Download This Sample
This sample is exclusively for KidsKonnect members!
To download this worksheet, click the button below to signup for free (it only takes a minute) and you'll be brought right back to this page to start the download!
Sign Me Up
Table of Contents
Jesus, a Jewish teacher and spiritual guide named Jesus Christ and Jesus of Nazareth, flourished in the first century. He is the leading representative of the most prevalent religion in the world. Most Christians think that Jesus is the Son of God, who became man and the Messiah (the Christ), foretold in the Hebrew Bible.
See the fact file below for more information about Jesus Christ, or download the comprehensive worksheet pack, which contains over 11 worksheets and can be used in the classroom or homeschooling environment.
Key Facts & Information
Naming convention, various names
- In Jesus’ day, a Jew typically had just one word, often followed by “son of [father’s name]” or the person’s birthplace.
- Jesus is usually referred to as “Jesus of Nazareth” throughout the New Testament because his Nazareth neighbors named him “the carpenter,” “the carpenter’s son,” or “Joseph’s son,” as well as “the brother of Simon, Judas, Joses, and James.”
- At the time of Jesus’ birth, the name Yeshua appears to have been used in Judea. At least twenty individuals with the name Jesus are mentioned in the works of historian Flavius Josephus from the first century. Josephus wrote in Koine Greek, the same language used in the New Testament.
Jesus as the Christ
- Since the beginning of Christianity, Christians have referred to Jesus as “Jesus Christ” because, according to the Gospel of John’s author, Jesus gave himself that name while pleading as a high priest.
- Because they thought he was the Messiah, whose coming is foretold in the Hebrew and Old Testaments, Christians of the period referred to Jesus as “the Christ.” Etymologies of the term Christian (meaning a follower of Christ) have been employed since the first century. In postbiblical usage, Christ became seen as a name – one component of “Jesus Christ.”
Canonical Gospels
- The life and teachings of Jesus were described separately by several early Christian sects and are not found in the New Testament. These consist of the Apocryphon of James, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospels of Peter, Judas, and others, as well as the Gospel of Thomas. Most academics conclude that these were written considerably later and are less trustworthy than the canonical gospels.
- Several authors wrote the four gospels that are considered canonical. The four evangelists, who each had strong relationships with Jesus, are thought to be the Gospels’ anonymous authors.
- The literary form in which the Gospels fall short is a crucial component of its analysis. A fundamental convention that directs the creation and understanding of texts is genre.
- They should read the gospels dramatically depending on whether the authors intended to create romances, myths, chronicles, or biographies.
- In general, the New Testament authors needed to demonstrate more enthusiasm for a precise chronology of Jesus or for synchronizing the events of his life with the modern era’s secular history.
Genealogy and Nativity
- Jesus was born to Mary, Joseph’s wife, and was a Jew. Matthew and Luke’s gospels provide two different narratives of Jesus’ ancestry: Matthew links Jesus to Abraham via David, while Luke links Jesus to God through Adam. Abraham and David have identical lists up until that moment, but they diverge dramatically.
- Matthew and Luke’s narratives of Jesus’ birth emphasize that He was born to a virgin called Mary in Bethlehem in fulfillment of prophecy. While Luke’s account emphasizes the events before Jesus’ birth and centers on Mary, Matthew’s story mainly covers events after Jesus’s birth.
- According to all narratives, Jesus was born in Bethlehem to Joseph and Mary, his fiancée. Both believe in the virgin birth of Jesus, which holds that the Holy Spirit miraculously conceived Jesus while Mary was still a virgin in her pregnancy.
- Joseph, Mary, and Jesus traveled back to Nazareth following Jesus’ presentation at the Temple.
Early life, family, and profession
- In the Gospels of Luke and Matthew, Jesus’s boyhood house in Galilee, where he lived with his family, is mentioned. Although Joseph is mentioned in accounts of Jesus’ early life, nothing else is said about him. The Gospels and other accounts describe his mother, Mary, brother James, Joses (or Joseph), Judas, and Simon, as well as his unidentified sisters.
- According to Mark’s Gospel, Jesus disagreed with his relatives and neighbors. Jesus’ mother and brothers arrive to pick him up due to rumors that he is insane. As an answer, Jesus claims that his followers are his real family.
- A figure named Simeon informs Mary and Joseph that Jesus “will stand as a symbol of contradiction, while a sword will pierce your soul” when Jesus is presented as a newborn in the Temple by Jewish Law. Then will reveal many people’s hidden thoughts.
- Jesus’ parents discover him at the Temple, where he sits among the instructors, listening to them and asking questions. The people are astounded by his comprehension and responses. When Mary reprimands Jesus for going missing, Jesus responds that he must “be in his father’s home.”
Baptism and Temptation
- John, the Baptist‘s story, is introduced in each Synoptic narrative of Jesus’ baptism. In addition to prophesying the advent of someone “more powerful” than himself, they depict John preaching penance and repentance for the forgiveness of sins and advocating the giving of charity to the needy as he baptizes people along the Jordan River in Perea.
- Luke adds that John had Elijah’s Spirit and power; later, Jesus calls John “the Elijah who was to come,” the prophet who was to appear before the “great and awful day of the Lord.”
- When John the Baptist baptized Jesus, according to Mark’s Gospel, the Holy Spirit came upon him like a dove, and as soon as he emerged from the water, he heard a voice from Heaven identifying him as God’s Son. One of only two times in the Gospels that a messenger from Heaven greets Jesus as “Son” occurs at the Transfiguration.
- The Spirit leads him into the desert, where the devil tempts him. After John is arrested, Jesus then starts his ministry. Similar events occur at Jesus’ baptism in Matthew’s Gospel.
- The baptism and temptation of Jesus are omitted from the Gospel of John. John the Baptist claims to have witnessed the Spirit fall upon Jesus in this testimony. Some of John’s followers turned to Jesus as their leader after John publicly identified him as God’s lamb sacrificed on the cross. John disputes his identity as Elijah in this Gospel. Jesus commanded his followers to baptize disciples before John was imprisoned, and they baptized more people than John.
Public Ministry
- Two separate geographical contexts are depicted in the Synoptics during Jesus’ ministry. The first occurs in Galilee, north of Judea, where Jesus had a fruitful career, and the second shows Jesus being rejected and crucified in Jerusalem.
- In contrast to Galilee, John shows Jesus’ mission as predominantly occurring in and around Jerusalem, where the deity is publicly declared and instantly understood.
- Jesus returns to the location of his baptism, roughly a third of the way along the Jordan River from the Sea of Galilee, as he makes his way towards Jerusalem during the Perean ministry.
- On Palm Sunday, Jesus enters Jerusalem triumphantly, signaling the start of his final mission there. During that week, according to the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus expels the money changers from the Second Temple, and Judas strikes a deal to betray him. The Last Supper and the Farewell Discourse mark the conclusion of this time.
Disciples and Followers
- Jesus named twelve apostles close to the start of his mission. In Matthew and Mark, Jesus’ first four apostles, fishermen, are recorded as quickly agreeing and leaving their nets and boats to follow him, despite his brief request.
- The first two apostles of Jesus were John the Baptist’s disciples, according to the Gospel of John. The Baptist chooses to join Jesus after hearing what he has to say about him when they first meet. The Sermon on the Plain Text’s preface identifies a more powerful group of people.
- Jesus also sends 70 or 72 followers in pairs to prepare places for his potential presence in Luke 10: 1–16. They are told to extend hospitality, care for the sick, and proclaim the arrival of the Kingdom of God.
- Mark’s disciples are unusually dim-witted, and they don’t comprehend Jesus’ miracles, his parables, or the meaning of “rising from the dead.” They turn on Jesus when he is subsequently captured.
Teachings and miracles
- The Kingdom of God is frequently mentioned in Jesus’ comprehensive teachings in the Synoptics, which may take the shape of parables (or, in Matthew, the Kingdom of Heaven).
- For those who believe in what he has to say, Jesus guarantees entrance into the Kingdom. He mentions the “Son of Man,” an end-of-the-world character who will arrive to gather the selected.
- Jesus challenges individuals to turn from their sins and fully commit to God. Even though some believe he has breached the Law, such as regarding the Sabbath, he advises his followers to uphold Jewish Law.
- In the Gospel of John, miracles are referred to as “signs” accomplished by Jesus to demonstrate his divinity and purpose. When several Pharisees and professors of the Law offer miraculous signs to establish their authority in the Synoptics, Jesus declines, claiming that he would give only the character of the prophet John to corrupt and harmful people.
- Teachings are frequently included in the gospel episodes that describe Jesus’ miracles, and the gifts have a teaching component. Numerous benefits serve to emphasize the value of faith. The recipients of the cure are informed that their recovery resulted from their confidence in the healing of ten lepers and the raising of Jairus’s daughter.
Last Supper
- The final dinner that Jesus and his followers enjoyed before being crucified is known as The Last Supper, and it takes place in Jerusalem. All four canonical gospels refer to the Last Supper, and Paul mentions it in his First Epistle to the Corinthians.
- Jesus foretells that one of his apostles will betray him over the supper. Despite each Apostle’s assurance that he would not betray him, Jesus insists that the betrayer will be among those there.
- The Eucharist is a Christian sacrament or ordinance that is based on the words, which are found in the Synoptic accounts of the events where Jesus takes bread, breaks it, gives telling the disciples, “This is my blood, which is given for you,” and then commands them to drink from a cup, saying,
Agony in the garden, betrayal, arrest
- Jesus and his disciples visit the garden of Gethsemane in the Synoptics, where Jesus prays to be spared from the suffering he would experience. The chief priests, scribes, and elders then dispatch an armed crowd led by Judas to surround Jesus. Following a kiss to help him recognize Jesus among the group, he captures him.
- An anonymous follower of Jesus cuts off a man’s ear in the crowd with a sword to halt them. Following Jesus’ arrest, his followers fled, with Peter repeatedly denying knowing Jesus when questioned. When Peter hears the rooster crow following his third denial, he is reminded of Jesus’ prophecy regarding his refusal, and Peter then sobs vehemently.
Trials by the Sanhedrin, Herod, and Pilate
- Jesus is transported late at night from the place of his arrest to the home of Caiaphas, the high priest appointed by Pilate’s predecessor, the Roman procurator Valerius Gratus.
- Jesus is brought before Caiaphas, the high priest, where he is insulted and beaten that evening. The chief priests and scribes take Jesus before their council the following day.
- Jesus doesn’t say much throughout the trials, offers no defense, and only sometimes and obliquely responds to the priests’ inquiries, which leads an officer to smack him.
- The Jewish elders brought Jesus before Pontius Pilate to have him judged and executed for several offenses, including undermining the government, refusing to pay tribute, claiming to be Christ, a King, and being the Son of God.
- Jesus is taken back to Pilate by Herod and his soldiers, who insult him and dress him in a pricey robe to make him appear like a king. Pilate then gathers the Jewish leaders and declares that he has “not found this man guilty.”
- The crowd decides to release Barabbas and crucify Jesus after being persuaded by the elders. Pilate emboldens Jesus and orders him to be killed before writing a sign in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek that says “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” (abbreviated as INRI in representations). Jesus is mocked by the soldiers for being the Jewish King as they lay a crown of thorns on his head. Before transporting Jesus to Calvary, commonly known as Golgotha, for crucifixion, they beat and insulted him.
Crucifixion and burial
- All four canonical gospels contain accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion. The journey widely believed to have been followed is known as the Via Dolorosa. After the trials, Jesus is carried to Calvary carrying his cross.
- After nailing Jesus on the cross, the soldiers divided up his clothing. Soldiers and onlookers make fun of Pilate’s writing, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews,” over Jesus’ head on the crucifixion.
- Along with Jesus, two condemned robbers are executed on the cross. The thieves in Matthew and Mark make fun of Jesus, and one corrects Jesus in Luke while the other stands up for him. The beloved disciple and Mary, Jesus’ mother, were present during the crucifixion in the Gospel of John, and Jesus instructed the loving disciple to look after his mother.
Resurrection and ascension
- Mary Magdalene visits Jesus’ tomb on Sunday morning and is shocked to see it empty (she does it alone in the Gospel of John, while several women are present in the Synoptics). The disciples could not comprehend that Jesus would rise again despite Jesus’ instruction.
Baptism
- Most modern scholars concur that Jesus’ baptism and crucifixion are undoubtedly historical occurrences. Theologian James Apparently, D.G. These, Dunn, “command practically universal agreement” and “rank so high on the ‘almost impossible to reject or deny’ scale of historical facts” that they are typically the starting points for an investigation into the historical Jesus.
- According to academics, the early Christians would not have created a baptism that may suggest that Jesus had done sins and sought repentance.
- Theissen and Merz assert that Jesus was influenced by John the Baptist and appropriated many of his teachings.
Jesus Christ Worksheets
This bundle contains 11 ready-to-use Jesus Christ Worksheets that are perfect for students who want to learn more about Jesus Christ, who is a central figure in Christianity. He was revered as the Savior or Messiah by many Christians around the world. His life and teachings are recorded in the Bible’s New Testament.
Download includes the following worksheets:
- Jesus Christ Facts
- The Life of Jesus
- Which Means?
- The Gifts
- Nativity
- The Feast of Hanukkah
- The 12 Apostles
- World Religions
- Christmas the Christian Way
- The Last Supper
- Prayer on Christmas
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jesus?
Jesus, a Jewish teacher and spiritual guide named Jesus Christ and Jesus of Nazareth, flourished in the first century. He is the leading representative of the most prevalent religion in the world. Most Christians think that Jesus is the Son of God, who became man and the Messiah (the Christ), foretold in the Hebrew Bible.
Why do Christians refer to Jesus as “Jesus Christ”?
Since the beginning of Christianity, Christians have referred to Jesus as “Jesus Christ” because, according to the Gospel of John’s author, Jesus gave himself that name while pleading as a high priest.
What is the genealogy and nativity of Jesus?
According to all narratives, Jesus was born in Bethlehem to Joseph and Mary, his fiancée. Both believe in the virgin birth of Jesus, which holds that the Holy Spirit miraculously conceived Jesus while Mary was still a virgin in her pregnancy.
What was the final dinner that Jesus and his followers enjoyed before being crucified called?
The final dinner that Jesus and his followers enjoyed before being crucified is known as The Last Supper, and it takes place in Jerusalem. All four canonical gospels refer to the Last Supper, and Paul mentions it in his First Epistle to the Corinthians.
Who denied Jesus three times?
An anonymous follower of Jesus cuts off a man’s ear in the crowd with a sword to halt them. Following Jesus’ arrest, his followers fled, with Peter repeatedly denying knowing Jesus when questioned. When Peter hears the rooster crow following his third denial, he is reminded of Jesus’ prophecy regarding his refusal, and Peter then sobs vehemently.
Link/cite this page
If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.
Link will appear as Jesus Christ Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, November 15, 2017
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.