Jesus's Ministry

Jesus returned to Galilee and made trips to neighboring villages. During this time, several people became His disciples.

As Jesus was beginning His ministry, He and His disciples traveled with His mother, Mary, to a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The wedding host had run out of wine and Jesus's mother came to Jesus for help. At first, Jesus refused get involved, but then He changed his mind and asked a servant to bring Him large jars filled with water. He turned the water into a wine better than any served wine during the wedding.

After the wedding, Jesus, His mother Mary and His disciples traveled to Jerusalem for Passover. At the temple, they saw money-changers and merchants selling wares. In a rare display of anger, Jesus overturned the tables and, with a whip made of cords, drove them out, declaring that His Father's House is not a house for merchants.

Jesus traveled through Judea and Galilee, using parables and miracles to explain how the prophecies were being fulfilled and that the Kingdom Of God was near. As word spread of Jesus's teaching and healing the sick and diseased, more people began to follow Him. At one point, Jesus came to a level area and was joined by a great number of people. There, at the Sermon On The Moun t, He presented several discourses, known as the Beatitudes, which contain many of the spiritual teachings of love, humility and compassion.

As Jesus continued preaching about the Kingdom Of God, the crowds grew larger and began to proclaim Him as The Son Of David and as The Messiah. The pharisees heard of this and publicly challenged Jesus, accusing Him of Having the power of Satan (The Devil). He defended His actions with a parable, then questioned their logic and told them such thinking denied the Power Of God, which only further hardened their resolve to work against Him.

Near the City Of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus talked with His disciples, He asked, "Who do you say that I am?", the questioned confused them, and only Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son Of The Living God." Jesus then proclaimed Peter to be the leader of the church. Jesus then warned His disciples of the pharisees' conspiracy against Him and of His fate to suffer and be killed, only to rise from the dead on the third day.

Less than a week later, Jesus took three of His disciples to a high mountain where they could pray alone. Jesus's face began shining like the sun and His entire Body glowed with a white light. Then, the prophets Elijah and Moses appeared, and Jesus talked to the m. A Bright Cloud emerged around them, and a voice said, "This is My beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased; listen to Him." This event is known as The Transfiguration.

Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, the week before the holiday of Passover, riding on a donkey. Great numbers of people took palm branches and greeted Him at the city's entry. They praised Him as The Son Of David and as The Son Of God. The priests and pharisees, fearful of the growing public adulation, felt He must be stopped.

During the final week of Jesus's Life, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, confronted money-changers and merchants in the temple, and debated with the high priests who questioned Jesus's authority. He told His disciples about the coming days and that Jerusalem's temple would be destroyed. Meanwhile, the chief priests and elders met with high priest named Caiaphas, and set plans in motion to arrest Jesus. One of the disciples, Judas, met with the chief priests and told them how he would deliver Jesus to them. They agreed to pay Him for 30 pieces of silver.