

The New Testament states that Jesus began his public ministry after being baptised by John the Baptist.

"Now Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age."

Luke 3:23 (ESV)

According to the Gospels, Jesus preached about the Kingdom of God, taught through parables, performed miracles, called disciples, and travelled throughout Judea and Galilee.[7]

The New Testament records that Jesus was later arrested in Jerusalem, tried, crucified under the authority of the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, buried, and that he rose from the dead on the third day. Christians regard these events as central to their faith.[8]

The earliest Christian communities were established by the apostles and other followers of Jesus. The Book of Acts describes the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem into other parts of the Roman Empire during the first century AD.[9]

Core Christian Beliefs

Although beliefs differ among Christian denominations, several doctrines are common to most Christian traditions.

Belief in One God

Christianity teaches belief in one God, the Creator of the universe.[10]

Jesus Christ

Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah promised in the Old Testament. Most Christian traditions also believe that he is the Son of God and that his life, death, and resurrection are central to God's plan of salvation[11]

The Bible

Christians regard the Bible as sacred Scripture.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness."

2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV)

Christian traditions differ in their understanding of biblical inspiration and interpretation, but all regard the Bible as authoritative for Christian faith and practice.[12]

Salvation

Most Christian traditions teach that salvation is made possible through Jesus Christ. The understanding of how salvation is received differs among denominations and has been the subject of theological discussion throughout Christian history.[[13]

The Historical Context of First-Century Judea

Christianity originated during the first century AD in Judea, a region under Roman administration. Understanding the political, religious, and cultural environment of Judea provides important context for the life of Jesus and the emergence of Christianity.[[14]

At the time of Jesus' birth and ministry, Judea formed part of the Roman Empire. Although local rulers governed certain territories, ultimate authority rested with Rome. During different periods of the first century, Judea was administered by client kings, such as Herod the Great and his successors, and later by Roman prefects and procurators, including Pontius Pilate.[15]

The Jewish population of Judea observed the Law of Moses and regarded the Temple in Jerusalem as the centre of religious life. Pilgrims travelled to Jerusalem throughout the year, particularly during major festivals such as Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles.[16]

Many Jews anticipated the coming of the Messiah promised in the Hebrew Scriptures. Expectations concerning the Messiah differed among Jewish groups. Some expected a king descended from David who would restore the kingdom of Israel, while others anticipated a priestly or prophetic figure, or a combination of these roles.[17]

Several influential religious groups existed during this period.

The Pharisees

The Pharisees were a prominent Jewish religious movement known for their emphasis on observing both the written Law and the oral traditions. They believed in the resurrection of the dead, angels, divine judgment, and the coming of the Messiah.[18]

The New Testament records numerous interactions between Jesus and the Pharisees concerning the interpretation of the Law and religious practice.

The Sadducees

The Sadducees were largely associated with the Temple priesthood and the Jewish aristocracy. They accepted the written Torah as authoritative but rejected several beliefs held by the Pharisees, including the resurrection of the dead and the existence of angels as understood in Pharisaic teaching.[19]

The destruction of the Second Temple in AD 70 marked the end of the Sadducean movement.

The Essenes

The Essenes were a Jewish religious community known for their disciplined lifestyle and expectation of God's coming kingdom. Although they are not mentioned by name in the New Testament, many scholars associate them with the Dead Sea Scrolls discovered near Qumran.[20]

The Zealots

The Zealots advocated resistance against Roman rule and sought Jewish political independence. Their activities contributed to the First Jewish–Roman War (AD 66–73), which culminated in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple in AD 70.[21]

The Second Temple

The Temple in Jerusalem occupied the central place in Jewish worship during the lifetime of Jesus.

According to the Gospels, Jesus visited the Temple on numerous occasions, taught within its courts, and participated in Jewish festivals held there.[22]

The Temple also served as the location for sacrifices prescribed in the Mosaic Law until its destruction by the Romans in AD 70.

Sources for Early Christianity

Knowledge of the origins of Christianity is derived from both Christian and non-Christian sources. These sources vary in purpose, date, and perspective, and together provide the basis for historical study.

The New Testament

The New Testament consists of twenty-seven books. Many biblical scholars believe these books were composed between approximately AD 50 and AD 100, although the proposed dates are based on textual and historical analysis and are not universally agreed upon. No original manuscripts (autographs) of the New Testament are known to exist. The earliest surviving evidence consists primarily of fragmentary manuscripts, while the earliest surviving manuscripts containing substantially complete copies of the New Testament date to the fourth century AD.

The New Testament consists of four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, twenty-one letters (epistles), and the Book of Revelation.[23]

The four canonical Gospels are:

  • Matthew
  • Mark
  • Luke
  • John

Each Gospel presents the life and teachings of Jesus from its own perspective while sharing many common events and themes.[[24]

The Acts of the Apostles records the growth of the early Christian community following the death of Jesus and describes the missionary journeys of several apostles, particularly Peter and Paul.[[25]

Early Christian Writers

Following the New Testament period, early Christian leaders continued to write letters, sermons, and theological works.

Among the earliest are:

  • Clement of Rome
  • Ignatius of Antioch
  • Polycarp of Smyrna

These writings provide valuable evidence for the beliefs and organisation of early Christian communities during the late first and early second centuries.[26]

Jewish Sources

The first-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus referred to Jesus and to John the Baptist in his work Antiquities of the Jews. Although scholars debate whether portions of one passage concerning Jesus were later altered by Christian copyists, most accept that Josephus made at least one authentic reference to Jesus.[27]

Roman Sources

Several Roman writers mentioned Christians or Jesus.

The Roman historian Tacitus referred to the execution of Christ during the reign of Emperor Tiberius under the authority of Pontius Pilate while describing Nero's persecution of Christians following the Great Fire of Rome in AD 64.[28]

Pliny the Younger, writing to Emperor Trajan in the early second century, described Christians gathering to worship Christ and to live according to moral commitments.[29]

Suetonius also referred to disturbances involving followers of "Chrestus" during the reign of Emperor Claudius.[30]

Together, Christian, Jewish, and Roman sources provide the primary documentary evidence for the historical origins of Christianity and the development of the early Christian movement.

The Bible

The Bible is the central sacred scripture of Christianity and is regarded by Christians as the primary source of doctrine, belief, and religious instruction. It contains writings that Christians believe record God's relationship with humanity, the history of the people of Israel, the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, and the development of the early Christian Church. While all Christian traditions recognise the Bible as authoritative, they differ regarding the number of books that form part of the biblical canon.[31]

The Christian Bible is divided into two principal sections:

  • The Old Testament
  • The New Testament

The Old Testament contains writings that predate the birth of Jesus Christ and is based largely upon the Hebrew Scriptures. Christians generally regard the Old Testament as recording God's covenant with the people of Israel and containing prophecies that Christians believe point to the coming of the Messiah.[32]

The New Testament contains writings relating to the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, together with accounts of the earliest Christian communities, letters written to churches and individuals, and the Book of Revelation. All major Christian traditions recognise the same twenty-seven books of the New Testament.[33]

Biblical Canons

Although Christians share the same New Testament, the number of books recognised in the Old Testament differs between Christian traditions. These differences developed over several centuries as different churches recognised different collections of sacred writings as canonical.[34]

Christian Tradition Old Testament New Testament Total Books
Protestant 39 27 66
Roman Catholic 46 27 73
Greek Orthodox (Church of Greece) 49 27 76
Russian Orthodox 50 27 77
Georgian Orthodox 50 27 77
Coptic Orthodox 46 27 73
Armenian Apostolic 46 27 73
Syriac Orthodox 46 27 73
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo (Broader Canon) 54 27 81
Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo 54 27 81


The Protestant canon contains thirty-nine books in the Old Testament and twenty-seven books in the New Testament, giving a total of sixty-six books.[35]

The Roman Catholic Church recognises forty-six books in the Old Testament, including seven books commonly referred to as the Deuterocanonical Books, resulting in a total of seventy-three books.[[36]

The Eastern Orthodox Churches recognise the twenty-seven books of the New Testament but include additional books in the Old Testament. The exact contents of the Old Testament are not identical across all Orthodox Churches, although the differences are relatively limited.[37]

The Oriental Orthodox Churches also share the twenty-seven-book New Testament with other Christian traditions, while the contents of the Old Testament vary between churches.[38]

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church recognises the broadest biblical canon among the major Christian traditions, consisting of eighty-one books.[39]

The Old Testament

The Old Testament contains writings that Christians generally classify into four principal groups:

  • The Law (Pentateuch or Torah)
  • Historical Books
  • Wisdom Literature
  • The Prophets

These books describe creation, the history of the people of Israel, their covenant with God, religious law, wisdom teachings, poetry, and prophetic writings. Christians regard the Old Testament as sacred scripture, although the arrangement, numbering, and inclusion of certain books differ according to the biblical canon recognised by each Christian tradition.[40]

The New Testament

The New Testament consists of twenty-seven books accepted by all major Christian traditions. Many biblical scholars believe these books were composed between approximately AD 50 and AD 100, although the proposed dates are based on textual and historical analysis and are not universally agreed upon. No original manuscripts (autographs) are known to exist. The earliest surviving evidence consists primarily of fragmentary manuscripts, while the earliest surviving manuscripts containing substantially complete copies of the New Testament date to the fourth century AD.[41]

The books of the New Testament are traditionally grouped into four sections:

  • The Four Gospels
  • The Acts of the Apostles
  • Twenty-one Epistles (Letters)
  • The Book of Revelation

A detailed discussion of the formation of the biblical canon, manuscript history, textual transmission, translations, and the development of the Bible is provided in the comming section: Christian Scriptures.

The Bible

The Bible is the collection of sacred writings recognized by Christianity as Scripture. It consists of the Old Testament and New Testament, containing history, law, …

References

[1] Justo L. Gonzalez, The Story of Christianity, Vol. 1, HarperOne, 2010.

[2] Bruce M. Metzger, The Canon of the New Testament, Oxford University Press, 1987.

[3] Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction, 6th ed., Wiley-Blackwell, 2017.

[4] F. F. Bruce, The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?, Eerdmans, 2003.

[5] Raymond E. Brown, An Introduction to the New Testament, Yale University Press, 1997.

[6] E. P. Sanders, Judaism: Practice and Belief 63 BCE–66 CE, SCM Press, 1992.

[7] Craig S. Keener, The Historical Jesus of the Gospels, Eerdmans, 2009.

[8] Martin Hengel, Crucifixion, Fortress Press, 1977.

[9] Eckhard J. Schnabel, Early Christian Mission, InterVarsity Press, 2004.

[10] Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction, 6th ed., Wiley-Blackwell, 2017.

[11] Larry W. Hurtado, Lord Jesus Christ: Devotion to Jesus in Earliest Christianity, Eerdmans, 2005.

[12] Bruce M. Metzger, The Canon of the New Testament, Oxford University Press, 1987.

[13] Jaroslav Pelikan, The Christian Tradition, Vol. 1, University of Chicago Press, 1971.

[14] E. P. Sanders, Judaism: Practice and Belief 63 BCE–66 CE, SCM Press, 1992.

[15] Martin Goodman, Rome and Jerusalem, Penguin Books, 2007.

[16] Shaye J. D. Cohen, From the Maccabees to the Mishnah, Westminster John Knox Press, 2014.

[17] John J. Collins, The Scepter and the Star, Eerdmans, 2010.

[18] Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book XVIII.

[19] Josephus, The Jewish War, Book II.

[20] Geza Vermes, The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English, Penguin Books, 2011.

[21] Martin Goodman, Rome and Jerusalem, Penguin Books, 2007.

[22] Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, InterVarsity Press, 2014.

[23] Bruce M. Metzger, The Canon of the New Testament: Its Origin, Development, and Significance. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987; Kurt Aland & Barbara Aland, The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1989; David C. Parker, An Introduction to the New Testament Manuscripts and Their Texts. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008.

[24] Raymond E. Brown, An Introduction to the New Testament, Yale University Press, 1997.

[25] F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Eerdmans, 1988.

[26] Michael W. Holmes (ed.), The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations, Baker Academic, 2007.

[27] Louis H. Feldman, Josephus and Modern Scholarship, Walter de Gruyter, 1984.

[28] Tacitus, Annals, Book XV, Chapter 44.

[29] Pliny the Younger, Letters, Book X, Letter 96.

[30] Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Life of Claudius, Chapter 25.

[31] F. F. Bruce, The Books and the Parchments. 6th ed. Fleming H. Revell, 1984.

[32] John J. Collins, Introduction to the Hebrew Bible. Fortress Press, 2018.

[33] Bruce M. Metzger, The Canon of the New Testament: Its Origin, Development, and Significance. Oxford University Press, 1987.

[34] Lee Martin McDonald, The Formation of the Biblical Canon. Revised ed. Hendrickson Publishers, 1995.

[35] The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Crossway, 2016.

[36] Catechism of the Catholic Church. 2nd ed. Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1997.

[37] Timothy Ware (Kallistos Ware), The Orthodox Church. Penguin Books, 1993.

[38] Aziz S. Atiya (ed.), The Coptic Encyclopedia. Macmillan Publishing Company, 1991.

[39] Sergew Hable Selassie, The Church of Ethiopia: A Panorama of History and Spiritual Life. Ethiopian Orthodox Church, 1970.

[40] John J. Collins, Introduction to the Hebrew Bible. Fortress Press, 2018.

[41] Bruce M. Metzger, The Canon of the New Testament: Its Origin, Development, and Significance. Oxford University Press, 1987; Kurt Aland & Barbara Aland, The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism. 2nd ed. Eerdmans, 1989; David C. Parker, An Introduction to the New Testament Manuscripts and Their Texts. Cambridge University Press, 2008.