Who is Jesus?

His correct (shortened) name is Yeshua.

He was born into a Jewish family; raised under Torah; learned obedience to his parents Mirriam and Yosef; learned the Tanakh intimately; learned early in his life that he was anointed by the Almighty (of course, it didn’t hurt that his parents, Simeon, Anna, Zechariah & Elizabeth, the wise men from the East  - probably diaspora Jews from Babylon, and the shepherds all knew he was something special when he was born); worked as a stonemason (and/or carpenter) around the Galilee, then around the age of 30 years, having helped raised his siblings as his human father, Yosef had died early, set off as an itinerant preacher and informed his Jewish brethren that if they joined him, the would become part of a ‘movement’, the Kingdom of God (which has both a present sense and a future, fuller inauguration – yet pending).

He told all who would listen that his mission was to preach the good news of the Kingdom of God (Luke 4:43) and that he and his followers were bringing this message to the lost sheep of the House of Israel (i.e. Jews not Gentiles – he of course knew also from the Tanakh that Gentiles would be included in due time).

He, being far more knowledgeable on the Hebrew Scriptures that anyone else, knew that he was the ‘Anointed One’ (Messiah) of Deut 18, Ps 110 (the most cited scripture from the Tanakh in the NT), Ps 2 and many other scriptures.

He called sinners (the lost sheep, which by implication means not all of Israel were lost …), to repent, that is to turn back to YHWH (meaning they were once – when children – right with the Almighty). Sinners like Zaccheus, did indeed repent and Yeshua told him that he and his household had that day found salvation (note this was before the cross and did not require any blood atonement, though it would have required Zaccheus to follow through on his words to the full extent as required by Torah).

Yeshua lived and demonstrated a life in communion with the Almighty (unlike most of his fellow Israelites who called the Almighty, ‘Our Father, our King’ - Avinu Malkeinu in Hebrew (Isaiah 63:16), Yeshua called him ‘My Father’, such was his intimacy. He could even say ‘I and my Father are one’ because his purpose was exactly that of his Father, just as the prophecy of Deut 18 had predicted.

Yeshua lived the ultimate example – he said “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (Jn 15:12-14).

Yeshua said this knowing that he would one day lay his life down, just as the Tanakh had foretold (see Ps 2:6 for example - “I pour out (as a libation) my king on Zion, my holy hill.”).

When Yeshua was resurrected he ascended to his Father and presented himself as both the wave sheaf (‘first fruits’ of a new humanity) offering, as well as the new High Priest (a role he has undertaken to this day).

So as the Messiah of Israel, the anointed one of Ps 2, Ps 110, Isa 49, etc., he presently performs the duties of High Priest, which in part is being a mediator (1 Tim 2:5) for all those who have the faith OF Yeshua (Rom 3:22, Rev 14:12), which is the faith of Abraham, and that is faithfulness in (trusting in and obedience to) the Almighty.

As I am sure there are a few questions with this brief overview of ‘who is Jesus’, I recommend my articles ‘Psalm 2 verse 6’, ‘The Faith of Jesus’, “Yeshua The High Priest’ and 'Isaiah 49 – a commentary’ as a bare minimum, especially as some of your translations will have different renderings. See www.circumcisedheart.info