I want to understand who Jesus is

Jesus was a Jewish teacher who lived around two thousand years ago. He taught about God, welcomed people who were often excluded, healed the sick and challenged hypocrisy, injustice and the misuse of power.

Many people regard Jesus as a wise moral teacher or prophet. Christians believe he is more than this: the promised Messiah and the Son of God, through whom God entered human life and made himself known.

Jesus did not simply ask people to consider his teachings. He also asked them to consider his identity:

“Who do you say I am?”

Matthew 16:15

The people who met Jesus gave different answers. Some were drawn to him, some remained uncertain and others rejected his claims. His closest followers gradually came to believe that they were encountering God through him.

Christians point to the way Jesus lived, the authority with which he spoke, his forgiveness of sins and, above all, their belief that he rose from the dead.

Understanding who Jesus is does not require you to accept every Christian claim immediately. You can begin by reading what he said, noticing how he treated people and considering why his followers came to believe what they did.

The question Jesus asked his disciples remains open to each person. You are free to explore it carefully and reach an honest answer in your own time.