The list of paradoxes about Jesus seems endless—born to die, fully God and fully man, served others though He was King of kings, betrayed to death by a kiss—but perhaps the greatest paradox is also the most wonderful for us: He died so that we might receive life.
Even Jesus’ beginnings are difficult to describe, because as the third person of the Trinity, He has always existed ( John 1:1–3; 8:58). In terms of His earthly life, however, Jesus was born to Mary and Joseph, who descended from King David himself (Matthew 1–2; Luke 2–3). Jesus grew up in the town of Nazareth and became a carpenter, like Joseph (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3).
Jesus began His public ministry of teaching and healing around age thirty (Luke 3:23), and His ministry lasted about three years. At the end of His ministry, some jealous Jewish leaders, looking for a way to get rid of Him, accused Him of treason before the Roman governor for His claim to be the Messiah, the King of the Jews. The Romans crucified Jesus along with two bandits, and He was buried in a borrowed rock tomb (Matthew 26–27).
Three days later, God raised Jesus to life again, just as He had promised. Later Jesus ascended to heaven until the time comes for Him to return to take His followers with Him to heaven (Matthew 28; Luke 24:50–53).
To read the bare facts about Jesus’ life and death can mislead us into seeing Him as another tragic victim of an evil world—but the truth is that the world was merely carrying out the plan of God for the salvation of His people (Acts 2). Through Jesus’ death, the price for sin was paid, and we can be made right with God (Romans 5). Praise God for sending Jesus to bring us eternal life in Him!