While much is written about Jesus’ miracles and revolutionary teaching, sometimes we forget the human element of Jesus’ earthly life.
Jesus was born, grew up, and, as scripture succinctly explains, “Jesus wept.”
Jesus also spoke the language of the time and ate the foods that were common in the Middle-East.
All of this reminds us that Jesus walked this earth, showing us the path to eternal life with him.
Here are 5 particularly fascinating facts about Jesus that give us an insight into the human side of his earthly life.
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Which language did Jesus speak?
We know what Jesus said during his lifetime thanks to the four gospels. But not everyone knows which language he used to communicate his message. Most historians agree in thinking that Jesus mostly spoke Aramaic, although he was also fluent in Hebrew and Greek. Aramaic was in fact the most spoken language in the Holy Land during Jesus’ lifetime, which is why Mel Gibson chose it as the language for his movie The Passion of Christ.
7 Healthy foods that Jesus ate
It’s often best to remind ourselves that a simpler approach to nourishing our bodies can be the best way. A perfect way to simplify might be following the classic Mediterranean diet Jesus himself was used to. Scriptures show Jesus’ Mediterranean diet included figs, fish, lamb, wine, and olive oil.
Were Jesus and Joseph really carpenters?
Most translations use the word “carpenter” to describe Jesus’ and Joseph’s trade. But the Greek word we read in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark can be read in many different ways. The word the Gospels use is téktōn, a common term used for artisans, craftsmen, and woodworkers (so, yes, it can translate as “carpenter”), but also, interestingly, it can refer to stonemasons, builders, construction workers, or even to those who excel in their trade and are able to teach others (as in the Italian maestro). The Latin translation we find in the Vulgate, faber, actually preserves the very different meanings the Greek téktōn has. A faber is a general term used for workers and craftsmen in general. A faber can surely work as a carpenter every now and then, but a lignarius is a carpenter by trade.
Was Jesus’ name really Jesus?
The name Yeshua (the original form of the Hebrew name, itself being a derivation of the earlier Yehoshua) was relatively popular in Judea in Jesus’ time. One finds in the works of Flavius Josephus, the 1st-century historian, at least 20 different persons called Iesous. Also, he is not the first character to be named Yeshua (Joshua) in the Bible (remember the Book of Joshua in the Old Testament?). The name, etymologically, means “God saves,” “Yahweh is salvation,” “Yah saves.” This is indeed the name all the Gospels use to refer to Jesus.
What did Jesus really look like?
Jesus Christ was probably about 5 ft 5 in tall and had brown eyes, black hair and olive-brown skin—the most common features of men from his time, according to archaeological remains, historical texts and pictorial depictions of people from 1st-century Judaea. Contrary to the long-haired icon we all know, the “King of Kings” most likely had short hair and a trimmed beard—a popular grooming tactic that could prevent lice.
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7 Healthy foods that Jesus ate
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