noun
Historical or colloquial term for Jesus, often used in older texts or by non-Christians. The more standard term is イエス・キリスト.
See also: イエスキリスト
耶蘇はキリスト教の中心人物だ。
Jesus is the central figure of Christianity.
noun
By extension, can refer to Christianity or a Christian person, but this usage is dated and may carry a slightly dismissive or old-fashioned tone. Modern terms are キリスト教 and クリスチャン.
彼は耶蘇の信者だ。
He is a Christian believer.
Ateji (phonetic kanji) representation of 'Jesus', likely derived from Portuguese or Latin 'Iesus' via early Christian missionaries. The exact derivation is uncertain; the kanji 耶 and 蘇 were chosen for their sounds rather than meaning.