Articles

Jesus - Who is he?

Some Frequently Asked Questions

Updated : 11 Apr 2006

Jesus - Some things he said

Jesus is recognised the world over as one of the greatest, perhaps the greatest, teacher of all time.

Many people who do not accept Jesus claims to be God, or do not accept the teachings and authority of the church, never the less look up to Jesus as a great moral teacher and leader. Many countries of the world have built their system of laws and national life on the teachings of Jesus.

What kinds of things did Jesus say that have elevated him to this position in which his words are still admired by people across the world two thousand years after he was born?

 

Love

Jesus said that Love is the most important thing. What has been called vertical love (towards God) and horizontal love (towards other people).

" 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:37-40 NIV)

 

Obeying

But he also emphasised the need to "Obey the commandments". When someone asked "Which ones?" Jesus replied,

" 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbour as yourself.'" (Matthew 19:17-19 NIV)

We begin to see that not all of Jesus' teaching was new. He called people to follow the ways of God that had been taught throughout earlier generations.

 

A new twist

But at times he took the current ideas, such as

"You have heard it was said 'Love your neighbour and hate your enemy'"

and shocked his audience with

"But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven."

Jesus taught us to behave like that because this reflects the way God deals with us.

"He (your Father in heaven) causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." (Matthew 5:43-45 NIV)

 

The Golden Rule

"So" he summarised, "in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12 NIV)

As well as this example, on five other occasions in this chapter alone Jesus said "You have heard ... But I say to you ...". Each time he showed us a more godly standard with regard to murder (v 21), adultery (v 27), divorce (v32), keeping your word (v 33), and responding to others (v 38).

See the whole of Matthew 5 for the details.

 

Priorities

Jesus also taught about the priorities of life.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21 NIV)

 

Citizenship

He taught about citizenship - eg. should we pay taxes to the government?

Asking to be shown a coin Jesus asked whose head appeared on the coin.

"Caesar's," they replied. Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." (Matthew 22:21 NIV)

 

Attitudes

Jesus taught about our attitudes to other people, and warned of the consequences of getting it wrong.

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Always one to have a good illustration of what he meant he went on

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:1-3 NIV)

Jesus not only taught us about our attitude to weak and vulnerable members of society, such as children, but used them as an illustration and example for our own attitudes.

When little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them, the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (Matthew 19:13-14 NIV)

 

The reaction to his words

It is worth noting the reaction Jesus' teaching created in those who heard him.

When Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. (Matthew 7:28-29 NIV)

This is only a sample, all taken from just one of the four Gospel accounts, of what Jesus said and taught. Even in this same book of the Bible he teaches about humility, mercy, purity, peace, doing good, avoiding anger, reconciliation and much more.

Can this kind of teaching, which amazed the people who heard it for the first time, and has become the accepted standard of behaviour and society for so much of the world, be the teaching of a mad man or of a hoaxer? Or is it in fact just the kind of thing we would expect a good and loving God to say? Does it not therefore support Jesus' claims?

 

NIV (New International Version). Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984, by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Ltd. a member of the Hodder Headline Plc Group. All rights reserved. "NIV" is a registered trademark of International Bible Society. UK trademark number 1448790