Jesus of Nazareth
The Jewish preacher whose teaching, execution, and reported resurrection became the central reference point of two thousand years of Western culture.
Origin
Jesus (c. 4 BCE – c. 33 CE) was a Galilean Jew who spent his last few years as a wandering teacher in Roman-occupied Judea, preaching mercy, the kingdom of God, and reversal of social order — the meek inheriting the earth, the last becoming first. The Roman governor Pontius Pilate executed him by crucifixion around 33 CE. His followers reported he rose from the dead three days later. Within four centuries a Jewish sect built around him had become the official religion of the Roman Empire, and within two thousand the largest religion on the planet (about 2.4 billion adherents).
Modern usage
Even in fully secular speech the references are everywhere: 'Jesus take the wheel,' 'do you think you're Jesus?,' 'WWJD,' 'turn the other cheek,' 'the meek shall inherit the earth,' 'good Samaritan' ([[good-samaritan]]). The crucifixion pose and the long-hair-and-beard image are visual shorthand for any martyr or wronged-savior figure in art and film.
Tags