Chapter Seventeen of Hypocrisy and Divine Religion by Sadeq Khademi

The Jesus of the Church

Birthplace and Upbringing of Jesus

The birthplace of Jesus Christ is identified as Bethlehem (meaning “House of Bread”), a village in Jerusalem (Bayt al-Maqdis) located on the western bank of the Jordan River in the region of Nazareth. Jesus grew up in Nazareth, and the New Testament recounts his childhood and development in this city. Nazareth is situated in occupied Palestine (Israel) and is considered a religious city, one of the pilgrimage destinations for Christians. The followers of Jesus, due to their association with Nazareth, are called *Nasara* or Christians.

The Prophet David, one of the Hebrew prophets and a powerful king of the Israelites, was born in this city. David ruled over Jerusalem approximately one thousand years before the Common Era.

The Library of Alexandria

In close proximity to Nazareth, the port city of Alexandria in Egypt, until about 50 BCE, housed a renowned library with numerous books and a university with many students. This city, due to its grand library, was consistently a center of attention for students and scholars. The official language of scholarship was Greek, particularly as the Greeks sought to impose their knowledge and culture globally, exerting power and dominance through cultural imperialism. To this end, they established royal libraries in the most significant cities and employed scholars from various regions. The Egyptians also aimed to showcase the glory of Egypt to the world through the magnificence of this library.

The Library of Alexandria was set ablaze in 48 BCE by Julius Caesar (101–44 BCE). Adversaries of Islam, in an attempt to portray Islam as a reactionary and anti-intellectual religion, have fabricated and distorted the timeline of this fire. The books in this library, some of which were philosophical and in opposition to Roman teachings, were destroyed by the Romans. However, certain historians, through temporal distortion, have falsely attributed the burning of the library to the Islamic era, specifically during the caliphate of Umar (born between 586–590, died 644 CE) and the conquest of Egypt by Amr ibn al-As (573–664 CE).

Political and Cultural Context of Nazareth

At the time of Jesus’ birth, Nazareth was under Roman dominion and influenced by Hellenistic and Greek culture. It was also a Jewish settlement. Thus, Jesus was born amidst the rich Greek culture, the Roman Empire, and the Jewish religion.

During Jesus’ birth, the Romans controlled one-third of the world’s population. The vast Roman Empire and the ancient Western civilization were established in 27 BCE and, alongside the other major global power in Iran—the Parthian and Sasanian Empires—dominated the Mediterranean Sea routes and its coasts until 476 CE.

Socially, the Roman Empire, due to continuous conquests, had a class of military landowners and commanders who amassed immense wealth, numerous slaves, and fertile lands, driving small landowners into bankruptcy. Conversely, the number of the lower, disadvantaged, and impoverished classes, who were disillusioned and hopeless for change, grew daily.

The Romans granted the privilege of *Sharmandi* (citizenship) with specific civic conditions to those who served the Roman state. *Sharmandi* denoted an accepted member of Roman society, entitled to civic rights through birth, adoption, manumission, or governmental decree. Every citizen enjoyed personal, financial, and legal security under the law. The extensive “security” within Roman territories was proverbial. The Romans believed in multiple gods, both male and female, ascribing human-like lives to them. They attributed divine status to the emperor, who tolerated no one being recognized as lesser or claiming divinity for another. The Romans treated prisoners harshly, subjecting them to grueling labor and, for entertainment, sending them to be devoured by wild beasts.

The Jews, exasperated by Roman oppression, awaited the appearance of the Messiah and Savior, viewing the Messiah’s emergence as God’s favor toward them.

The First Roman Empire

Jesus’ birth coincided with the reign of Augustus (27 BCE–14 CE), the first Roman emperor, and the governorship of Herod the Great (37 BCE–4 BCE) over Palestine.

Augustus was the regnal name of Antonius, who refused the title of king. After overthrowing the oligarchic republic and brutally suppressing opponents, he named himself Emperor Augustus, a title reserved for Roman gods. He was among the cruelest and most bloodthirsty emperors, his name evoking fear rather than peace and security. At the start of his reign, the Roman Senate bestowed upon him the title “Father of the Nation.” As the heir and adopted son of Julius Caesar (101–44 BCE), he inherited the title Caesar, which later became synonymous with ruler and emperor. The Russians adapted it to “Tsar,” and the Arabs to “Qaysar.” In 42 BCE, the Roman Senate granted Caesar divine status, ascribing godhood to him. The month of July, the seventh month of the Roman calendar, derives from his given name, Julius.

Augustus launched two military campaigns against Iran, both ending in defeat and humiliation. Ultimately, in 20 BCE, he concluded a peace treaty with the Parthian Empire and the government of Ctesiphon.

After suffering a humiliating defeat at the Battle of Carrhae against the Parthians and their victorious general Surena, and agreeing to peace, Augustus, to gain influence over the Iranian court, gifted a beautiful concubine named Musa to Phraates IV. She was one of the seductive women strategically placed by Rome as a covert and effective weapon in the Iranian court. Jesus’ birth coincided with Musa’s rise to power in the Iranian court.

Herod the Great, appointed by the Roman Empire, was the governor of Judea. He supported and promoted Greek culture and civilization and was a staunch supporter of the Jews.

Discipleship under John the Baptist

Jesus was a disciple of John the Baptist (born late 1st century BCE, died circa 31–36 CE), an ascetic, reclusive prophet of the Israelites, recognized by Jews as their prophet. John criticized Herod (Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee) and condemned his marriage to his half-brother’s wife, Herodias. Herodias harbored a grudge against him and, through her daughter Salome’s captivating dance, demanded John’s head.

The Mandaeans

Today, followers of John the Baptist, known as *Mughtasila* or *Yahya Subbi* (Sabians), reside in Khuzestan and parts of Iraq. *Subbi*, meaning immersion in water and purification, is a distortion of the term *Sabian*, derived from the root *Saba’a*, meaning to emerge or rise, used to denote religious exodus.

Contemporary Mandaeans consider John the last prophet of God and do not believe in Jesus. Followers of John are called Mandaeans, meaning gnostics or knowers. They consider prayer, fasting, baptism, and charity obligatory and fundamental to their faith. Prayer, performed standing without prostration, requires ablution and is held three times daily: at dawn, one hour after noon, and at sunset.

Mandaeans regard Adam as the first prophet of God. Their sacred scripture, *Ginza Raba* (Great Treasure), is considered the first divine revelation to humanity, received by Adam and transmitted orally to the Mandaeans, recorded in their holy book. Consequently, they claim to be the oldest religion in the world. After the Jews, they are the second religious community to migrate to Iran. The highest religious rank among their scholars is *Ganjvar*, meaning one proficient in understanding and composing religious texts. The Mandaean faith is transmitted through blood and lineage, not acquired through study.

*Manda*, meaning knowledge, gnosis, or mysticism, carries a historical gnostic, world-renouncing philosophy. Their astronomy and focus on the North Star, *Jady*, as a guide for their northern qibla, is not devoid of a spirit akin to star worship.

The Greek philosopher Blos the Mandaean, who lived in the 3rd century BCE, is among the most renowned Mandaean philosophers and astronomers. He was a disciple of Ostan (Hushtana), a philosopher and magus of the Achaemenid era, previously mentioned.

The Holy Quran addresses the syncretic Mandaean religion as follows:

إِنَّ الَّذينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذينَ هادُوا وَالنَّصارىٰ وَالصَّابِئينَ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صالِحًا فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

Indeed, those who have believed [in Islam], and those who were Jews, Christians, and Sabians—whoever believed in Allah and the Last Day and did righteous deeds—will have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will be upon them, nor will they grieve. (Al-Baqarah: 62)

This Medinan verse speaks of the believers in Islam and the true followers of pre-Islamic religions who lived according to their faith’s content, believing in the One God and the Day of Judgment, and whose deeds were righteous. Those who did not encounter the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), such as the companions of Salman the Persian who died as Christians, or those who adhered to a monotheistic faith but did not receive the message of Islam after its emergence, are in divine security.

In this verse, Muslims are mentioned first due to Islam’s superior position, followed by Jews and Christians according to their historical precedence, and then Sabians, the followers of John the Baptist, due to the syncretic nature of their faith. They are referred to as syncretists for this reason. These religions are mentioned because they interacted with Islam and Muslims at the time of revelation and were part of the Islamic world. Jews and Christians had the most coexistence, conflict, and occasional limited understanding with Islam, and they will never disappear, remaining among the living religions of the world. However, Zoroastrianism and Buddhism are not mentioned, as they had no interaction with Muslims, particularly since the Arabian Peninsula held little significance for Iranians. Additionally, if Islam had been consistently presented to the people of Iran, they would not have opposed, fought, or made claims against it, and given their scientific culture and innate receptivity to religion, they would have submitted to the truth.

Baptism and Jesus’ Prophethood

John called everyone to repentance. He baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. Baptism, performed in flowing water, is for the purification of body and soul, forgiveness of sins, and a form of penitential ablution and covenant.

In Christianity, through baptism, one joins the visible church community and believers, and with inner and heartfelt purity and God’s election, enters the heavenly Kingdom Church.

Jesus underwent baptism because he took upon himself the sins of humanity, though he was always holy. After baptism, he was transformed, a divine light descended upon him, and he heard a voice saying: “You are my beloved Son, and I am pleased with you.”

After spending forty days in the desert with wild beasts, Jesus returned from God to humanity. In Galilee, upon finding his first disciples, he began preaching his divine religion. He addressed Jewish leaders and guided the people. He was the first in the world to call women “sisters.” He gave his household possessions to the poor and devoted himself to preaching and exhorting the people, becoming a prophet of the Jews like John.

Unlike John, Jesus was not an ascetic or recluse. He participated in the feasts of the wealthy and cherished the company of the poor. Possessing remarkable intelligence, he performed numerous miracles, from healing the blind, the lame, and other sick individuals to raising the dead. He urged people to practice gentleness and tolerance. For this reason, he is considered conservative, said to have ignored workers’ protests, not concerned with ending poverty or reforming the government, and focused solely on ethics and happiness. In Jesus’ law, there is no marriage, sexual relations, property, or war.

Jesus was John’s cousin. John’s disciples followed Jesus after his death, and Jesus accepted leadership of John’s followers.

Proclamation of the Imminence of the Kingdom of Heaven

The starting point of the proclamation of Jesus’ appearance was the announcement by John the Baptist, who said to the people: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”

From the perspective of the Israelites (God’s children), the Kingdom of Heaven is a divine government and a sacred Jewish ideal. Due to the proclamation of the Kingdom’s imminence, John the Baptist achieved remarkable success in his mission and profoundly impacted the people, such that groups from all social classes came to him, repented, and were baptized by him.

Like John, as long as Jesus only generally prophesied the nearing of the Kingdom of Heaven without specifying its manifestation or making claims, people had no issue with him, and his message was widely accepted and warmly received.

However, many who believed in him were certain he would soon become the king of a divine utopia. Jewish leaders began opposing Jesus when they observed that he did not fulfill their aspirations for a conquering Messiah. Moreover, with his conservative and peace-seeking demeanor, he fiercely opposed the moral aberrations and reprehensible behavior of hypocritical Jewish scholars, refusing to compromise or reconcile with their corrupt practices and deviant ways. The Gospel of Matthew states:

“When he returned from God to humanity, he adopted a new approach entirely contrary to the principles and teachings of Jewish theologians, namely the Sadducees, Pharisees, and others. Addressing them, he said: ‘Woe to you, scribes and hypocritical Pharisees, who shut the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven to people, for you neither enter it yourselves, nor allow others to enter; you devour widows’ houses and prolong your prayers for show.’” (Matthew 23:13).

Luke, in the synagogue of Nazareth, reads this passage from the Book of Isaiah, addressing the Jews and referring to himself:

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners, to announce the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God, and to comfort all who mourn.” (Isaiah 61:1–2).

One who holds the Kingdom of God is empowered to revive the dead and restore life.

Teachings of Jesus

Jesus is among the greatest divine teachers. His disciples called him the benevolent teacher and guide. Jesus’ fundamental teachings consist Records of the Bible:
– Repent, meaning abandon sin and return to God.
– Accept the Kingdom of Heaven in your life. The divine Kingdom is the cornerstone of Jesus’ teachings.

Original Sin and the Path to Repentance

Christians believe humans are born sinners, and sin is inherent to humanity. The consequence of the original sin—Adam and Eve’s sin—was the introduction of death to the human race. With Adam’s sin, humanity’s connection to God and the Kingdom of Heaven was severed, and Adam felt alienation, estrangement, and fear. No good deed enables humans to repent and return to God. The only path to repentance and salvation is through God Himself. God showed such love, sacrifice, and grace to humanity that He descended in human form as His Son, Jesus, and sacrificed His only Son to atone for Adam’s sin, appeasing His wrath and vengeance against human sin, forgiving all of humanity’s sins.

Jesus’ Grace and Confession of Sin

Whoever believes in Jesus’ grace and merely confesses their sin will be forgiven and not perish. The severed connection between humanity and God, and entry into the Kingdom of Jesus, is restored through Jesus’ grace. Through this, humans can freely attain great salvation. In this way, God’s will is fulfilled on earth as it is in heaven.

After the Fall, humanity is once again connected to God and His Kingdom through Jesus, becoming a partner in God’s eternal values and perfections and His enduring Son. Humans are spiritually reborn in a new, supernatural creation, attaining eternal life and unity with God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In the divine Kingdom, they are steadfastly and purely loved by God, who cares for and protects them as a father does his child.

In His Kingdom, God grants everything to humanity, bestowing boundless and unlimited grace. Outside of God, there is no eternal perfection or value.

Great salvation is liberation from sin and eternal death. Without faith in Jesus, repentance, confession, and acknowledgment of sin, humanity has no path to salvation. Humans cannot draw near to God or attain His grace—His provision for believers and practical love—without faith in Jesus and trust in God. The primary factor in salvation is faith. Salvation is God’s grace obtained through faith. One who does not believe remains lost in darkness and Satan’s domain, devoid of God and His boundless favors.

Confession of sin was prevalent in the Latin world before Christianity.

The Kingdom of Heaven

Interpretations of the Kingdom of Heaven vary: it is either a heavenly paradise, a worldly society replete with happiness and prosperity, a communal ownership system, or a transformation of the relationship between the poor and the rich. This interpretation stems from Jesus’ disciples. The Kingdom of Jesus remains ambiguous for the Church.

It appears that the Kingdom of Heaven is God’s sovereignty, guardianship, and the laws of His Sharia. The Messianic Kingdom will be established in this world. The Church views the Kingdom as a spiritual dominion over believers’ hearts, but ultimately interprets it as an earthly Kingdom and the rule of divine saints.

Jesus adhered to the Jewish faith of the Israelites and followed the Law of Moses. After openly declaring his mission, he said: “I have not come to abolish the Torah, but to fulfill it.”

Early Christianity was considered a sect among Jewish sects under Jesus’ leadership. It was the non-charismatic church community that made Christianity an independent religion.

Jesus’ initial followers regarded him as John’s successor, but later recognized him as the “Savior.” Consequently, they asked him: Will you establish the Kingdom of Heaven on earth? He gave ambiguous responses to avoid being identified, but seeing his followers’ enthusiasm, he presented himself as an independent prophet. At times, he called himself the Son of God, and at others, God. On the last Monday of his life, the disciples who welcomed him said: “Blessed is the Lord! Blessed is the Messiah!”

The Cross of Martyrdom

Jesus’ mission and preaching lasted three years. In the final days of his life (between 30–33 CE), Jesus, riding a borrowed foal, traveled from Nazareth to Jerusalem to visit the sacred temple. He entered the city amid the enthusiastic welcome of those awaiting the heavenly Kingdom, with slogans such as: “Blessed is the King of Israel who comes in the name of the Lord.”

He entered the temple with grandeur, cleansing the sacred space of those engaged in buying and selling, overturning the tables of money-changers and the seats of dove-sellers.

For several days, he visited the temple, spending nights in prayer on the Mount of Olives.

When Jewish leaders witnessed the fervor of Jesus’ followers and perceived his teachings as a threat to their interests, they conspired to kill him. They tried him in the Sanhedrin (Jewish religious court), sentencing him to death. Unable to execute him themselves, they handed him over to Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea, after his betrayal and arrest by one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot. They accused him of plotting to overthrow the Roman government and claiming kingship. Pilate ordered Jesus’ execution by crucifixion. The Roman emperor at the time was Tiberius (42 BCE–37 CE), the second emperor (14–37 CE), whose reign turned into a regime of terror and executions from 31 CE.

Between 30–33 CE, Jesus was crucified and triumphantly nailed to the cross. A crown of thorns was placed on his head, and in mockery, a sign above the cross read: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” After six hours of agonizing and violent suffering, Jesus died. At the request of a Roman soldier, his body was taken down from the cross and buried.

Jesus’ Resurrection and Return

The greatest miracle attributed to Jesus, constructed by Paul the Jew, is his resurrection and rising from death, made compelling by the triad of strengthening and enriching faith, love, and inspiring hope for the future.

The disciples claim that after three days, God raised Jesus from the dead. Christians celebrate this day as Easter. Jesus appeared to his disciples multiple times, teaching them until the fortieth day of his resurrection. After forty days, he ascended to heaven. Jesus willingly embraced death again, submitting to his fate, and through a miracle, caused his own death to cleanse his followers’ sins. He was sacrificed as an atonement for humanity’s sins, purifying them. Thus, whoever believes in Christ is saved. *Kaffara* (atonement), translating the Hebrew *Hilasterion* and English *Propitiation*, denotes the appeasement of wrath in its literal sense and reconciliation in its conceptual meaning. God’s reconciliation with sinful humanity is realized through the miracle of the crucifixion.

It must be said that Pauline Christianity, without belief in Christ’s resurrection, can neither prove Jesus’ divinity nor offer any salvation for humanity, becoming a religion mired in a dead end. However, knowledge of the resurrection must be an objective experience, not merely a subjective or conceptual matter, for it to produce faith.

Jesus will return to earth to establish the Kingdom of Heaven. His final return and reappearance will lead to the establishment of the Day of Judgment, after which he will send people to paradise or hell.

Early followers of Jesus believed in his bodily resurrection, his mission, and his return to earth. Christianity’s endurance is tied to belief in Jesus’ resurrection.

The Era of the Apostles

At the start of his mission, Jesus chose companions and disciples to aid in spreading his message, calling them apostles or messengers. They numbered twelve, as Jesus intended for them to sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel when he triumphantly sat on the throne of glory.

The apostles are filled with the Holy Spirit. The day of the Holy Spirit’s descent upon the apostles is called Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks, a holy day for Christians.

For early Christians and Pauline Christianity, Christ’s resurrection validated the Gospel, and the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost reassured the apostles that the same divine power in Jesus Christ was manifest in them, rendering their words infallible.

The apostles purified themselves of sin and strove to purify others. After his crucifixion and resurrection, on the fortieth day before his ascension, Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit in his place. The Holy Spirit descended ten days later, fifty days after Jesus’ resurrection and rising from death. Jews also celebrate the fiftieth day after the giving of the Ten Commandments.

The names of some apostles who played significant roles in spreading Christianity and Jesus’ teachings worldwide are as follows:

• Simon Peter (1–64 CE), founder of the Catholic school and early Christianity. The greatest apostle, Simon, was named Peter (rock) by Jesus, who made him the cornerstone of the divine church organization, the Christian community, and appointed him as his successor to guide Christians. He was crucified by the Romans during Nero’s reign (37–68 CE). The Gospel of Mark is based on his account. *Safa* means rock. Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) called him Jesus’ successor.
• John, founder of Orthodoxy (pure faith), author of the Book of Revelation and the Gospel of John. John became an apostle in his youth. Christians believe he wrote his Gospel in old age, at the end of the first century CE. Two of his letters survive. He lived so long that people thought he would never die. His tomb is in Selçuk, Turkey. John continually said: “My children, love one another.” His Book of Revelation, like the Book of Daniel, predicts the arrival of the Kingdom after evil reaches its peak. He identifies Nero’s reign as the embodiment of evil, calling him a beast and the Antichrist. Nero, emperor for 13 years and 8 months (54–68 CE), was a despotic, excessive, and corrupt ruler. John likens Rome to a harlot fallen into the hands of earthly kings.
• James, son of Alphaeus, or James the Younger. He did not deny Jesus’ prophethood or his role as the promised one before the high priest. At age 96, he was thrown from the temple tower in Jerusalem, beaten with clubs until he died, and his body was dismembered with a saw. Even then, he prayed for his killers’ forgiveness. He was renowned for worship, piety, and asceticism.
• Philip. Revered by all Christians and considered a saint. After Jesus’ ascension, he traveled to Greece to preach his faith, converting idol-worshippers to Christianity. The ruler of Hierapolis, fearing the growing power of Christians, arrested and crucified him in 80 CE. The Gospel attributed to him, dated between 150–300 CE, is deemed illegal, unofficial, and apocryphal by the Church and Christian community.
• Matthew. Constantly pursued, he died around 34 CE in Ethiopia.
• Judas Iscariot. For thirty silver coins, he betrayed Jesus’ location to Roman soldiers, earning literary condemnation. He hanged himself. His name in the West symbolizes betrayal. The Gospel attributed to him is not linked to him, and its authenticity is questioned.
• Shaul of Tarsus (circa 60–67 CE), known as Paul the Apostle or Saint Paul. Although Simon was Jesus’ senior apostle, Paul gained a superior position and became the architect of contemporary Christianity with a Hellenized approach.

Paul’s Divinely Ordained Leadership

Paul’s original name was Shaul. After converting to Christianity, he changed his name to the Greek translation of Shaul, “Paul,” meaning small. Paul, not Jesus of Nazareth, is the architect of Nicene Christianity and the Church’s origin.

Paul’s life is divided into four phases: persecution, preaching, theology, and martyrdom. He globalized Christianity, ascribed divinity to Jesus, and made Jesus’ divinity the cornerstone of Christian doctrine. In the epistles attributed to Paul, Jesus is portrayed as the only Son of God and a divine human.

Paul has been described as a secret agent of the Roman government and an anti-Semitic zealot, as well as a zealous Jew and a scholarly figure of the Jewish court with Roman citizenship (*Sharmandi*). As a young priest in Jerusalem, he rejected Jesus and, following his teachers and temple priests, was an enemy of Jesus.

After Jesus’ departure, Saint Paul persecuted Christians until he claimed that, while traveling from Jerusalem to Damascus to arrest Christians, he saw Jesus’ light and converted to Christianity at his command.

With strong motivation, Paul preached a Hellenized Christianity, possibly in service of the policies of the Judean government, the Roman Empire, or both, enduring great hardships. He promoted the end of the Law, ritualism, and the proclamation of freedom, believing God had granted him authority and divinely ordained leadership: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20).

Paul’s Epistles

Saint Paul wrote epistles to newly converted Christians in various regions, some of which are included in the New Testament. Thirteen of his letters survive (theological phase). No one doubts the attribution of Paul’s epistles to him. Peter, in his second epistle (3:15–16), refers to Paul’s epistles as holy scripture.

Paul’s Missionary Journeys

Paul, claiming a mission from Christ, traveled to various regions, spreading Christianity around the Mediterranean and among non-Jewish peoples.

Paul traveled to Arabia, Jerusalem, Tarsus (a city in Damascus), Turkey, various European cities such as Rome, Asia Minor, Alexandria, Corinth (a city in Greece), and Macedonia. During these journeys, he met Barnabas and, in Alexandria, Luke.

Paul’s Execution

Due to negative public and majority Jewish reactions to Paul’s actions, authorities decided to arrest him in Jerusalem by Roman soldiers. After four years of detention and imprisonment, he sought refuge with Nero, who, seeing Pauline Christianity as a threat to the empire’s destruction, ordered Paul’s execution. Paul was killed in Rome.

Joseph and the Gospel of Barnabas

Joseph, known as Barnabas the Preacher, was an apostle with a commanding presence, virtuous, and filled with the Holy Spirit.

It is said that Barnabas was killed by Jews in 61 CE in his birthplace, Cyprus. Unlike other apostles, Barnabas supported Paul and introduced him to Jesus’ disciples. Like Paul, he did not consider circumcision a condition for salvation, aiming to make Christian rulings more universally acceptable to attract more converts. It is said that among the apostles, only he could write and could have recorded and preserved Jesus’ oral Gospel. He sold his land to fund the propagation of Christianity. However, historical access to his Gospel has not been established, and what is known as his Gospel is considered fraudulent.