Jesus in Christianity

==Ministry==
{{Main|Ministry of Jesus}}
{{see also|New Testament places associated with Jesus}}
[[File:Luca signorelli, comunione con gli apostoli, cortona.jpg|thumb|upright|The ''Communion of the Apostles'', by [[Luca Signorelli]], 1512]]
{{blockquote|style=margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0;|''The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).''—John 10:10 (Ampl)}}
{{Quotation|style=margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0;|Jesus seemed to have two basic concerns with reference to people and the material: (1) that they be freed from the tyranny of things and (2) that they be actively concerned for the needs of others.<ref name=Stagg/>}}

In the canonical gospels, the Ministry of Jesus begins with his baptism in the countryside of [[Judea]], near the [[River Jordan]] and ends in [[Jerusalem in Christianity|Jerusalem]], following the [[Last Supper]].<ref name=Alister16 >McGrath, Alister E. ''Christianity: an introduction'', 2006 {{ISBN|978-1-4051-0901-7}}. pp. 16-22</ref> The [[Gospel of Luke]] ([[s:Bible (American Standard)/Luke#3:23|3:23]]) states that Jesus was "about 30 years of age" at the start of his ministry.<ref name=Kostenberger140 >[[Andreas J. Kostenberger|Köstenberger, Andreas J.]], L. Scott Kellum. ''The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament'', 2009. {{ISBN|978-0-8054-4365-3}}.  p. 114</ref><ref name=ChronosPaul >[[Paul L. Maier|Maier, Paul L.]] "The Date of the Nativity and Chronology of Jesus" in Vardaman, Jerry and Edwin M. Yamauchi.''Chronos, kairos, Christos: nativity and chronological studies'', 1989. {{ISBN|0-931464-50-1}}. pp. 113-129</ref> The date of the start of his ministry has been estimated at around AD 27 to 29 and the end in the range AD 30 to 36.<ref name=Kostenberger140 /><ref name=ChronosPaul /><ref name=Barnett19 >Barnett, Paul. ''Jesus & the Rise of Early Christianity: A History of New Testament Times'', 2002. {{ISBN|0-8308-2699-8}}. pp. 19-21</ref><ref name="Sanders">{{Cite book | last = Sanders | first=E.P.|title=The Historical Figure of Jesus|year = 1993 | pages = 11, 249 |publisher=Penguin|isbn=978-0140144994 }}</ref>

Jesus' early Galilean ministry begins when after his baptism, he goes [[Return of Jesus to Galilee|back to Galilee]] from his time in the [[Temptation of Jesus|Judean desert]].<ref>Morris, Leon. ''The Gospel according to Matthew''. {{ISBN|0-85111-338-9}}.  p. 71</ref> In this early period he preaches around Galilee and recruits [[first disciples of Jesus|his first disciples]] who begin to travel with him and eventually form the core of the early Church.<ref name=Alister16 /><ref name=Redford117 >Redford, Douglas. ''The Life and Ministry of Jesus: The Gospels'', 2007 {{ISBN|0-7847-1900-4}}.  pp. 117-130</ref> The major Galilean ministry which begins in [[Matthew 8]] includes the [[commissioning of the Twelve Apostles]], and covers most of the ministry of Jesus in Galilee.<ref>Ladd, George Eldon. ''A theology of the New Testament''. p. 324</ref><ref name=Redford143 >Redford, Douglas. ''The Life and Ministry of Jesus: The Gospels'', 2007. {{ISBN|0-7847-1900-4}}. pp. 143-160</ref> The final Galilean ministry begins after the [[death of John the Baptist]] as Jesus prepares to go to Jerusalem.<ref>Cox, Steven L., Kendell H Easley. ''Harmony of the Gospels'', 2007  {{ISBN|0-8054-9444-8}}. pp. 97-110</ref><ref name=Redford165 >Redford, Douglas. ''The Life and Ministry of Jesus: The Gospels'', 2007. {{ISBN|0-7847-1900-4}}. pp. 165-180</ref>

In the later Judean ministry Jesus starts his final journey to Jerusalem through Judea.<ref name=KingsburyMark >Kingsbury, Jack Dean. ''The Christology of Mark's Gospel'', 1983 {{ISBN|0-8006-2337-1}}. pp. 91-95</ref><ref name=Barton132 >Barton, Stephen C. ''The Cambridge companion to the Gospels''. {{ISBN|0-521-00261-3}}. pp. 132-133</ref><ref>Cox, Steven L., Kendell H Easley. ''Harmony of the Gospels'', 2007  {{ISBN|0-8054-9444-8}}. pp. 121-135</ref><ref>Redford, Douglas. ''The Life and Ministry of Jesus: The Gospels'', 2007 {{ISBN|0-7847-1900-4}}.  pp. 189-207</ref> As Jesus travels towards Jerusalem, in the later [[Perea (Bible)|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.<ref>Cox, Steven L., Kendell H. Easley. ''Harmony of the Gospels'', 2007  {{ISBN|0-8054-9444-8}}. p. 137</ref><ref>Redford, Douglas. ''The Life and Ministry of Jesus: The Gospels'', 2007. {{ISBN|0-7847-1900-4}}. pp. 211-229</ref><ref>Mills, Watson E. and Roger Aubrey Bullard. ''Mercer dictionary of the Bible'', 1998. {{ISBN|0-86554-373-9}}, p. 929</ref>

The final ministry in Jerusalem is sometimes called the ''[[Passion of Jesus|Passion Week]]'' and begins with the Jesus' [[triumphal entry into Jerusalem]].<ref name=Cox155>Cox, Steven L., Kendell H Easley. ''Harmony of the Gospels'', 2007  {{ISBN|0-8054-9444-8}}. p. 155-170</ref> The gospels provide more details about the final ministry than the other periods, devoting about one third of their text to the [[Holy Week|last week of the life of Jesus in Jerusalem]].<ref name=Turner613 >Turner, David L. ''Matthew'', 2008. {{ISBN|0-8010-2684-9}}. p.613</ref>