Ten Little-Known Facts About Jesus

  1. Blue blood

    Jesus was descended directly from King David, and King Solomon, Israel's greatest kings.

  2. Single mom

    Mary and Joseph weren't yet married when Jesus was conceived, a big deal in a strict Jewish community. And Joseph didn't sleep with his wife until she was a mom.

  3. Country boy

    He was raised and lived most of his life in a town in Galilee, in a backwater village called Nazareth. He may have had a bit of a hokey country-town accent.

  4. Tradie

    Jesus started his career working with his dad Joseph in the family business, as a carpenter.

  5. Enjoyed his wine

    When a wedding reception he and his mother were at ran out of wine, he turned about 600 litres of water into choice wine.

  6. Teacher

    He spent three years teaching folk about an amazing kingdom of God marked by justice and mercy that had begun but not yet fully arrived. Thousands of people followed him to hear him. His followers included all kinds of people, from respected community leaders to prostitutes.

  7. Upside-down king

    Although people expected him to take charge, bring the people together to fight off the Romans who were oppressing them, he refused that role even when they thrust it at him.

  8. Hanged for blasphemy

    Powerful people, threatened by some claims he made about himself, had him tortured and publically killed on trumped-up charges.

    He did nothing wrong, but took the punishment we deserve for rejecting God's ways.

  9. Alive

    Two days later, his grave was deserted, and he was meeting with his followers. Despite harsh persecution, these guys spent their lives telling people about Jesus, his death and resurrection.

    Two thousand years later, he's still around, and Christians will tell you they know him as a friend.

  10. Judge

    As God's Son, Jesus is set to come back to earth to bring the kingdom of God fully, and judge every person. By knowing him, we can know God himself and experience a full life in that kingdom now, and live forever, even after we die.

2008 Dave Burt