This river is a symbolic image of the spiritual depth and greatness of the content of the Holy Gospel.

The Holy Fathers saw another symbol for the four Gospels in the mysterious chariot that the prophet Ezekiel saw near the Khobar River. It consisted of four animals, each of which had four faces: a man, a lion, a calf and an eagle. These animal faces, taken individually, became symbols for each of the evangelists.

Christian art since the fifth century depicts Matthew with a man or angel, since the ap. Matthew in his Gospel speaks more about the human and messianic character of Christ.

The Evangelist Mark is depicted in iconography with a lion, since St. Mark in his Gospel talks primarily about the omnipotence and royal dignity of Jesus Christ (the lion is the king of animals). The Evangelist Luke is depicted with a calf, because St. Luke tells primarily about the high priestly ministry of Jesus Christ (the calf is a sacrificial animal).

And finally, the Evangelist John is depicted with an eagle, for just as an eagle rises high above the earth and penetrates into the deep distance with its sharp gaze, so does St. John the Theologian, spiritually rising above everything earthly and human, primarily speaks in his Gospel about Christ as God the Word, the Second Hypostasis of the Holy Trinity.

Gospel of Matthew

Matthew, the son of Alphaeus, was one of the twelve Apostles called by the Lord Jesus Christ to preach the Gospel. He also bore the name Levi and before being called by the Lord he was a tax collector, that is, a tax collector, in Capernaum.

A faithful disciple of Christ, Matthew was an eyewitness to many miracles performed by the Savior and a constant listener to His instructions. After the ascension of Jesus Christ, he preached the good news to the Jews in Palestine and wrote the Gospel for them in Hebrew, or more precisely, Aramaic. Papias, bishop, testifies to this. Ierapolsky, student of St. John the Theologian.

But the original Aramaic text of the Gospel of Matthew has been lost, and only a very ancient Greek translation has reached us. Scientists suggest that Greek The Gospel was translated from Aramaic by the Evangelist Matthew himself.

The main goal of the evangelist is to show the Jews that Jesus Christ is the true Messiah promised by God chosen people. To this end, he cites many prophecies about the Messiah from the Holy Scriptures Old Testament and says that they are all fulfilled in Jesus. Therefore, Ap. Matthew, more often than other evangelists, contains the expression: “Let what was spoken by the prophet be fulfilled...”.

The Jews were awaiting the coming of a Messiah who would establish a powerful kingdom on earth and make the Jews the dominant people in the world. In contrast to this narrowly earthly understanding of the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah, the Evangelist Matthew preached to his fellow tribesmen the true Kingdom of Christ, a spiritual, supernatural Kingdom, which lays its foundation on earth and ends in heaven. The Gospel of Matthew was written around the year 50. It contains 28 chapters, begins with a statement of the genealogy of Christ from Abraham and ends with the Savior’s farewell conversation with the apostles on one of the mountains of Galilee.

Gospel of Mark

Evangelist Mark was not one of the twelve Apostles of Christ and did not follow the Savior. He was originally from Jerusalem and had two names: in Roman he was called Mark, and Jewish name his was John. In was converted by the ap. Peter, who calls him his spiritual son ().

Burning with the desire to spread the faith of Christ among the pagans, St. In the year 45, Mark, together with the apostles Paul and Barnabas, his uncle, traveled to Asia Minor, but in Pamphylia he was forced to say goodbye to the apostles and returned to Jerusalem ().

Evangelist Mark from a young age becomes a devoted disciple of St. Peter, is a constant companion in his preaching activities and does not part with his teacher until his death in Rome. From the 62nd year to the 67th year of St. Mark together with Ap. Peter is located in Rome. Roman Christians, even during their first visit to St. Peter asked him to write them a book about the life and teaching of the Savior. In response to this request, St. Mark outlined everything he heard from the apostle. Peter about the earthly life of Christ, in written form, very clearly and vividly. St. testifies to this. Clement, bishop Alexandria, as follows: “While the Apostle Peter was preaching the gospel in Rome, Mark, his companion... wrote... a Gospel called the Gospel of Mark.” And St. Papias, bishop Hierapolis, says: “Mark, the interpreter of the Apostle Peter, wrote down the words and deeds of Jesus with accuracy, but not in order.” This evidence, going back to the second century, is enough not to doubt the ownership of the second Gospel by St. Mark.

In all likelihood, St. Mark wrote the Gospel for Christians converted from paganism and little familiar with the history and life of the Jewish people. Therefore, in the Gospel there are very few references to, but various Jewish customs are often explained, the geography of Palestine is described, and Aramaic expressions incomprehensible to Roman Christians are explained.

The main purpose of the Gospel is to confirm in the converted pagans faith in the divinity of the Savior and to show them the divine power of Christ, the Son of God, over all creation.

Gospel of St. The brand consists of 16 chapters. It begins with the call of St. John the Baptist to repentance and ends with the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ into heaven and the sermon of St. apostles We do not have data to accurately determine when the Gospel of Mark was written. In any case, it was written later than the Aramaic Gospel of St. Matthew and, in all likelihood, in the fifties, when St. Peter visited Roman Christians for the first time.

According to ancient legend, Evangelist Mark was the first bishop Alexandria Church and died a martyr.

Gospel of Luke

The ancients unanimously call the Apostle Luke the author of the third Gospel. According to the historian Eusebius (4th century). Luke came from pagan family natives of Antioch in Syria. He received a good Greek education and was a doctor by profession.

Having believed in Christ, St. Luke becomes a zealous student and constant companion of the apostle. Paul on his apostolic journeys. He relentlessly follows his teacher, shares with him the labors of the second and third apostolic journey () and remains with him during the apostle’s stay. Paul in custody in Caesarea and Rome (; ). “Luke, the beloved physician,” the apostle calls. Paul is among his companions, who were his consolation during the Roman bonds ().

Under the influence of the sermon of St. Paul St. Luke writes the Gospel, addressing it to Theophilus (), a man of high social status, converted to the pagans, and in his person to the Christian communities founded by St. Paul, apostle of tongues.

Desiring to give pagan Christians a solid foundation of the teaching in which they were instructed by the apostle. Paul, St. Luke sets himself the goal: 1) to convey to those who believed,” after careful research” and “in order,” the words and deeds of the Savior and 2) to strengthen with this narrative faith in the Savior of the world.

Sources for writing the Gospel of St. Luke was served, as he himself says, by the stories of living persons, who from the very beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the Word” (). He met them in the company of ap. Paul - both in Jerusalem and in Caesarea. The basis of the Gospel narrative about the birth and childhood of Jesus Christ (chapters 1 and 2) is, apparently, the Holy Tradition written in Aramaic, in which the voice of the Virgin Mary Herself is also heard. But there is another legend that says that St. Luke himself met with the Mother of God, heard stories from Her about the Lord, and painted the first icon of the Holy Virgin with the Baby Jesus in her arms.

In addition, when writing his Gospel, St. Luke also used the previously written Gospels of Matthew and Mark.

In addition to the Gospel, Saint Luke also wrote the book “The Acts of the Holy Apostles.” Both of these works reveal the talented hand of a historian who, with extraordinary accuracy and conciseness of the narrative, was able to give a picturesque and, moreover, historically based narrative. But we must not forget that the entire narrative of Luke and his very language bears the imprint of the thought and speech of St. Pavel.

Gospel of St. Luke consists of 24 chapters. It begins with the events preceding the birth of Jesus Christ and ends with the ascension of the Lord into heaven.

Gospel of John

Apostle John the Theologian, younger brother ap. Jacob, was the son of the fisherman Zebedee and Solomia. John was born on the shores of Lake Galilee. In his youth, he helped his father fish, but then went to the Jordan to St. John the Baptist and became his disciple. When the Savior appeared on the banks of the Jordan, John loved the Messiah with all his soul, became His faithful and beloved disciple and never parted with Him until the day of His ascension into heaven. After the death of the Savior, St. the apostle accepted Mother of God to his home and took care of Her until Her dormition. Then, probably after the death of the ap. Paul, John the Theologian, for preaching purposes, moved to the city of Ephesus, which, after the destruction of Jerusalem, became the center of the Christian Church in the East. There he raised future bishops: Papias of Hierapolis, Polycarp of Smyrna.

Under Emperor Domitian, he was exiled to the island of Patmos, where in visions the Lord showed him the future destinies of the world. He recorded all these visions in a book called “Revelation”, or “Apocalypse”. Only under Emperor Nerva did St. the apostle was able to return from exile to Ephesus.

Having in the person of Ap. John, one of the closest witnesses and eyewitnesses of the “ministry of the Word,” the Christians of Ephesus began to ask him to describe to them the earthly life of Christ the Savior. When they brought John the books of the first three evangelists, he approved of these books and praised the evangelists for their sincerity and truthfulness of the narrative. But at the same time, he noticed that the three evangelists pay more attention to the human nature of Christ. The Apostle John told his followers that when talking about Christ coming into the world in the flesh, it is necessary to talk more about His Divinity, since otherwise, over time, people will begin to judge and think about Christ only by what He appeared in earthly life.

Therefore ap. John does not begin his Gospel by recounting the events of human life Christ, and first of all points to His eternal existence with God the Father. The Incarnate Christ is the Second Hypostasis of the Holy Trinity, the Divine Word (Logos), through Whom everything that exists came into being ().

Thus, the purpose of writing the Gospel can be expressed in the words of the evangelist himself, addressed to the Ephesian Christians: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and by believing you may have life in His name.”() By this, the evangelist wishes to protect Christians from the heresies spreading in Asia Minor (Cerinths, Ebionites, Nicolaitans), who denied the Divine nature of the Savior.

Complementing the weather forecasters, St. John describes mainly the activities of Christ in Judea, talks in detail about His visits to Jerusalem big holidays. The Gospel was written in the nineties of the first century, shortly before the death of St. apostle Gospel of St. John the Evangelist consists of 21 chapters. It ends with the story of the appearance of the risen Lord to the disciples on Lake Galilee.

2. Gospel – Book of Life

When starting to study Gospel history, we must remember that knowledge of Sacred history is necessary for every Christian, but even more so for the shepherd of the Church of Christ, for whom the Word of God and service to Him is his life.

We must know that Christ is not mythological, but very real, historical Personality, who accomplished on earth the great work of Redemption of the human race, which no mortal could accomplish either before Him or after Him.

He lived among people, walked this land, had his followers, visited the cities and villages of Palestine preaching, was persecuted by enemies, suffered on the cross, died a shameful death, was resurrected in glory, ascended to heaven and remains in His Church - "always until the end of the age" ().

We must know well the geography of Palestine, the historical situation of the time when Christ lived, be interested in archaeological finds that confirm the truth of the Gospel narrative - all this is necessary for the future theologian to know, since Gospel history is the background against which theology is studied.

But, studying sacred history, we must avoid extremes, we must remember that bare historical knowledge alone is not essential in the matter of faith, in the matter of our salvation. If, for example, we are carried away only by finding out the date of the birth of Christ and the details of His earthly life, but without faith in Christ, then we, of course, will gain a lot historical information, but our heart will remain indifferent to salvation. Isn't that what atheists do too? What then will be the difference between the so-called m, who is interested in the life of Christ without faith in Him, and the atheist who studies Christianity? Of course, none.

Gospel historical events have significant significance for us only if they are perceived through a believing heart, through faith in Christ as the God-man, the Son of God, the Savior of the world. Only in this way, only through faith in Christ, or, better to say, in the light of Christ, should we perceive the Holy Gospel story.

Every word of the Gospel, every sacred event must be perceived and understood by our minds through the basic meaning of the Gospel, through the “crucible of our faith.” Then the gospel events will live in our hearts. Then the image of Christ will become near and dear to our spirit, then Holy Gospel will become for us the Book of Life, leading us to salvation.

And indeed, no book on earth in its content and effect on human soul cannot compare with the Gospel, much less replace it. As Spurjohn said, “The Gospel is the Word that surpasses all human speech. The Scriptures are above all works of the pen, the inimitable creation of the Holy Spirit; it is suitable for all places, times and countries, for all nationalities, classes and persons. The Gospel is the Book of Books, source eternal life(), salvation (;) and consolation for the unfortunate and suffering. This is a book that has no other like it on earth, the content of which, like the gaze of God Himself, would penetrate into the depths of the soul of every person, which would contain truth in every single word, would be wiser than all codes of laws, more edifying than all teachings, more beautiful than poetry the whole world, and would touch the human heart, like the gentle voice of a loving mother. The Gospel is a wondrous unearthly light that illuminates our spiritual being stronger than the sun(); this is the breath of the Eternal, awakening in the soul of a happy person, among all earthly pleasures, a sigh for the best and highest, longing for his heavenly homeland; this is the breath of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, filling the sufferer’s soul with indescribable bliss amidst the difficult adversities of life.”

But in order for the Gospel to have a beneficial effect on our mind and heart, so that this blessed living Book of the living God will help us fight evil in this world, we need to love it and have deep reverence for this shrine.

We must make reading the Holy Gospel a daily necessity. But you need to read it in a prayerful mood, because reading the Gospel means talking with God.

Do not read the Gospels... with the aim of subjecting it to dry criticism of our limited reason, do not read it with poetic imagination, but read it with your conscience, seeking to see the infallible holy truth, so that the commandments of the Gospel will spiritualize your entire being. The Gospel is the Book of Life, and it must be read by deeds. Later, you can apply a measure of sound criticism to the Gospel... But in the name of this Holy Book, which has no equal among the books of the whole world - the works of mankind, in the name of its immeasurable spiritual height and divine wisdom, which blows upon you from every page of it , we ask you to read the Gospel first only with a simple mind and conscience. Read this way, the Book of “verbs of eternal life” will make your conscience tremble before goodness, before the high, beautiful morality of the Gospel; you will submit to the spirit living in the Gospel, touch the living Christ and feel the gracious “power emanating” from the holy lines and healing, as the bleeding robe of the Lord healed, your spiritual wounds. This Book will make you cry with delight and tears of joy, and you will close it, touched and delighted...

May this book, your sacred companion, be your constant companion everywhere and always.

May this book of salvation

Gives you comfort

During the years of struggle and labor.

In the sadness of the earthly vale.

Let them pour into your heart, -

And the heavens combine

With your pure soul.

K. R. (Grand Duke Konstantin Romanov)

CHRISTMAS - the first of the most significant religious holidays, the celebration traditions of which go back centuries. On the night of December 25th. According to the old style (new style - January 7), a solemn service is performed. Christmas is called the "mother of all holidays." Exactly on this day, all believers rejoice at the birth of the Savior, the Son of God. The significance of this holiday is so great that we count years from the Nativity of Christ. With the birth of the Son of God, his earthly life begins, torment, death, resurrection - everything that Jesus went through and that gives people light, shows the way to salvation. So, what are the gospel stories of the birth of Christ? Bethlehem is located not far from Jerusalem. The mother of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, was born there. Mary's parents Joachim and Anna were childless until old age, and they were despised for this. They intensely offered up prayer for a child - and the prayer was heard, Mary was born. From the age of 3 she was raised in the temple and at the age of 14 she made a vow not to marry and to serve only God. Mary lived in Galilee, in the tiny town of Nazareth, and was orphaned early (after all, she was a very late child). The priests entrusted the Virgin Mary to the widower Joseph, an eighty-year-old man, who took her as his wife, so that the girl would help him raise the children from his first marriage and to prevent the girl from disappearing. They lived in Joseph's house in Nazareth. Joseph, according to legend, was very old, he treated Mary as a daughter, and she remained a girl. One day, the angel Gabriel appeared in the house where the Virgin Mary and Joseph lived and said: “You will give birth to a son and call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and God the Lord will give him the throne.” Mary was amazed not at how great her Son would be, but at the fact that she would give birth at all. Mary felt that the impossible was not required of her - an understanding of how the conception of a child would occur without a husband, no reasoning about whether God could have a Son was required - one simple consent was required. This event is called Annunciation(“Annunciation”, “Annunciation”, “Annunciation” are translation options for one word “Gospel”). Mary did not dare to speak to Joseph about what had happened to her. She hurried to Elizabeth, because the angel had mentioned her, and went up to the mountains, where in the town of Beth-Zechariah, not far from Bethlehem, her relative bore the future Forerunner. She said out loud that she felt that the Mother of her Lord had come to her. But the time comes for Elizabeth to give birth, and Mary returns home to Joseph, to Nazareth. She is left alone with her Secret. The child in her womb was three months old. Having learned about this, Joseph decided that Mary had cheated on him by sinning with some man. Out of kindness, he did not want, as custom required, to publicly disgrace his bride (they were only engaged, called husband and wife, and the wedding was celebrated only a year after the engagement ceremony) and decided to quietly part with her. But in a dream, Joseph heard a voice, the authenticity of which he did not doubt even when he woke up: “Do not be afraid to accept Mary your wife, for what is born in Her is of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and... He will save His people from their sins.” their". From that moment Joseph did everything to help Mary.

At that time, the Roman ruler Augustus ordered a census of all Judean lands. Any Jew had to enroll where he was born. For this reason, Joseph and Mary went from Nazareth to Bethlehem, where Joseph's ancestors once lived, where he was still listed as a resident. The road was difficult, since Mary was soon to give birth. They arrived in Bethlehem late in the evening, but due to large crowds of people they were unable to stay either in hotels or in the houses of residents, for this reason they stopped in a cave close to the city. Shepherds drove their cattle into this cave in bad weather.

At night, the Virgin Mary gave birth to a son. The newborn was swaddled and placed on straw in a manger where they put feed for livestock. The Bethlehem shepherds were the first to know about the birth of Jesus. Not far from the cave, they were grazing cattle in a field when an angel suddenly appeared in front of them. The shepherds were very frightened, but the angel reassured them: “Do not be afraid! I proclaim to you great happiness, which will be not only for you, but also for all people: now the Savior has been born, who is Christ God. And here is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

When the angel returned to Heaven, the shepherds hurried to Bethlehem. Soon they found a cave and saw a newborn lying in a manger. They told Mary and Joseph what they had seen and heard, and then returned to their own flocks, rejoicing at the birth of the Son of God.

On the 8th day after the birth of the newborn, Joseph and Mary gave him the name Jesus, which means “The Lord saves” or “savior.”

After a few weeks, the baby became stronger and, according to custom, the whole family went to Jerusalem, to the Temple, to make a sacrifice to God in Solomon’s Temple. There was so little money in the wallet after all the adventures that the sacrifice was the cheapest - two chicks. Elder Simeon approached Mary - even the priests knew and revered this resident of the capital for his righteousness and piety; people said that Simeon was so confident in the imminent arrival of the Savior that he thought of seeing the Messiah during his lifetime. The Elder asked to hold the Child and, overwhelmed with joy, prayed, thanking God for seeing the Savior of all nations. And again Mary and Joseph did not shout about what had happened and returned from where they came; Simeon was also silent.

At this time, Magi - researchers who were engaged in observing the stars - arrived in Jerusalem from a distant country (from Persia or Babylonia). They saw how a new bright star formed in the Sky, and realized that the expected Messiah - the future ruler of Judea - had been born. The wise men hastened to Jerusalem to find out where the ruler was born and to worship him. They carried gifts with them: gold, which was intended for him as a king (in the form of tribute), incense - as God (since incense is used in worship) and myrrh - as a person who was obliged to die (the dead were rubbed with fragrant oils at that time).

The Magi asked everyone: “Where is the new Jewish ruler? We want to see him and bring him our gifts.” This news excited all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, but Herod was especially alarmed. He was afraid that power would be taken away from him, because he was not a Jew; he killed his own three children, suspecting them of being rivals. The insidious and suspicious ruler decided to kill the newborn, and since he did not know which child would turn out to be the future king, he ordered the killing of all children under two years of age in Bethlehem and surrounding villages.

The Magi went to Bethlehem, and again the very star they saw walked in front of them, showing the way. In Bethlehem, the star stopped over the place where the newly born Jesus was located.

At this time, Joseph and Mary had already moved from the cave to the city, since the people began to disperse after the census. The Magi entered the house and saw the newborn with his mother. They bowed down to Jesus and presented him with their gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh.

This is gospel story birth of Christ.

Person of Christ contains one of the most amazing secrets of Christianity - the secret godman. In all eras, it has been easier for the world to accept the opposite idea - the man-god. But Christ does not become God. In Christ, God is incarnated in the human body (incarnated) out of love for people, while, without in any way diminishing either the Divine or human nature, Jesus Christ is real God and a real person.

The birth of the Messiah was preceded by a miraculous event: “the angel Gabriel was sent from God to the city of Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a husband named Joseph, from the house of David; the name of the Virgin is Mary.” The angel told her the will of the creator: “you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a Son, and you will call His name Jesus.” Mary said to the angel: “How will this be when I don’t know my husband?” The angel answered her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you, therefore the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.”

The Holy Spirit filled the human nature of a Jewish girl betrothed to the carpenter Joseph from the city of Nazareth, a husband from the line of David. This family went back to the righteous King David, who ruled Israel during the era of its greatest power.

Joseph, having received prophetic dream warning from an angel, accepted the will of God and from then on protected Mary’s virginity. Christians believe that she remained a virgin even after the birth of her Son.

Mary became the Mother of Christ. The Gospels emphasize His humanity. However, the same Gospels call Jesus the Son of the Most High, the Son of God. For Christians, this serves as an indication of the fullness of the incarnation of God in Christ. Orthodox tradition calls Mary the Mother of God, thereby affirming the reality of a miracle that united the finite with the infinite, the corruptible with the eternal, the earthly with the heavenly.

The Savior takes on the “guise of a slave,” a man and an outwardly humiliated, dependent commoner from a people enslaved by foreigners. The Savior, when he is born, does not even have a place in a human dwelling. In those days, fulfilling the decree of the Roman Emperor Augustus on the census of the population of Judea, each family had to come to the city where its head was from. Many families came from the line of David, whose city Bethlehem was considered, so the local hotels were overcrowded. When Mary and Joseph came to Bethlehem, they could find shelter only in a cave that served as a stable, where Mary gave birth to her Son. They were also the first to know about the birth of the Savior ordinary people- shepherds. It was they, and not the sages and priests, who received news of Him from above and hastened to worship Him.

The ruler of Judea, Herod the Great, learned from the magi (astrologers) who came to Jerusalem about the birth of the Messiah, the King of the Jews - this was indicated by a mysterious star. Herod, who seized the throne against the custom and will of the people, saw the Divine Child as a threat to his power. The high priests informed the ruler that the prophecies spoke of the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem. Herod sent the Magi there to scout out everything and report to him. But, having brought their gifts to the Savior - gold as a king, incense (resin for fragrant incense) as God, myrrh (fragrant ointment for rubbing the body of the deceased) as a mortal man, the Magi received a command in a dream not to return to Herod and went to their homeland by a different route. An angry Herod gave a monstrous order: to destroy all infants under the age of two in Bethlehem and its environs. Saving Jesus, his mother and Joseph flee to Egypt, the land of the former slavery of the Jews.

There is almost no information about Christ’s childhood and youth.

At the age of 30, Jesus was baptized in the waters of the Jordan River by the righteous and ascetic John, nicknamed the Baptist, who lived in the desert. This is how the Jews (and many other peoples) designated the ritual of immersion in water, signifying the cleansing of the soul from sin, similar to the cleansing of the body with water.

After baptism, Jesus withdrew into the desert, which was considered by the Jews to be the abode of death and evil forces: There is no water there, and therefore no life. Jesus spent 40 days in the desert without eating. Fasting has long been known as a means of subordinating the flesh to the spirit, and the spirit to God, and thereby as a victory over evil. The Son of God set an example of such victory. At the end of Lent, the open ministry of Jesus Christ began. He went on a journey through Palestine, “preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.”

While preaching, Christ often used parables - figurative stories in which the listener could recognize himself. Gospel parables are not just everyday illustrations of some moral truths, but an appeal to a person’s conscience: do you understand what is happening to you?

A parable is an allegorical story in which there is implicitly a key to solving some mystery or a lesson. The parable does not impose an opinion or assessment; it is not at all compatible with passive perception; at its center is a riddle that requires thought, effort of the mind and heart. A parable is a language with the help of which things familiar to everyone reveal the secrets of an unknown world.

The coming of the Messiah into the world was accompanied by extraordinary events, and his earthly life was also filled with them. Jesus performed many healings, but not in order to gain popularity among the people with the fame of a healer. In the most extraordinary cases (healing lepers, raising people from the dead), he directly forbade talking about what he had done. Jesus came not to heal fleshly diseases, but to strike at the root of every disease - spiritual evil. But out of mercy and compassion, He could not refuse the suffering. Rumor ran ahead of him, healings became part of his preaching.

In those days, the true cause of illness was considered to be personal sins or the sins of ancestors. “Your sins are forgiven,” Jesus said to the paralytics, the blind, and the lepers, and people were healed, while simultaneously accepting the preaching of Christ.

The Jews, who came under the rule of Rome, were waiting for the Messiah as a hero who would defend and establish the true faith for all times. All the more difficult it turned out to be to recognize the Messiah in a wandering preacher from semi-pagan Galilee.

The first to abandon Christ were those who, by the standards of this world, constituted the elite of society. They belonged to different religious and political movements. One of these leading trends was represented by Pharisees They considered themselves the guardians of genuine national-religious traditions. The ideological opponents of the Pharisees were Sadducees Both the Pharisees and the Sadducees, who were at enmity with each other, were distinguished by contempt for the ignorant common people. The appearance of a preacher, who was considered the son of a carpenter from provincial Galilee, was met with hostility by them. The Pharisees and Sadducees turned out to be the main persecutors of Christ, and subsequently of Christians. They persistently “looked for where to catch him,” not stopping at slander, bribery, and perjury. Jesus foresaw this and warned his disciples several times that he would be betrayed, tortured, killed, and resurrected on the third day. However, those who recognized him as the Messiah do not hear Him.

Christ enters Jerusalem. The evening meal that Jesus had with his disciples on the eve of the Jewish holiday of Passover went down in the history of Christianity as last supper- the last meal of Jesus and His disciples, which took place on the eve of the crucifixion and death of the Savior on the cross. At the Last Supper, Jesus ate the Passover lamb and wine for the last time, washed the feet of His disciples, and gave a new commandment mutual love, established the Sacrament of the Eucharist (otherwise the Sacrament of Communion, in which the believer, under the guise of bread and wine, partakes of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and into Eternal Life), predicted the betrayal of Judas and the denial of Peter, and talked with the apostles.

The evangelists pay their main attention to the last days of the earthly life of Jesus Christ. In the Epistles of the Apostles, the death and resurrection of Christ are much more important than His entire previous life. And in the Gospels themselves, the story of the events of the Easter cycle occupies a place completely incomparable with the description of the previous years of the life of Christ.

The suffering of Christ begins from the moment when He and the apostles go to the Garden of Gethsemane, located outside the city, to spend the last hours of his life in prayer to the Father. Christ prayed, and the apostles fell asleep at that time. During prayer, blood, like drops of sweat, flowed down the face of Christ. This phenomenon is known to doctors. If a person is experiencing a state of extreme mental stress, then sometimes (extremely rarely) this happens. IN similar condition the person loses too much strength. It is during prayer that Christ is taken into custody.

Jesus, betrayed by his disciple Judas, was captured by the guards Sanhedrin- The Council of Elders, which ruled Judea, headed by the high priest. The Sanhedrin met in Jerusalem and consisted of 71 judges. Jesus was brought to the house of the high priest and hastily tried, resorting to false witness and slander. The Roman procurator Pontius Pilate did not see the guilt of Jesus that the Sanhedrin placed on him: the corruption of the people, the call for refusal to pay taxes to Caesar, claims to power over the Jewish people. However, the high priest Caiaphas insisted on execution. And, in the end, Pilate agreed.

The high priests and ministers pronounced a sentence on Christ: “according to our law He must die, because He made Himself the Son of God.” This means that even those who did not at all sympathize with the preaching of Christ noted that He equated Himself with God, that is, asserted His divine dignity. In the eyes of devout Jews, who profess the strict unity of God, this really looked like blasphemy.

Calvary- a low hill outside the walls of Jerusalem (now in the city itself and is completely built up with temples) - was a traditional place of public executions. It was for this purpose that several pillars were constantly erected on the top of the hill. According to custom, those sentenced to crucifixion were supposed to carry the beam themselves, which served as the transverse crossbar of the cross. Christ also carried such a beam; in the Gospel it is mentioned as a cross. But he became too weak and could not carry her to Golgotha.

Before this, Christ had already been subjected to punishment once - scourging - blows with a five-tailed whip with lead balls at the end of each belt. Jesus received 39 of these blows because Jewish law prohibited more than 40 blows, which was considered a lethal dose. The law was broken. Christ was punished twice, while any law, including Roman law, prohibits punishing a person twice for the same act. Flagellation is the first and in itself quite terrible punishment. Not everyone survived after it. The second punishment is crucifixion. Apparently, Pontius Pilate really tried to defend the life of Jesus, and hoped that the sight of the preacher beaten to a pulp would satisfy the crowd. However, this did not happen. The crowd demanded execution, and Jesus was led to Calvary. Beaten and exhausted, he fell several times along the road, and finally the guards forced a peasant he met named Simon to take the cross and carry it to Golgotha. And on Golgotha, Jesus Christ was crucified: his legs were nailed to a pole dug into the ground, and his hands were nailed to the crossbar, which he carried on himself.

What is a crucifixion? Marcus Tulius Cicero in his writings called this execution the most terrible of all executions invented by people. During crucifixion, the human body hangs on the cross in such a way that the fulcrum is in the chest. When the arms are raised above shoulder level and the person hangs without supporting his legs, the entire weight of the upper half of the body falls on the chest. Because of this tension, blood rushes to the muscles of the pectoral girdle and stagnates there. The muscles gradually become stiff and compress the chest. They do not allow the diaphragm to expand, so a person cannot take air into the lungs and begins to suffocate. Such an execution could last a day or more. In most cases, the convicts were simply tied, and sometimes nailed to a cross. Forged faceted nails were driven between the radius bones of the arm, near the wrist, and into the legs. The Gospel says that Christ's suffering lasted about six hours. To speed up the execution, guards or executioners often resorted to this technique: they broke the crucified man’s legs with a sword. The man lost his last point of support and suffocated. The guards who guarded Golgotha ​​that day were in a hurry to finish their terrible task before sunset, because after sunset it came great holiday- Jewish Passover, and the bodies of the three executed should not have hung over the city. The Gospel of John notes that the soldiers broke the legs of two thieves crucified with Christ, but did not touch Christ himself, because they saw that he was already dead. “But one of the soldiers pierced his ribs with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out.”

They managed to remove Jesus from the cross before sunset, quickly wrapped him in burial shrouds and laid him in a tomb - a small cave carved into the rock not far from Golgotha. The entrance to the tomb was blocked with a heavy stone and a guard was placed so that the disciples would not steal the body. A day and another night passed. When the next morning the disciples of Christ went to the tomb to wash His body and complete funeral rites, they discovered that the stone had been rolled away, there were no guards, and the tomb was empty. Their hearts were filled with new grief: not only was the Teacher killed, now even his body had disappeared. But just at that moment an angel appeared to them and announced: “Christ is risen!”

The Gospel describes several encounters with the risen Christ. He appeared only to those who believed and managed to accept him.

What happened on the cross and after the crucifixion? Christ repeatedly said that it was for this moment that he came into the world. The final enemy Christ fights is death. For people, this means that from now on the death of a person becomes nothing more than an episode of his life. Since Christ found the way out of death, then if a person follows Him, figuratively speaking, “grasps His garments,” Christ will lead him through the corridors of death, and death will not be a dead end, but simply a door. That is why the apostles say that the death of Jesus Christ is most important event in their personal life.

Birth of the Church

The word "church" comes from the Greek " kiriake" - "house of the Lord." But in the Slavic and Russian texts of the Holy Scriptures, “church” also corresponds to the Greek word “ekklesia” - “assembly (of those called).” The head of the Christian Church is considered to be Christ himself, the church is His body.

Contrary to the expectations of the Sanhedrin, the death of Jesus of Nazareth did not stop the spread of His preaching. In Galilee, Samaria, and in Jerusalem itself, hundreds who saw and heard Jesus believed that God had finally sent the Messiah to His people, and tried to live according to His commandments, supporting each other in the faith. The communities they created became the first shoots of the Christian church. The early church consisted of individual congregations. Each of them was headed bishop(caretaker) who was helped elders(elders) and deacons(servants), later clergy of the lower rank began to be called deacons. This was the beginning of the church hierarchy.

In life early church and each of its members had a special place in two sacraments - baptism And Eucharist They laid the foundation for Christian worship.

Baptism in Christianity comes from the ritual that John the Baptist performed over Jesus in the Jordan River. It meant for the one who is baptized - the baptized - cleansing from sins past life and joining the Church. The sacrament of baptism is always performed once throughout life. At first, baptism was carried out in the open air, in streams and rivers, and later - in special rooms (baptisteries, or baptisteries).

Eucharist(Greek "thanksgiving") - communion, the main sacrament of the Church, performed in memory of the resurrection of Christ. During this sacrament, according to Christians, what happens is transubstantiation bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. Through communion, Christians believe, mystical communication with God is possible.

Conflict with Rome

At first, the Roman authorities did not see any difference between Jews and Christians. Both of them refused to participate in sacrifices to local gods and the Roman emperor, who was considered equal to the gods according to the laws of the empire. Thus, the Jews and followers of Christ found themselves in violation of general civil law.

However, if in the 1st century. Roman authorities did not require Jews to make sacrifices to the gods of Rome (the Romans recognized and allowed all national religions), then this was not required of Christians only in the early years, until they began to distinguish them from the Jews. Then Christians began to be perceived as a dangerous sect, and Rome already demanded that they abandon the most important of the 10 commandments: “I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt have no other Gods before Me.” Christians could not honor the Roman gods, and as soon as the authorities realized this, persecution began.

For Christians, death and martyrdom became an act of thanksgiving, a Eucharistic union with Christ. The memory of the victims was preserved thanks to the written monuments of early Christianity - lists of martyrs, which indicated the suffering they endured. Such lists were kept in local churches and were called martyrologists(Greek "catalog of witnesses"). The martyrology became the basis of the church calendar.

Already at the end of the 2nd century. Some communities began to celebrate the days of remembrance of Christian martyrs. At the same time, the anniversary of the death of this or that martyr was celebrated as his birthday, since it was believed that it was on this day that he was born for a new eternal life.

Apparently, the first Christians appeared at the same time. icons(Greek "image", "image") - images of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, any saint, gospel or church historical event. The veneration of icons was dogmatically established in the 8th century, although church art, including icon painting, had existed since the first centuries of Christianity.

The first temples

At first, Christians attended synagogues, but after the break with Judaism, access there was closed to them. For a long time, Christians did not have special places of worship, and prayer meetings took place in the most different places, most often in the homes of wealthy believers, but sometimes in empty barns or craft workshops, or even just in the open air.

Christian churches were called differently: houses of God, shrines or churches. First Christian churches had the form basilicas(royal house). In my plan christian basilica is a rectangle that is twice as long as it is wide. The interior of the basilica is divided in length by two or four rows of columns into three or five oblong parts, which are called naves. On east side rectangle, according to the number of naves, a corresponding number (three or five) altar semicircles are arranged. In the part of the basilica opposite the altar semicircles there is a vestibule and a portico made up of columns. The middle nave is wider and higher than the side ones, and between its columns, in the walls, above the roof of the side naves, there are windows that illuminate the basilica. Subsequently, the basilica type of church was preserved for a long time in the West (until the 11th century) and acquired new features: the building took the shape of a Latin cross, and domes appeared, usually of the same diameter. In the East, the basilica was later replaced by a cross-domed church.

Under the Roman Emperor Constantine I the Great(306–337) The Church began intensive construction of temple buildings, since it was this emperor who declared Christianity state religion. Since his time government agencies, laws, and military service began to focus on the requirements that lie in Christianity. So, in particular, in 315 Constantine abolished execution by crucifixion. On the Bosporus, Constantine founded a new capital of the empire, which was simultaneously consecrated in accordance with pagan and Christian rites, calling it Constantinople. Constantine himself was baptized shortly before his death. History gave him the name of the Great. For his great merits, the Church calls him Equal-to-the-Apostles.

One of the merits of Constantine was the convening of the First Ecumenical Council in the city of Nicaea in 325. Ecumenical Councils- these are meetings of the highest clergy and representatives of local Christian Churches, on which the foundations were formulated and approved Christian doctrine, canonical liturgical rules were formed, various theological concepts were evaluated and heresies were condemned. To division of the Churches into Western (Catholic) and Eastern (Orthodox) in 1054. seven Ecumenical Councils. After the division of the Churches, no general Christian Councils were held, although Catholic Church calls the councils convened by her Ecumenical.

Secret Christian symbols

Christian art was originally very symbolic. The symbol in Christian art connects two worlds - visible and invisible (natural and supernatural). In cruel times of persecution, the first Christians recognized each other by these secret signs. The mystery of a symbol is both the silence and the revelation of its deep meaning.

Fish - one of the earliest and most widespread symbols personifying Christ himself. Greek word“fish” consists of letters that form the following phrase: “Jesus Christ the Son of God the Savior,” and this is what Christians believe in, for which the early Christian martyrs gave their lives.

Lamb known since the Old Testament. The rite of the Jewish Passover included the slaughter and eating of the Passover lamb (a young firstborn lamb without “spot or blemish”). This was commanded to the Jews by God on the eve of their Exodus from Egyptian captivity, and then it was included in the celebration of Passover as a remembrance of the Exodus. Gradually, the lamb becomes a symbol of the atonement, humility, meekness and obedience of Christ. At first, Christ was depicted as a lamb, and in the 7th century. The Council of Trulla decided to “paint Christ in human form.”

Pigeon - an image that also came into Christian art from the Old Testament. The book of Genesis tells how a dove brought a green branch to Noah and thereby notified him of the end global flood and that God’s wrath was replaced by mercy. Since then, the dove with an olive branch in its beak has become a symbol of peace.

Peacock – a symbol of immortality, which is why the image of this bird is often found on tombstones.

Phoenix – a magical bird that came from ancient Egyptian myths. According to legend, she dies once every 500 years, burning herself in a sacrificial fire, and each time she is reborn from the ashes. For Christians, this symbol was directly related to the resurrection of Christ and was perceived as an image of the coming resurrection of the dead.

Grapevine – a Eucharistic image, as well as a symbol of divine chosenness. Grapes in Holy Scripture is a symbol of the Promised Land, which God gave to his chosen people as an inheritance. At the Last Supper, grape wine becomes the Blood of Christ, which Jesus gives for the life of the world, for the atonement of sins.

Lily – symbol of innocence and purity, symbol loving God souls. According to legend, on the day of the Annunciation, the Archangel Gabriel came to the Virgin Mary with a white lily, which has since become a symbol of the Mother of God, Her purity, innocence and devotion to God.

Anchor- since early Christian times a sign of hope and salvation.

Good Shepherd- this is the name given to the image of Christ in the form of a young man with a lamb on his shoulders.

The life of Jesus Christ is still the subject of speculation and gossip. Atheists claim that its existence is a myth, but Christians are convinced of the opposite. In the 20th century, scientists intervened in the study of the biography of Christ and made strong arguments in favor of the New Testament.

Birth and childhood

Mary, the future mother of the holy child, was the daughter of Anna and Joachim. They gave their three-year-old daughter to Jerusalem Monastery as God's bride. In this way, the girls atone for the sins of their parents. But, although Mary swore an oath of eternal fidelity to the Lord, she had the right to live in the temple only until she was 14 years old, and after that she was obliged to get married. When the time came, Bishop Zachary (confessor) gave the girl as a wife to the eighty-year-old old man Joseph, so that she would not break her own vow with carnal pleasures.

Joseph was upset by this turn of events, but did not dare disobey the priest. The new family began to live in Nazareth. One night, the couple saw a dream in which the Archangel Gabriel appeared to them, warning them that the Virgin Mary would soon become pregnant. The angel also warned the girl about the Holy Spirit, which would descend for conception. That same night, Joseph learned that the birth of a holy baby would save the human race from hellish torment.

When Mary was pregnant, Herod (king of Judea) ordered a census, so subjects had to report to their place of birth. Since Joseph was born in Bethlehem, the couple headed there. The young wife had a hard time with the journey, as she was already eight months pregnant. Due to the crowd of people in the city, they did not find shelter for themselves, so they were forced to go outside the city walls. Nearby there was only a barn built by shepherds.

At night, Mary is delivered of her son, whom she names Jesus. The birthplace of Christ is considered to be the city of Bethlehem, located near Jerusalem. The situation with the date of birth is not clear, since sources indicate conflicting figures. If we compare the reign of Herod and Caesar Augustus of Rome, then this happened in the 5-6th century.

The Bible states that the baby was born on the night when the brightest star lit up in the sky. Scientists believe that such a star was a comet that flew over the Earth in the period from 12 BC to 4 BC. Of course, 8 years is not a small discrepancy, but due to the passage of time and contradictory interpretations of the Gospel, even such an assumption is considered to be on target.

Orthodox Christmas It is celebrated on January 7, and the Catholic one is celebrated on December 26. But, according to religious apocrypha, both dates are incorrect, since the birth of Jesus occurred on March 25-27. At the same time, the pagan Day of the Sun was celebrated on December 26, so the Orthodox Church moved Christmas to January 7. The confessors wanted to wean parishioners from the “bad” holiday of the Sun by legitimizing a new date. This is not disputed by the modern church.

Eastern sages knew in advance that a spiritual teacher would soon descend to Earth. Therefore, having seen a Star in the sky, they followed the glow and came to a cave, where they discovered the holy baby. Entering inside, the Magi bowed to the newborn as if it were a king and presented gifts - myrrh, gold and incense.

Immediately, rumors about the newly-minted King reached Herod, who, angry, ordered the destruction of all the babies of Bethlehem. In the works of the ancient historian Josephus, information was found that two thousand children were killed on the bloody night, and this is by no means a myth. The tyrant was so afraid for the throne that he even killed his own sons, to say nothing of other people’s children.

The holy family managed to escape from the wrath of the ruler by fleeing to Egypt, where they lived for 3 years. Only after the death of the tyrant, the couple and their child returned to Bethlehem. When Jesus grew up, he began to help his betrothed father in carpentry, which is how he later earned his living.

At the age of 12, Jesus came with his parents to Jerusalem for Easter, where he spent 3-4 days having spiritual conversations with the scribes who interpreted holy scripture. The boy amazes his mentors with his knowledge of the Laws of Moses, and his questions baffle more than one teacher. Then, according to the Arabic Gospel, the boy withdraws into himself and hides his own miracles. Evangelists do not even write about the child’s future life, explaining this by saying that zemstvo events should not affect spiritual life.

Personal life

Since the Middle Ages, controversy about the personal life of Jesus has not subsided. Many people were worried about whether he was married or whether he left any descendants behind him. But the clergy tried to reduce these conversations to a minimum, since the son of God could not become addicted to earthly things. Previously, there were many Gospels, each of which was interpreted in its own way. But the clergy tried to get rid of the “wrong” books. There is even a version that mentions of family life Christ is not included in New Testament specially.

Other Gospels mention the wife of Christ. Historians agree that his wife was Mary Magdalene. And in the Gospel of Philip there are even lines about how Christ’s disciples were jealous of their teacher for Mary for a kiss on the lips. Although in the New Testament this girl is described as a harlot who took the path of correction and followed Christ from Galilee to Judea.

At that time unmarried girl had no right to accompany a group of wanderers, unlike the wife of one of them. If we remember that the risen Lord first appeared not to the disciples, but to Magdalene, then everything falls into place. The apocrypha also contains references to the marriage of Jesus, when he performed the first miracle by turning water into wine. Otherwise, why would he and Our Lady worry about food and wine at the wedding feast in Cana?

In the time of Jesus, unmarried men were considered strange and even ungodly, so there was no way an unmarried prophet would become a Teacher. If Mary Magdalene is the wife of Jesus, then the question arises as to why he chose her as his betrothed. Political trends are probably involved here.

Jesus could not become a contender for the throne of Jerusalem as an outsider. Having taken as a wife a local girl belonging to the princely family of the tribe of Benjamin, he already became one of his own. The child born to the couple would have become a prominent political figure and a clear contender for the throne. Perhaps this is why persecution arose, and subsequently the murder of Jesus. But the clergy present the son of God in a different light.

Historians believe that this was the reason for the 18-year gap in his life. The Church tried to eradicate heresy, although a layer of indirect evidence remained on the surface.

This version is also confirmed by a papyrus released by Harvard University professor Carin King, in which the phrase is clearly written: “ Jesus said to them, “My wife...”

Baptism

God appeared to the prophet John the Baptist, who lived in the desert, and commanded him to preach among sinners, and to baptize those who wanted to be cleansed of sin in the Jordan.

Until the age of 30, Jesus lived with his parents and helped them in every possible way, and after that an insight descended on him. He strongly desired to become a preacher, telling people about divine phenomena and the meaning of religion. Therefore, he goes to the Jordan River, where he is baptized by John the Baptist. John immediately realized that this very youth was in front of him - the son of the Lord, and, perplexed, objected:

“I need to be baptized by You, and You come to me?”

Jesus then went into the desert, where he wandered for 40 days. Thus, he prepared himself for the mission to atone for the sin of the human race through an act of self-sacrifice.

At this time, Satan is trying to hinder him through temptations, which became more sophisticated each time.

1. Hunger. When Christ was hungry, the tempter said:

“If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.”

2. Pride. The devil took the man to the top of the temple and said:

“If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, because the angels of God will support you and you will not stumble on the stones.”

Christ rejected this too, saying that he did not intend to test the power of God for his own whim.

3. Temptation by Faith and Wealth.

“I will give you power over the kingdoms of the earth, which is given to me, if you worship me,” Satan promised. Jesus answered: “Get thee behind Me, Satan, for it is written: God is to be worshiped and only served.”

The Son of God did not give in and was not tempted by the gifts of Satan. The rite of Baptism gave him strength to fight the sinful instructions of the tempter.

12 apostles of Jesus

After wandering through the desert and fighting the devil, Jesus finds 12 followers and gives them a piece of his own gift. Traveling with his disciples, he brings the word of God to the people and performs miracles so that people believe.

Miracles

• Turning water into fine wine.
• Healing the paralyzed.
• The miraculous resurrection of Jairus's daughter.
• Resurrection of the son of the Nain widow.
• Calming the storm on Lake Galilee.
• Healing of the Gadarian demoniac.
• The miraculous feeding of the people with five loaves.
• Walking of Jesus Christ on the surface of the water.
• Healing of the Canaanite daughter.
• Healing of ten lepers.
• The miracle on Lake Gennesaret is the filling of empty nets with fish.

The Son of God instructed people and explained each of his commandments, inclining them to God’s teaching.

The Lord's popularity grew every day and masses of people rushed to see the miraculous preacher. Jesus bequeathed the commandments, which later became the foundations of Christianity.

• Love and honor the Lord God.
• Don't worship idols.
• Do not use the name of the Lord in empty conversations.
• Work six days, and pray on the seventh.
• Respect and honor your parents.
• Don't kill another or yourself.
• Do not violate marital fidelity.
• Do not steal or appropriate other people's property.
• Don't lie and don't be jealous.

But the more Jesus won people's love, the more the nobles of Jerusalem hated him. The nobles were afraid that their power would be shaken and conspired to kill the messenger of God. Christ triumphantly enters Jerusalem on a donkey, thereby reproducing the Jewish legend about the triumphant coming of the Messiah. The people enthusiastically greet the New Tsar, throwing palm branches and their own clothes at his feet. People expect that the age of tyranny and humiliation will soon end. With such pandemonium, the Pharisees were afraid to arrest Christ and took a wait-and-see attitude.

The Jews expect from Him victory over evil, peace, security and stability, but Jesus, on the contrary, invites them to renounce everything worldly and become homeless wanderers who will preach the word of God. Realizing that nothing would change in power, people hated God and considered God a deceiver who had destroyed their dreams and hopes. The Pharisees also played an important role here, inciting a rebellion against the “false prophet.” The surrounding situation becomes more and more tense, and Jesus step by step approaches the loneliness of the Gethsemane night.

Passion of Christ

According to the Gospel, the passion of Christ is usually called the torment endured by Jesus in last days of your earthly life. The clergy have compiled a list of the priority of the passions:

• Entry of the Lord into the Jerusalem Gates
• Supper in Bethany, when the sinner washes Christ’s feet with myrrh and her own tears, and wipes them with her hair.
• Washing the feet of his disciples God's son. When He and the apostles came to the house where it was necessary to eat Passover, there were no servants to wash the guests’ feet. Then Jesus himself washed the feet of his disciples, thereby teaching them a lesson in humility.

• Last Supper. It was here that Christ predicted that the disciples would abandon him and betray him. Soon after this conversation, Judas left the supper.
• The road to the Garden of Gethsemane and prayer to the Father. At the Mount of Olives, he calls out to the Creator and asks for deliverance from his impending fate, but receives no answer. In deep sadness, Jesus goes to say goodbye to his disciples, expecting earthly torment.

Trial and crucifixion

Descending from the mountain in the dead of night, he informs them that the traitor is already close and asks his followers not to leave. However, at the moment when Judas arrived with a crowd of Roman soldiers, all the apostles were already fast asleep. The traitor kisses Jesus, ostensibly greeting him, but thereby showing the guards the true prophet. And they put Him in shackles and take Him to the Sanhedrin to administer justice.

According to the Gospel, this happened on the night from Thursday to Friday of the week before Easter. The first to interrogate Christ was Annas, Caiaphas' father-in-law. He expected to hear about witchcraft and magic, thanks to which crowds of people follow the prophet and worship him as a deity. Having achieved nothing, Annas sent the captive to Caiaphas, who had already gathered elders and religious fanatics.

Caiaphas accused the prophet of blasphemy for calling himself the son of God and sending him to the prefect Pontius. Pilate was a just man and tried to dissuade those gathered from killing righteous man. But the judges and confessors began to demand that the culprit be crucified. Then Pontius offered to decide the fate of the righteous man to the people gathered in the square. He announced: “I consider this man innocent, choose for yourself, life or death.” But at that moment, only the prophet’s opponents gathered near the court, shouting about crucifixion.

Before his execution, Jesus was beaten with whips for a long time by 2 executioners, torturing his body and breaking the bridge of his nose. After the public punishment, he was put on a white shirt, which was immediately soaked in blood. A crown of thorns was placed on his head, and a sign on his neck with the inscription: “I am God” in 4 languages. The New Testament says that the inscription read: “Jesus of Nazareth - King of the Jews,” but it is unlikely that such a text would fit on a small board, and even in 4 dialects. Later, Roman priests rewrote the Bible, trying to keep silent about the shameful fact.

After the execution, which the righteous man endured without making a sound, he had to carry a heavy cross to Golgotha. Here the hands and feet of the martyr were nailed to a cross, which was dug into the ground. The guards tore off his clothes, leaving him in only a loincloth. At the same time that Jesus was being punished, two criminals were hanged on either side of the slanted crossbar of the crucifixion. In the morning they were released, and only Jesus remained on the cross.

At the hour of Christ’s death, the earth shook, as if nature itself rebelled against the cruel execution. The deceased was buried in a tomb, thanks to Pontius Pilate, who was very sympathetic to the innocent-executed man.

Resurrection

On the third day after his death, the martyr rose from the dead and appeared in the flesh to his disciples. He gave them last instructions before his ascension to heaven. When the guards came to check if the deceased was still there, they found only an open cave and a bloody shroud.

It was announced to all believers that the body of Jesus was stolen by his disciples. The pagans hastily covered Golgotha ​​and the Holy Sepulcher with earth.

Evidence for the Existence of Jesus

Having familiarized yourself with the bibles, primary sources and archaeological finds, you can find real evidence existence of the Messiah on earth.

1. In the 20th century, during excavations in Egypt, an ancient papyrus was discovered containing verses from the Gospel. Scientists have proven that the manuscript dates back to 125-130 years.
2. In 1947, they found on the coast of the Dead Sea ancient scrolls biblical texts. This discovery proved that parts of the first Bible are closest to its modern sound.
3. In 1968, during archaeological research in the north of Jerusalem, the body of a man crucified on a cross was discovered - John (son of Kaggol). This proves that then criminals were executed in this way, and the Bible describes the truth.
4. In 1990, a vessel containing the remains of the deceased was found in Jerusalem. On the wall of the vessel there is an inscription engraved in Aramaic that reads: “Joseph, son of Caiaphas.” Perhaps this is the son of the same high priest who subjected Jesus to persecution and trial.
5. In Caesarea in 1961, an inscription was discovered on a stone associated with the name of Pontius Pilate, prefect of Judea. He was called a prefect, and not a procurator, like all subsequent successors. The same record is in the Gospels, which proves the reality of biblical events.

Science was able to confirm the existence of Jesus, confirming the facts of the Testament. And even a famous scientist said in 1873:

“It is extremely difficult to imagine that this vast and wonderful universe, just like man, arose by chance; this seems to me the main argument in favor of the existence of God.”

New religion

He also predicted that at the turn of the century a New Religion would arise, bringing light and positivity. And now his words began to come true. The new spiritual group was born quite recently and has not yet received public recognition. The term NRM was introduced into scientific use as a contrast to the words sect or cult, which obviously carry a negative connotation. In 2017, in the Russian Federation there are more than 300 thousand people associated with any religious movement.

Psychologist Margaret Theler has compiled a classification of NRMs, consisting of a dozen subgroups (religious, eastern, interest-based, psychological and even political). New religious movements dangerous because the goals of the leaders of these groups are not known for certain. And also the majority of groups new religion directed against Russian Orthodox Church and poses a hidden threat to the Christian world.

Everyone knows the story associated with the Resurrection of Jesus, but few know the details of this event, although the holiday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the main one for Christians.

It is in honor of the Resurrection of Christ that all Christians celebrate Easter for forty days.

What sources describe the events associated with the Resurrection of Jesus Christ?

The main sources that describe the events associated with the Resurrection of Jesus:

— Gospel of Matthew. Chapters 27, 28

— Gospel of Mark. Chapters 15, 16

- Gospel of Luke. Chapter 24

The word Gospel is translated from Greek as “good news” about the coming of the Kingdom of God.

Resurrection of Jesus Christ - Gospel according to Mark

The story of Jesus' resurrection began with his trial and crucifixion on the Friday before Passover.

Crucifixion of Jesus Christ

Jesus, crucified on the cross, died about three hours after lunch.

Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Christ and Salome and other disciples of Christ were present during the execution.

In order not to overshadow the Jewish holiday of Passover (Easter), the Jewish high priests and Pontius Pilate instructed one of their high priests, a rich man from the city of Arimathea, named Joseph, to take the body of Jesus and bury him. According to the Bible, Joseph and his assistant removed Jesus' body from the cross and buried it in Joseph's crypt.

But most likely, given Joseph’s rank, and he was one of the leaders of the Sanidrin, all these actions were carried out not by him personally, but by a funeral team from the local guard, but under his leadership.

It is interesting that none of the disciples of Jesus, neither Mary Magdalene nor the mother of Jesus took part in the funeral of the Lord.

Jesus Christ was buried in a similar grave

Having removed the body of Jesus from the cross, Joseph wrapped a shroud around Christ and buried Jesus in a cave that evening, then rolled a stone to the entrance to the cave and returned to Jerusalem.

Mary Magdalene and his mother Mary watched from afar where Jesus was buried.

The cave where Jesus was buried was in Joseph's garden, next to Golgotha, where Christ was crucified.

The next morning, remembering Jesus' prediction that he would rise on the third day, the high priests went to Pilate and asked him to place a guard at the cave so that Christ's followers could not secretly steal Jesus' body.

To guard the cave, Pontius Pilate assigned guards and ordered it (the cave) to be sealed.

Myrrh-Bearing Women

On the third day after the funeral of Jesus, early Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene and the mother of Christ Mary of James, having bought aromatic oils, went to the cave to anoint the body of the deceased.

Approaching the cave, the women were worried about who would move the heavy stone that was covering the entrance to the cave.

But when they approached the cave, they were surprised to find that there were no guards who were supposed to guard the cave, and the stone covering the entrance had been rolled away.

Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Angel of the Lord

When the women entered the cave, they saw that the body of Christ was not there, but right side box sits clothed in white clothes young man

The women were frightened and froze, but the young man immediately turned to them:

“You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, crucified; He has risen, He is not here. This is the place where He was laid. But go, tell His disciples and Peter that He is going before you to Galilee; There you will see Him, just as He told you."

The frightened women ran out of the cave and returned to Jerusalem, but, overcome with horror, they did not tell anyone anything, neither about the disappearance of the body, nor about the young man in white robes.

However, just as Jesus predicted, he rose again early on Sunday morning.

The first person to whom he appeared was Mary Magdalene.

Appearing before Mary Magdalene, he cast out seven demons from her.

After which Mary Magdalene went to the disciples of Jesus and told them that Jesus had risen and that she had seen Him alive, but the disciples did not believe Mary’s story.

Then Jesus appeared in another form to two of the disciples on the road.

They told about the meeting with the Teacher, but the rest of the students again did not believe them either.

Then in the evening Jesus appeared to the remaining eleven of his disciples and reproached them for not believing in his resurrection and said to them:

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; and whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will take snakes; and if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them; They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

After the conversation with the disciples, Jesus went to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God, and the disciples went to preach.

This concludes the story of the resurrection of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark.

Resurrection of Jesus Christ - Gospel of Matthew

The Gospel of Matthew tells about the events associated with the Resurrection of Jesus Christ with slightly different details than the Gospel according to Mark.

In the Gospel of Matthew there are both earthquakes and solar eclipse, and the resurrection of the dead:

“Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up the ghost. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook; and the stones dissipated; and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were resurrected, and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many.”

But near the cave, events are already happening somewhat differently.

When Mary, the mother of James and Josiah (mother of Christ), and the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached the cave, a great earthquake occurred due to the fact that the Angel of the Lord who descended from heaven came, rolled away the stone from the door of the tomb and sat on it:

“His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was white as snow.”

Horror gripped everyone: the guards guarding the cave and the women.

The angel turned to the women and said:

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified; He is not here - He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay, and go quickly, tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see Him there"

The women, making sure that Jesus’ deathbed was empty, went back to Jerusalem to tell the apostles about the resurrection of the Teacher.

Eleven disciples went to Galilee to meet the Teacher there, on the mountain.

Not all the disciples believed that their teacher Jesus was before them.

As Jesus approached, he addressed his disciples:

“All authority in heaven and on earth is mine. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

This concludes the story of the resurrection of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew.

Resurrection of Jesus Christ - Gospel of Luke

In the Gospel of Luke in chapter 24, the women also came to the cave on Sunday morning to the tomb of Christ with prepared spices and also found the stone rolled away from the entrance to the cave.

But when they entered the cave, not a young man appeared before them, but two men in shining clothes.

They, just like the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, told them that Jesus had risen and was waiting for them in Galilee,

But even here the women did not believe the messengers.

However, in the Gospel of Luke, the Apostle Peter is present in the cave, who approaches the Holy Sepulcher and sees only the linens lying there.

The following describes the events when two disciples meet Jesus on the road and do not recognize him for a long time, and only after he reclined with them and broke bread with them did they realize that they had spent the whole day in the company of Jesus:

“And as He reclined with them, He took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him. But He became invisible to them"

Further, upon returning to Jerusalem, they found together the eleven Apostles who said that the Lord had truly risen and appeared to Simon. And they told about what had happened on the way, and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of bread.

And at that moment Jesus himself stood in the midst of them and said to them:

"Peace be with you"

The apostles were confused and afraid, thinking that they saw a spirit.

But Jesus convinced them that he was their blood, and then he ate baked fish and honeycomb with them.

The disciples bowed to Jesus and returned to Jerusalem in a festive mood.

This concludes the story of the Resurrection of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke.

Are there any records of references to the Ascension of the Lord in the works of eyewitnesses of Christ?

No, in the works of eyewitnesses of Christ there is not a single record where there would be any mention of the Ascension of the Lord. All references to the Ascension of the Lord were not written by eyewitnesses and in a later period.

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