THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS

Jesus is the Son of God, His teachings to His disciples were given to Him from God The Father, and will remain forever, and it will judge its hearers. It is of the utmost importance to the paying of attention to His teachings. Much of Jesus' teachings require thought and spiritual insight.

Jesus taught about The Kingdom of God, His own identity, God as Father, His mission, of His saving work and the ethics of God's family, how people should live, the future and He criticised false teachings.

Jesus' taught with authority about God the Father, what He wanted, what He was like, what He would do for His creation. Jesus' teachings required absolute obedience and love for God and the Kingdom of God. He claimed that the Kingdom of God had begun in His ministry but would not be culminated until His final coming, at the end of this age.

Until that coming, Christians are to live in the world by the ethical injunctions He gave and in the kind of love He had shown and commanded. To help earthly people understand heavenly things, He spoke in parables. These parables were from realistic, real-life settings. They were about the Kingdom of God and what it was like, what was required to live in it, what was the meaning of life according to its teachings, what the Kingdom promised.

People, both individuals and groups are the recipients of His teachings of repentance and new life.

Jesus taught in the synagogues to adult males of Judaism and youths at elementary training schools. It was natural for Jesus to teach within the framework of the synagogue where the most important scrolls of scripture were available.

Jesus was accepted as a debating partner by other scribes. While leading teachers taught at fixed locations to a chosen circle of students, Jesus directed His teachings to the general public, travelling throughout the country proclaiming the love of God The Father.

Jesus taught on and expounded Old Testament Scripture. His teachings were grounded in Scripture, His words came from The Father, and spoke in the power of The Holy Spirit.

Jesus' teachings invite a response and He looked for obedience. He lived what He preached and taught. The methods Jesus used were drawn from everyday life and people's experiences, including objects and of end times. One third of His teaching was narratives known as Parables.

Parables are a central feature and have different levels of meaning, some of which are hidden with further explanation needed.

Definite action was the required response to Jesus' teaching. Jesus' recognised The Old Testament, its authority as God's Word and taught that The Old Testament was being fulfilled in Himself.

Jesus interpreted correctly Old Testament Scriptures and religious practises and treated it all as true historical record.

Jesus taught about prayer.

The contrary responses to Jesus' teachings were in the form of rejection, lack of belief in who He is, and questioning of His authority. Many hardened their hearts and attributed His power to satanic forces. Jewish leaders were hostile, jealous and demanded His death as prophesied.

Jesus also knew He had to challenge others to act upon His words, and knew that information alone would not change their attitudes. People either believe or reject. He taught that all human beings are valuable being created by God and all are sinful. He drew a clear distinction between sincere and false believers.

Jesus' teachings were both doctrinal and ethical which He related closely to each other. He taught truth about God to the ordinary people, the truths about Himself and The Holy Spirit.

Jesus taught that His supernatural acts were done in The Power of The Holy Spirit, giving evidence that The Kingdom of God had come and the power of evil was being overthrown. He rebuked demons and showed His authority over them.

Jesus taught on the motives behind the acts of righteousness, giving, praying and fasting, love for enemies as well as each other, not to judge, not to be anxious, that all have faith, and God rejoices at the repentance of sinners. He taught that humbleness is to seek God and His righteousness, and pride is a downward path to destruction.

No bounds or limits were set, the people on mass had access to Christ. The Old Testament Law was given to Moses, but then, the people were ordered to keep their distance, now, Jesus invites them near.

Jesus' sermons are a model of perfection and require total dependence on God. People have shortcomings and need to acknowledge them to experience God's blessings. Jesus knew that mankind could not match the quality of life He taught without God's help.

Jesus instructed about the effects of Christian living on others living in the world, the deeper meaning of the Law, the right motives and concerns of the heart.

He had divine authority, His words are not just idle words, they are life.

SCRIPTURES John 5:46-47, John 10:35, Matthew 4:17, 6:31,32, 16:13-17, 20:17, 5:20-22, 12:36, 15:6-9. 11:29. QUESTIONS 1] What was Jesus' attitude towards the Old Testament? 2] What was the content of Jesus' teachings? 3] What did Jesus criticise? 4] What were the characteristics of the teachings of Jesus?

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Managed by Stefan Kreslin, Last updated August 2017