Jesus Christ

Name of the central figure of Christianity, which derives from the Greek Iesous (Ἰησοῦς), itself a Hellenisation of the Hebrew-Aramaic names Yeshua (ישוע) and Yehoshua (יהושע), both meaning ‘Yahweh rescues’, whereas Christ is a title that derives from the Greek word Christos (Χριστός), meaning the ‘Anointed One’, which corresponds to the Hebrew-Aramaic word Messiah (משיחא). He is also known as Jesus of Nazareth, after his childhood home town. Judaism rejects the claim that Jesus is the Messiah and incarnate God, and Islam regards Him as a prophet.

John Bunyan

Name of a 17th century English Christian writer and preacher, famed as the author of The Pilgrim's Progress, a Christian allegory describing the journey of a man named Christian, from ‘this world to that which is to come’, i.e. from his hometown, metaphorically called the ‘City of Destruction’, to heaven or the ‘Celestial City’. John Bunyan was born in 1628 at Harrowden, near Bedford. He had little to none official education and followed in his father's trade as a tinsmith. Plagued by a sense of guilt and self-doubt he converted after having heard a voice, alleged by him to be from God. He began a four year long spiritual discussion with some women who belonged to a nonconformist sect in Bedford and increasingly believed he was one of the spiritual elite, chosen by God, and claimed to hear voices and have religious visions. In 1655, he became a deacon and began preaching, with marked success from the start, yet in 1660, he was imprisoned for preaching without a license, as the country returned to Anglicanism and it became punishable by law to conduct religious services, except in accordance with the ritual of the Anglican Church, or for one not in Episcopal orders, to address a congregation. He was confined at first for three months, but on his refusing to conform or to abstain from preaching, his confinement was extended for a period of nearly 12 years. It was during this period that John Bunyan wrote The Pilgrim's Progress, of which the first part was published in 1678 and the second in 1684. He passed away in 1688 after catching a cold and developing high temperature.

Judas (Ιούδας)

Greek name of one of the twelve original Apostles of Jesus, who is traditionally best known for his betrayal of Jesus, into the hands of the Roman authorities, selling him out for 30 pieces of silver. The story has a strong symbolic pun, referring to the Jewish people, who rejected Jesus as their Saviour, since the Hebrew name for Judas is Judah (יְהוּדָה), akin to the tribe of Judah and thus referring to Judaism, which rejects the claim that Jesus is the Messiah. Note also that, due to the betrayal by Judas, Jesus was delivered into the hands of the Roman authorities, i.e. the gentiles. It was because of the betrayal and rejection by his own people, the Jews, that Jesus could be received by the gentile nations, i.e. all nations other than Jews. Besides this, his name also relates to the Old Testament, where it was Judah, one of the twelve (!) sons of Jacob, who is also known as Israel, whom suggested that his brothers should sell Joseph to a passing caravan of foreign Ishmaelites (i.e. gentiles), which they did for 20 pieces of silver (reminiscent of the 30 pieces of silver Judas received). Nonetheless, by betraying him, Judah actually ended up saving Joseph's life, and though presumed death by Jacob (Israel), he actually rose to power and in due course saved his brothers from starvation. Likewise, though the betrayal of Jesus initially led to his death, it also initiated his resurrection and with it, the forgiveness of sin and the salvation on mankind. Like Joseph, Jesus who was first betrayed, ends up as the Saviour, though in the eyes of Israel, Jesus of Nazareth is presumed dead. Note also that Joseph did not reveal himself to his brothers during their first visit and that they had not recognized him, until their second coming. Likewise, Israel and the Jewish people did not recognize their Messiah on his first visit, as it is written ‘He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted’. Hence, besides being the disciple who betrayed Jesus, Judas could allegorically be understood as the embodiment of the Jewish nation, Israel.

Judas Iscariot

See Judas.