Ministry of Jesus
Encyclopedia
In the Christian gospels, the Ministry of Jesus begins with his Baptism
in the countryside of Judea
, near the River Jordan and ends in Jerusalem
, following the Last Supper
with his disciples. The Gospel of Luke
(3:23) states that Jesus
was "about 30 years of age" at the start of his ministry. The date of the start of his ministry has been estimated at around 27-29 AD/CE and the end in the range 30-36 AD/CE.
Jesus' Early Galilean ministry begins when after his Baptism, he goes back to Galilee
from his time in the Judean desert. In this early period he preaches around Galilee and recruits his first disciples
who begin to travel with him and eventually form the core of the early Church
. The Major Galilean ministry which begins in Matthew 8 includes the Commissioning the twelve Apostles
, and covers most of the ministry of Jesus in Galilee. The Final Galilean ministry begins after the death of John the Baptist as Jesus prepares to go to Jerusalem.
In the Later Judean ministry Jesus starts his final journey to Jerusalem through Judea. As Jesus travels towards Jerusalem, in the Later Perean ministry, about one third the way down from the Sea of Galilee along the River Jordan, he returns to the area where he was baptized.
The Final ministry in Jerusalem is sometimes called the Passion Week and begins with the Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem
. The gospels provide more details about the final ministry than the other periods, devoting about one third of their text to the last week of the life of Jesus in Jerusalem
.
The gospel accounts place the beginning of Jesus' ministry in the countryside of Judea
, near the River Jordan.
The gospels present John the Baptist
's ministry as the pre-cursor to that of Jesus and the Baptism of Jesus
as marking the beginning of Jesus' ministry, after which Jesus travels, preaches and performs miracles.
Jesus's Baptism is generally considered the beginning of his ministry and the Last Supper
with his disciples in Jerusalem as the end. However, some authors also consider the period between the Resurrection
and the Ascension part of the ministry of Jesus.
Baptism of Jesus
The baptism of Jesus marks the beginning of Jesus Christ's public ministry. This event is recorded in the Canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. In John 1:29-33 rather than a direct narrative, the Baptist bears witness to the episode...
in the countryside of Judea
Judea
Judea or Judæa was the name of the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel from the 8th century BCE to the 2nd century CE, when Roman Judea was renamed Syria Palaestina following the Jewish Bar Kokhba revolt.-Etymology:The...
, near the River Jordan and ends in Jerusalem
Jerusalem in Christianity
For Christians, Jerusalem's place in the ministry of Jesus and the Apostolic Age gives it great importance, in addition to its place in the Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible.-Jerusalem in the New Testament and early Christianity:...
, following the Last Supper
Last Supper
The Last Supper is the final meal that, according to Christian belief, Jesus shared with his Twelve Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. The Last Supper provides the scriptural basis for the Eucharist, also known as "communion" or "the Lord's Supper".The First Epistle to the Corinthians is...
with his disciples. The Gospel of Luke
Gospel of Luke
The Gospel According to Luke , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Luke or simply Luke, is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. It details his story from the events of his birth to his Ascension.The...
(3:23) states that Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
was "about 30 years of age" at the start of his ministry. The date of the start of his ministry has been estimated at around 27-29 AD/CE and the end in the range 30-36 AD/CE.
Jesus' Early Galilean ministry begins when after his Baptism, he goes back to Galilee
Return of Jesus to Galilee
The Return of Jesus to Galilee is an episode in the life of Jesus that appears in three of the Canonical Gospels: , and . It relates the return of Jesus to Galillee upon the imprisonment of John the Baptist.According to the Gospel of John:...
from his time in the Judean desert. In this early period he preaches around Galilee and recruits his first disciples
First disciples of Jesus
The call of the First disciples of Jesus is a key episode in the life of Jesus in the New Testament. It appears in , and on the Sea of Galilee. reports the first encounter with two of the disciples a little earlier in the presence of John the Baptist...
who begin to travel with him and eventually form the core of the early Church
Early Christianity
Early Christianity is generally considered as Christianity before 325. The New Testament's Book of Acts and Epistle to the Galatians records that the first Christian community was centered in Jerusalem and its leaders included James, Peter and John....
. The Major Galilean ministry which begins in Matthew 8 includes the Commissioning the twelve Apostles
Commissioning the twelve Apostles
Commissioning the twelve Apostles is an episode in the life of Jesus that appears in all three Synoptic Gospels: , and but not in the Canonical Gospel of John. It relates the initial selection of the twelve Apostles among the disciples of Jesus....
, and covers most of the ministry of Jesus in Galilee. The Final Galilean ministry begins after the death of John the Baptist as Jesus prepares to go to Jerusalem.
In the Later Judean ministry Jesus starts his final journey to Jerusalem through Judea. As Jesus travels towards Jerusalem, in the Later Perean ministry, about one third the way down from the Sea of Galilee along the River Jordan, he returns to the area where he was baptized.
The Final ministry in Jerusalem is sometimes called the Passion Week and begins with the Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem
Triumphal entry into Jerusalem
In the accounts of the four canonical Gospels, Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem takes place in the days before the Last Supper, marking the beginning of his Passion....
. The gospels provide more details about the final ministry than the other periods, devoting about one third of their text to the last week of the life of Jesus in Jerusalem
Holy Week
Holy Week in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter...
.
Overview
Judea
Judea or Judæa was the name of the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel from the 8th century BCE to the 2nd century CE, when Roman Judea was renamed Syria Palaestina following the Jewish Bar Kokhba revolt.-Etymology:The...
, near the River Jordan.
The gospels present John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
's ministry as the pre-cursor to that of Jesus and the Baptism of Jesus
Baptism of Jesus
The baptism of Jesus marks the beginning of Jesus Christ's public ministry. This event is recorded in the Canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. In John 1:29-33 rather than a direct narrative, the Baptist bears witness to the episode...
as marking the beginning of Jesus' ministry, after which Jesus travels, preaches and performs miracles.
Jesus's Baptism is generally considered the beginning of his ministry and the Last Supper
Last Supper
The Last Supper is the final meal that, according to Christian belief, Jesus shared with his Twelve Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. The Last Supper provides the scriptural basis for the Eucharist, also known as "communion" or "the Lord's Supper".The First Epistle to the Corinthians is...
with his disciples in Jerusalem as the end. However, some authors also consider the period between the Resurrection
Resurrection of Jesus
The Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus states that Jesus returned to bodily life on the third day following his death by crucifixion. It is a key element of Christian faith and theology and part of the Nicene Creed: "On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures"...
and the Ascension part of the ministry of Jesus.