who was jesus

who was jesus Latest

Mar 7 Blog

The Creation of Woman in the Bible

How was the first woman created in Genesis 2? Was she made from the man’s rib or, as recently suggested in BAR, from his os baculum?

1342 tempera painting by Ambrogio Lorenzetti titled The Presentation in the Temple. Uffizi Gallery/Public Domain

Mar 5 Blog

Mary, Simeon or Anna: Who First Recognized Jesus as Messiah?

By: Ben Witherington III

Who was the first person to truly recognize Jesus as the messiah and understand the implications? Biblical scholar Ben Witherington III takes a close look at the account given in Luke, and sheds some light on what the Biblical narrative has to say about who was the first to recognize Jesus as the messiah.

The presepio (“nativity scene”) is a centuries-old craft and one of Naples’s best-known traditions. Photo: Howard Hudson / Wikimedia Commons

Feb 17 Blog

Christmas Stories in Christian Apocrypha

By: Tony Burke

The modern Christmas nativity scene is drawn from apocryphal texts in addition to the infancy narratives of Matthew and Luke.

Woodcut from Die Bibel in Bildern (1860) by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld.

Jan 25 Blog

Jesus Was a Refugee

By: Joan E. Taylor

Scholar Joan E. Taylor says that it’s worth remembering that Jesus’ earliest years were, according to the Gospel of Matthew, spent as a refugee in a foreign land.

Dec 27 Blog

When Was Jesus Born—B.C. or A.D.?

By: Megan Sauter

In which year was Jesus born? While this is sometimes debated, the majority of New Testament scholars place Jesus’ birth in 4 B.C. or before.

Dec 23 Blog

Herod’s Death, Jesus’ Birth and a Lunar Eclipse

By: BAS Staff

Read letters published in the Q&C section of BAR debating the dates of Herod’s death, Jesus’ birth and to which lunar eclipse Josephus was referring.

Dec 2 Blog

Why Did the Magi Bring Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh?

By: BAS Staff

Were the gifts of the magi meant to save Jesus from the pain of arthritis? It’s possible, according to researchers at Cardiff University in Wales who have been studying the medical uses of frankincense.

Mosaic of the Journey to Bethlehem from the Chora Church in Istanbul.

Nov 6 Blog

Were Mary and Joseph Married or Engaged at Jesus’ Birth?

By: Mark Wilson

Were Mary and Joseph married or engaged when they traveled to Bethlehem? Biblical scholar Mark Wilson examines what the gospels say in this Bible History Daily guest post.

Oct 16 Blog

Who Was Jesus’ Biological Father?

By: BAS Staff

Was Joseph Jesus’ biological father? If not, who was Jesus’ biological father? Andrew Lincoln examines what early Christians thought about conception and explains how views about this subject have changed over time.

Oct 14 Blog

Where Was Jesus Born?

By: Megan Sauter

If Jesus was born in Bethlehem, why is he called a Nazorean and a Galilean throughout the New Testament? Philip J. King addresses this question in his Biblical Views column.

Must-Read Free eBooks

The Dead Sea Scrolls: Past, Present, and Future

Biblical Peoples—The World of Ancient Israel

Who Was Jesus? Exploring the History of Jesus’ Life

Ancient Israel in Egypt and the Exodus

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