What Jesus Taught A Power Point Summarizing Chapter

What Jesus Taught A Power Point Summarizing Chapter 20 of Dr. Scott Hahn’s Book: “Understanding the Scriptures”

What Jesus Taught Sermon on the Mount Matt 5: 1 – 7: 29 The Greatest Command/Prodigal Son Lk 10: 25 -37 The Bread of Life Discourse John 6: 25 -71

What Jesus Taught • • • What it means to say Jesus taught with authority What is the Kingdom of God? Why Jesus used Parables The Spirit of the Law The last shall be first, the first shall be last Jesus, the Bread of Life

What Jesus Taught Even those who are not Christians admit there was never a teacher like Jesus By means of sayings, parables, blessings & woes, he conveyed the message of truth from God He completely lived what he taught

Teaching with Authority In Jewish rabbinical teaching, the rabbi quoted authoritative sources from the past But Jesus did not refer to other rabbis He did not even rely on Scripture as an “authority”; he spoke on his own authority Matthew 7: 24 -29 – the house built on rock

The Kingdom of God Almost impossible to define what Jesus meant by the Kingdom of God (or rule/reign of God) It is a symbol with many resonances, rather than a clearly defined doctrine or concept The Kingdom of God refers to an action: “God ruling powerfully as king” From the Our Father: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. ” A place where the values of God direct all creation

The Kingdom of God John the Baptist announced the Kingdom was at hand, even before the ministry of Jesus Major component was the call to repent Mt 2: 3

The Kingdom of God The Kingdom is “already but not yet” Jesus’ teaching inaugurated the Kingdom and pushed creation toward the Kingdom’s consummation Only at the close of history will the Kingdom of God be fully revealed The proclamation of the Gospel has ushered a new age of history in the world – one that will end with God’s kingdom being fully manifest

Parables of Jesus

Parables of Jesus A parable is a comparison story, designed to arouse curiosity in the minds of the hearers Parables found in OT, especially Ezekiel Jesus employs mysterious sayings and stories to tease the minds of his audience, to knock people off balance Parables are centered on the final realization of the kingdom They have a tone of urgency; delay is dangerous Luke 12: 16 -21, the Rich Fool

Parables of Jesus Far from pleasant stories, Jesus’ parables were at times violent verbal attacks on the religious world presumed by his audience They promised a radical new world, a reversal of values wrought by God, not humans The Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke 16: 19 -31

Parables of Jesus New Testament parables include: Comparison (Mark 3: 23) How can Satan cast out Satan? Proverb (Luke 6: 39) Can one blind man guide another? Riddle (Mark 7: 17) What goes in to a person does not make unclean, but what comes out Symbol

Beyond the Letter of the Law The Law given to Moses was designed to control human sinfulness The Law did not stop or end sin God promised that in the fullness of time he would send a new prophet who would write the Law on people’s hearts - that prophecy fulfilled in Jesus

Beyond the Letter of the Law 613 precepts in the Jewish Law Pharisees and Sadducees made the law a burden And imposed it on others Jesus said repentant sinners would be saved before Pharisees and Sadducees

Beyond the Letter of the Law Jesus offered himself as the fulfillment of the law, not its destroyer Matthew’s Gospel especially emphasizes this Matthew 5: 17 -20 He urges people to “keep the commandments” He summarizes the entire law in one great commandment: love God with your whole heart, soul and might and your neighbor as yourself

Last Shall be First & First, Last In God’s Kingdom, a radical reorientation of values Those who are filled with pride shall be numbered last, while the poor and downtrodden shall be numbered first in the Kingdom Not referring just to materially poor, but to those who are “poor in spirit. ” Those who are humble before God and make room for God in their lives

Last Shall be First & First, Last Jesus emphasized the difficulty of the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven Not because of wealth per se , but what wealth often does - fills the rich with pride At the end of Matthew 19, Jesus says “Many who are first will be last…” Those who are first in this world are not excluded from heaven if they use their gifts in just and charitable ways

Love your Enemies This was an innovation in Jesus’ teaching An improvement over Judaism’s demand for justice A renewed emphasis on mercy So many teachings center on forgiveness, or the failure to forgive Prodigal Son Unjust Steward The Lord’s Prayer

Love your Enemies Why is the ethic of loving one’s enemies one of the most difficult teachings of Jesus to accept, for nations and individuals? Some examples in history of nations with Christian populations violating this teaching? Why do you think Jesus taught love for one’s enemy? Can you think of instances in history when individuals or groups successfully used love for enemies to transform their enemy?

God’s Grace is Undeserved Parable of Prodigal Son He is willing to come back as a slave, but is received as a son The abundance of God’s mercy The sin of the elder son – a sin to which good people are most prone

Jesus is the Bread of Life John 6 is his key chapter on the Eucharist John’s Gospel does not refer to the sharing of bread and wine at the Last Supper (Instead he describes the washing of the disciples’ feet) In John 6, “the Bread of Life discourse, ” Jesus clearly teaches that he was the living bread come down from heaven John 6: 55 “My flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. ”

Jesus is the Bread of Life A teaching that caused some followers to leave Jesus did not try to keep them by softening his words! Peter reaffirms his faith in Jesus Pivotal teaching: “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man…. ”

Table Discussion Read one of the following parables: Laborers in the Vineyard (Mt 20: 1 – 16) The Ten Bridesmaids (Mt 25: 1 -13) The Sower (Luke 8: 4 -15) The Unjust Judge (Luke 18: 1 -8) What does this parable say about the Kingdom of God? What significance does this parable have for you and the Church community today?