Christianity is the most widely practised religion in the world. Every third person on the planet is a Christian. No corner of the earth is untouched by Christianity. Just like Buddhism and Jainism evolved from Hinduism, Christianity emerged out of the Hebrew religion. Christianity did not reject the Hebrew religion.
It accepted the Hebrew teachings under the name ‘Old Testament’—meaning old rules or teachings—while the teachings of Christ are called the ‘New Testament’.
Jesus Christ was born in a village called Bethlehem in a stable. A prediction was made that a child born on that night would end the empire of the Jews and start his own empire. Due to this, all children born that day were killed, but Jesus escaped because nobody bothered to look in the stable. His upbringing was in the town of Nazareth. His father Joseph died when he was young. Then, Jesus took up his father’s profession of carpentry. He was interested in religion from a young age and was a naturally gifted speaker.
Jews had the tradition of baptism. John the Baptist was a well-known priest who used to baptise people in the Jordan River that flowed through Palestine. When Jesus went to John for Baptism, he recognised the divinity in him and gave him the name Christ, meaning messiah. Later, Christ started his own ministry and preached till the age of 30 or 31.
There was a Jewish temple of Jehovah where the custom was to offer pigeons. The priests used to send the offered pigeons again for sale in shops. Christ refused to offer pigeons that had been offered before. The priests accused Christ of blasphemy and of corrupting the youth.
A complaint was made to the Roman governor. He ordered for Christ to be arrested. For 30 coins of gold, Judas, a disciple of Christ, betrayed him. According to Roman customs, a blasphemer was hung on a cross and left to die a painful death. This was called Crucifixion. The day this was done is observed as Good Friday.
When there was thunder and lightning, and the Romans started running away, Jesus said, “God, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” This gave Christianity its first principle—forgiveness. He was later transferred to a grave. On the third day, when Christ’s mother Mary and the other ladies went to his grave, they found the grave open and the body missing.
This is called Resurrection and this day is celebrated as Easter Sunday. Jesus asked his followers to serve God by serving humanity, and by taking education and medicine to those who did not have them. Since then, Christian missionaries have tried to spread these two throughout the world.