Jesus

In the bustling streets of Judea, there was a great unrest among the people. However, this time it wasn't because of Jesus of Nazareth or his disciples. Simon Peter was the first to speak, his eyes fixed on the commotion that seemed to be taking place in front of the temple.
"What's all this fuss about?"
"Perhaps we should leave for the day," Mateo murmured, not wanting to get into another argument.
Andrew and Philip exchanged a glance, while the others focused more on the commotion. Jesus, however, remained silent as he approached. There was a girl in the middle of a group of Pharisees. She looked... very strange. Colorful hair, a painted face, a body adorned with peculiar clothes and jewelry. She definitely wasn't from there.
One of the men had pushed her to the ground. Some were shouting:
"Devil!"
"Witch!"
The girl could say nothing in her defense; her language was foreign and tainted with confusion.

NAME: Jesus (from Hebrew/Aramaic: Yeshua/Yehoshua. It means: "God saves".
BIRTH: Approximately between 6 and 4 BC
DEATH: He died approximately between 30 and 33 AD, probably around the age of 30-36.
APPEARANCE: As a Galilean Jew of the 1st century, the most historically reasonable thing to imagine him is with characteristics typical of the Jewish populations of the Near East of that time:
skin probably olive/brown; eyes probably brown; dark hair; hair probably relatively short;
beard.
FAMILY:
Mother: Mary
Legal father: José
Brothers and sisters too.
PERSONALITY: Extremely compassionate; Direct; Intellectually provocative; Could also get angry; Vulnerable.
Vocations and activities:
Jesus had several roles during his life.
Craftsman/carpenter.
Master / Rabbi
Preacher
Healer
Messiah.

HISTORY:
Magi arrived searching for the child who would be king of the Jews. King Herod feared a rival and ordered the massacre of all the young boys in Bethlehem. Joseph received a warning in a dream to flee, and the family escaped to Egypt.
After Herod's death, they returned and settled in Nazareth. Later, they traveled to Bethlehem for a census. Jesus was born there and placed in a manger because there was no suitable room for them. Shepherds received the news of his birth. Afterward, the family returned to Nazareth.
Jesus as a teenager: The only important episode is when he was approximately 12 years old.
His parents took him to Jerusalem for Passover. On their way back, they discovered that Jesus was not with them. They found him in the temple talking with teachers. Those who listened to him were impressed by his understanding.

When Jesus was an adult, John the Baptist appeared publicly.
John preached repentance and baptized people in the Jordan River. Jesus came to him, and John baptized Jesus. Afterward, an experience occurred that was described as: the heavens opening, the Spirit descending like a dove, and a divine voice declaring that Jesus was his beloved Son. This event marks the beginning of his public ministry.
After his baptism, Jesus was taken to the desert.
According to the Gospels, he remained there for 40 days and was tempted by Satan. Jesus rejected them all.

Jesus began preaching in Galilee. He gathered a group of followers: Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus/Judas son of James, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot. There were also women among his disciples. One of the most important was Mary Magdalene. She appears as a close follower of Jesus and plays a fundamental role in the resurrection narratives.

One of his most famous discourses is the Sermon on the Mount. It contains teachings such as: "Blessed are the poor in spirit..." "Love your enemies." "Pray for those who persecute you." "Do not judge." And the famous prayer: The Lord's Prayer. The Sermon on the Mount summarizes much of Jesus' radical ethics.
Jesus constantly taught through stories.
Among the most famous: The Good Samaritan, The Prodigal Son, The Lost Sheep, The Sower

The Gospels recount numerous miracles.
Among them: turning water into wine, healing the sick, expelling demons, calming a storm, walking on water, feeding thousands of people with little food, resurrecting Lazarus, restoring sight to blind people, healing paralytics.

Jesus began to generate more and more controversy.
One of the reasons was his interpretation of the Law of Moses.
For example, he discussed the Sabbath, fasting, ritual purity, and other issues.
He wasn't simply attacking religion. He was attacking the use of religion to: feign holiness, accumulate prestige, oppress others, enrich oneself, and forget mercy.
Shortly before he died, Jesus arrived in Jerusalem.
He entered riding on a donkey, greeted by his followers as a messianic figure. The situation was politically delicate. Jerusalem was teeming with people for Passover and under Roman occupation. A crowd could quickly become a political threat.

One of the most important episodes takes place in the temple.
Jesus expelled the merchants and money changers.
He overturned tables and denounced that the temple had been turned into something contrary to its purpose.
Jesus celebrated a final meal with his disciples.
During it: he broke bread, shared wine, spoke of his impending death, and announced that one of them would betray him.
After dinner, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane.
There he prayed deeply. He was anguished by what he knew was coming. His prayer expresses a brutal human tension: he wants the suffering to end, but he is also willing to accept God's will.
Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, led the authorities to Jesus. Jesus was arrested, interrogated by Jewish authorities, and subsequently brought before Pontius Pilate, before being executed by crucifixion.
For Rome, any potential messianic claimant could become a threat.
Jesus was taken to the place called Golgotha.

Joseph of Arimathea, a man belonging to the Jewish council, asked for Jesus' body and placed it in a tomb.
A stone was placed in front of the entrance.
On the third day, several women went to the tomb and found it empty.
Afterwards, Jesus appeared to his disciples.
Appeared at:
Mary Magdalene; other disciples; Peter; the apostles; groups of followers.
Paul, writing a few decades after the death of Jesus, also states that the resurrected Jesus was seen by numerous followers.
After his appearances, Jesus finally separated from his disciples and ascended to heaven.
The disciples received the mission to take their message to the world.

After Jesus left, his disciples continued to proclaim him in many other regions, giving birth to Christianity.

Name: Maria (Miryam).
Age: Probably a teenager when Jesus was born; perhaps around 14–18 years old, although we cannot know for sure.
Birth: Probably late 1st century BC, possibly Galilee.
Death: Unknown; probably 1st century.
Appearance: Unknown.
Family: Wife of Joseph; mother of Jesus; mother of James, Joseph, Judas, Simon and several daughters according to the interpretation of the texts.
Personality: Humble, reflective, brave, deeply religious and maternal.

History
She received the announcement that she would have a son named Jesus.
He accepted what he considered to be God's will.
He was present during important events: the birth of Jesus; his childhood; the wedding at Cana; and the crucifixion.
In Cana he even appears gently pushing Jesus towards his first public sign:
"They don't have wine."
Jesus ends up turning water into wine.

Mary appears next to the cross during the crucifixion.

Name: Mary Magdalene.
Age: 24.
Birth: Probably 1st century, Galilee.
Death: Unknown, probably 1st century.
Appearance: Unknown.
Family: We don't know parents, husband, or children.
Personality: Loyal, brave, devoted and extremely persevering.

History:
Mary Magdalene comes from Magdala, a town in Galilee.
Jesus cast seven demons out of her. Afterward, she became one of his disciples.

Mary Magdalene was present at the crucifixion. While many male disciples had fled, the women remained close.
And then: She was one of the first people to discover the empty tomb. Furthermore, she was the first person to see the resurrected Jesus.
Jesus entrusted her with announcing it to the other disciples. And this is interesting because we are talking about a society where a woman's public testimony carried far less social weight than a man's.
Mary Magdalene is NOT identified as a prostitute in the Gospels. The image of Mary Magdalene as a repentant prostitute arose later through the merging of different female figures from the Gospels within Western tradition. There is also no biblical evidence that she was Jesus' wife or lover.

Name: Andrés.
Age: Probably similar to Pedro.
Birth: Galilee, date unknown.
Death: Traditionally c. 60 AD, probably in Patras, Greece.
Appearance: Unknown.
Family: Brother of Peter.
Personality: More tranquil and discreet than Peter, according to the Gospel portrayal. He used to lead people to Jesus.
Vocations: Fisherman → disciple → apostle → evangelizer.

History:
He was a fisherman and Peter's brother.
According to John, he was one of the first to follow Jesus and later brought Peter to him.
He also appears in the episode of the multiplication of the loaves, when he points out the boy who had the five loaves and two fish.
Tradition says he evangelized regions of Greece and died crucified on an X-shaped cross, the famous St. Andrew's Cross. That detail is traditional, not historically certain.

Name: Simon, called Peter (Petros).
Age: Probably young or middle-aged adult during Jesus' ministry; maybe 30–40 years old, but this is an estimate.
Birth: Probably Galilee, late 1st century BC
Death: Traditionally c. 64–67 AD, Rome.
Appearance: Unknown. Probably a Galilean Jew, with dark hair and eyes, a beard, and the build of a worker/fisherman.
Family: Brother of Andrew. Wife mentioned indirectly in the Gospels; Jesus heals his mother-in-law.
Personality: Impulsive, passionate, brave, emotional, sometimes clumsy, and very humane. Also deeply loyal.
Vocations: Fisherman → disciple → apostle → leader of the early Christian community.

History:
He was a fisherman in Galilee with Andrew. Jesus called him and Peter became one of his closest disciples.
He witnessed important events such as the transfiguration.
During Jesus' last night, he claimed he would never abandon him... and then denied it three times.
After the death of Jesus, he became one of the main figures of the Christian movement.
Tradition holds that he died crucified in Rome, possibly upside down, although this detail is later and cannot be historically confirmed.

Name: Thomas, also called Didymus ("twin").
Age: Unknown.
Birthdate: 22.
Death: Traditionally c. 72 AD, India.
Appearance: Unknown.
Family: Unknown.
Personality: Realistic, brave, skeptical, and deeply loyal.

History
Thomas is famous for having said that he would not believe in the resurrection until he saw and touched Jesus' wounds.
That's where the expression "Doubting Thomas" comes from, although that label doesn't do him justice.

A very old tradition holds that Thomas traveled to India and founded Christian communities there.
Tradition states that he died a martyr.

Name: Simon the Zealot.
Age: 30.
Birthplace: Unknown, probably Galilee.
Death: Unknown; 1st century tradition.
Appearance: Unknown.
Family: Unknown.
Personality: Probably fervent and politically passionate.
Vocations: Zealot → disciple → apostle → evangelizer.

History
His nickname, "the Zealot," is the most interesting thing. Zealots were associated with intense opposition to Roman rule, although we don't know exactly what the label meant when applied to Simon.
And here's something narratively beautiful:
Jesus put Simon the Zealot and Matthew, a tax collector linked to the Roman system, in the same group.
That's pretty radical.
His subsequent fate is unknown.

Name: Matthew, also called Levi.
Age: 19.
Birthplace: Probably Galilee.
Death: Unknown.
Appearance: Unknown.
Family: We know practically nothing.
Personality: The Gospels do not offer much psychological information; he seems to have been able to quickly abandon his former life.
Vocations: Tax collector → disciple → apostle.

History:
Before following Jesus, he worked as a tax collector.
This made him socially unpopular among many Jews, because tax collectors worked within the Roman tax system and could enrich themselves by collecting money.
And Matthew left his post.
Afterwards, he organized a meal where Jesus was with other tax collectors and people considered sinners.
Tradition identifies him as the author of the Gospel of Matthew, although the exact authorship is disputed by specialists.
His death is uncertain and there are multiple traditions.

Name: Judas Iscariot.
Age: 20.
Birth: Unknown.
Death: Approximately 1st century, before the initial expansion of the Christian movement.
Appearance: Unknown.
Family: His father was named Simon Iscariot, according to John.
Personality: The Gospels ultimately present him as a traitor, although we cannot reconstruct his entire historical personality.
Vocations: Disciple → one of the disciples → in charge of the common purse.

History:
He was one of the Disciples.
He was in charge of the group's money bag.
He finally reached an agreement with the authorities to hand Jesus over to them. He identified him with a kiss.
Then, according to Matthew, he felt remorse and hanged himself.
His place among the Twelve was later taken by Matthias.

Name: Bartholomew; also identified as Nathanael.
Age: 17.
Birthplace: Probably Galilee.
Death: Traditionally 1st century.
Appearance: Unknown.
Family: Unknown.
Personality: Sincere, direct, and initially skeptical.
Vocations: Disciple → apostle → evangelizer.

History:
The Gospels say very little about him.
Later traditions are quite varied regarding his mission and death; some say that he was skinned alive, but that cannot be historically established.

Name: James, son of Zebedee.
Age: 19.
Birthplace: Galilee.
Death: c. 44 AD, Jerusalem.
Appearance: Unknown.
Family: Brother of John; son of Zebedee and probably Salome.
Personality: Passionate, intense, impulsive. Jesus called him and John "Boanerges," sons of thunder.
Vocations: Fisherman → disciple → apostle.

History
He was one of the three disciples closest to Jesus, along with Peter and John.
He was present at the transfiguration, the resurrection of Jairus' daughter, and Gethsemane.
After Jesus' death, he continued preaching.
This is especially important because Acts 12:2 explicitly states that Herod Agrippa I ordered him to be killed with a sword.
He is the first apostle whose death is clearly recorded in the New Testament.

Name: John, son of Zebedee.
Age: 18.
Birthplace: Galilee.
Death: Traditionally late 1st century, possibly Ephesus.
Appearance: Unknown.
Family: Brother of James; son of Zebedee.
Personality: Passionate, intense, but also deeply affectionate.
Vocations: Fisherman → disciple → apostle → leader of Christian communities.

History
He was another of the three closest disciples.
According to Christian tradition, he was the disciple who lived the longest of the Twelve.
The Gospel of John is traditionally associated with him, although the question of its exact authorship is debated by specialists.
He is also traditionally credited with writing the letters of John and Revelation, although this is also debated.
Tradition holds that he died of natural causes, something quite unusual among the apostles.

Name: Judas of Santiago; also called Thaddeus.
Age: 17.
Birth: Unknown.
Death: Traditionally 1st century.
Appearance: Unknown.
Family: Unknown.
Personality: He seems to have been curious and thoughtful.

History:
During the last supper, Judas —not Iscariot— asks Jesus why he will reveal himself to the disciples and not to the world.
After Pentecost, tradition says that he evangelized regions of Syria and Mesopotamia.
Christian tradition considers him a martyr.
There is also a Letter of Jude in the New Testament attributed to Jude, but we cannot prove with certainty that the author is this apostle.

Name: James, son of Alphaeus.
Age: 16.
Birth: Unknown.
Death: Unknown; probably 1st century.
Appearance: Unknown.
Family: Son of Alphaeus.
Personality: We don't have enough data to reconstruct it.
Vocations: Disciple → apostle.

History:
He is one of the characters we know the least about.
He is distinguished from James, son of Zebedee, by traditionally being called "James the Less".
After the Gospels, it practically disappears from the historical record.
There are several traditions about his death, but they are contradictory.

Name: Felipe.
Age: 22.
Birthplace: Bethsaida, Galilee.
Death: Traditionally 1st century, possibly Hierapolis.
Appearance: Unknown.
Family: We do not know for sure if there is a wife, children, or parents.
Personality: Rational, curious, and somewhat practical. He tended to ask how things could be solved.
Vocations: Disciple → apostle → evangelizer.

History:
Jesus called him directly.
Philip was the one who later brought Nathanael/Bartholomew to Jesus.
In the multiplication of the loaves, Jesus asks him how to feed the multitude, and Philip responds by calculating the enormous cost.
Tradition says that he preached in Asia Minor and died a martyr.