Jesus became a central figure of Christianity.
In Christian theology and ecclesiology , the apostles , particularly the Twelve Apostles ( also called the Twelve Disciples ) , were the primary historical disciples of Jesus , the central figure in Christianity . Jesus ( [ ˈdʒiːzəs ] ; c. 4 BC -- c. AD 30/33 ) , also referred to as Jesus of Nazareth or Jesus Christ , was a Jewish preacher and religious leader who became the central figure of Christianity . The resurrection of Jesus is the Christian religious belief that , after being put to death , Jesus rose again from the dead .