In the Bible, Jesus taught and made claims on numerous subjects. Jesus was a moral teacher for the betterment and improvement of others. His teachings were based on what he claimed to be certainly true. He desired to help those better understand who exactly he is and live a more Christ like lifestyle. Throughout the Bible, especially in the New Testament, Jesus’ teachings are demonstrated ubiquitously. From Matthew to Luke and John, Jesus spends his time teaching his followers about love, forgiveness, judging others and material possessions. In one of the gospels, Jesus teaches on love, focusing on "loving your enemies". This injunction appears in Matthew 5: 43-48, Jesus says “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...(NIV)” In Jesus’ teaching, he demanded that his followers should demonstrate love to all people, no matter their personality, faith, or nationality, enemies included. Loving the enemy means the “hearts of Christians are satisfied with God and are not driven by the craving for revenge or self-exaltation or money or earthly security”. If Christians are able to follow Jesus’ instruction they mirror what God is truly like. Through his instruction, Jesus was generating a new standard for relationships. The command to love your enemies was not just something Jesus made up but rather a law of God. When Jesus said "Love your enemies", he truly meant that his
Many people do not know that loving your enemy is the heart of the gospel. Although loving and praying for your enemy may seem impossible at times, it is written in the gospel of Matthew that loving your enemy is loving God. In Matthew 5:43, Jesus teaches about loving your enemy, praying for your enemy, and shows examples of loving your enemy.
In contrast Pope Benedict XVI’s book, Jesus of Nazareth, stated that the ‘Kingdom of God’ is “… an inner disposition characterised in daily behaviour by adopting the mind and outlook of Christ…” A teacher of the law once asked Jesus, “Which commandment is the most important?” He deemed loving God and your neighbour as the two most important. So here it is clear that Jesus is talking about love as a major theme in personal conduct a theme which is exemplified by biblical stories of Jesus’ own behaviour. Jesus demonstrated his love for others on many occasions and in many different ways. He spoke to people who were outcasts or disliked such as the woman at the well and Zacchaeus. He met people’s physical needs through some of his
Lastly Jesus teaches us about chapter 5 verses 43-48, which explains that you should love your neighbor, and love your enemies. Pray for the people that mistreat you, by doing that you will be acting as a child of God. If you love only that loves you, what 's really the point? How does that make you different from anybody else? Jesus explains you are to be perfect like God is perfect.
The Bible has many teachings of Jesus, that show what we as Christians can learn from and apply it to our lives. In Matthew 5:43-48, Jesus tells us to love our enemies. It’s easy to love the same people who love and care for us, however, loving someone who hates you is a difficult task. We all want to feel appreciated and valuable. When someone makes us feel worthless or unloved, the last thing we want to do is to show them love. Jesus also tells us to pray for people who wrong us which is just as hard, if not harder than the prior command to love our enemies. Jesus’ point in this teaching is to call us to be more like God by having an unconditional love for everyone. He holds us to a high standard in Matthew 5:48 when he commands us to “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly father is perfect” (Thurston, B. B., (1987) para 6). How does loving our enemies relate to other
‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. The second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two precepts hang all the law and the prophets’ (Mathew 22.37, 38, 39, 40). ‘By this all men know that they are my disciples, if ye have love one to another’ (John 13.35) …’He who loveth God loveth his brother also’ (1 John 4.21) …’If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar’ (1 John 4.20) …The first thing that takes our attention is the saying of Jesus, ‘Thou shalt love,’ etc. (501-2)
In The Sermon on the Mount and Romans twelve, Jesus and Paul teach that we must love our enemies. As a kid I just brushed off the idea as a normal thing. I realize now what a crazy idea Paul and Jesus are teaching. No one goes out and turns the other cheek or feeds someone they hate; unless they are trying to be like Jesus or are following another religion that teaches these ideas. I personally struggle with turning the other cheek immensely. I retaliate verbally and i’m usually not very nice. I don’t love my enemies and don’t see how Paul and Jesus were able to love their enemies. I understand how Jesus did it but Paul is not God in the flesh. I know he saw a light on the way to Damascus and heard a voice from heaven but being able to love
The gospel describes Jesus as a great teacher who astounded the crowds who gathered to hear him. Though he engaged in debates with Pharisees and Sadducees, he took great interest in ordinary people. He often taught them in parables, stories that used vivid images from everyday life to illustrate spiritual truths (Invitation to World Religions, pg.416). The central theme in Jesus’ teachings was the Kingdom of God. For Jesus, the kingdom of God was not an ordinary kingdom, but that exists when human beings recognize God’s sovereignty over the world and respond in love and in
1. Jesus is using what is known as the “Socratic method” of teaching, using question and answer. It was not for the teacher to quiz
Jesus taught that there is one Loving, graceful God. He also taught about the ten commandments that were given to Moses by Jesus's God. Jesus was a missionary that traveled for most of his adult life from city to city, teaching about that he is "God in the flesh". Jesus also taught that by believing in God, that God will save you of your sins and deliver the person who believes that they will go to a place called heaven. As Jesus' ministry grew, Jesus eventually gathered a following. Primarily by twelve men that the Bible calls Disciples.
Matthew next describes Jesus through his passionate and loving ministry. The many stories of his work among the people are evidence of who he was as a person. He was a teacher, preacher, and healer to everyone who knew of God’s righteousness. Jesus had strong faith in his Father, and it was important to him that others did as well. Jesus spoke of the proper way to live life in order to be granted eternal life. Some of the first teachings that Matthew mentions in his gospel are of Jesus’
In this teaching, Jesus was saying that we treat one another with love and compassion as he have loved us as much as laying his life for our sake, in order for us to join him in the kingdom of God. He said that we should speak well even to those who curse and despitefully use us and abuse us because, our reward for such time is in heaven and it is God who will revenge about these things for us. He said that we should love our enemy also not only our friends because God loves us the same way and God does not discriminate from anyone, despite their falls.
Jesus as teacher tells us to be good, follow him, and live ethical lives. In this model, Jesus is saving us from our own ignorance because we do not know right from wrong. He wants us to change our uncaring behavior by him educating and inspiring each of us through his teachings and examples of love and knowledge. Jesus is the bridge between us and God that covers ignorance and apathy. By him covering that, we change and learn, we live the ethical lives he wants us to live, and we teach and share with our fellow Christians.
The gospel according to Matthew is full of the Lord’s messages of love, how you should love people, and the types of people you should love if you follow the messages and teachings of Jesus. This gospel also provides an outline of the way people who seek to be a part of the Catholic faith should live their lives. Focusing specifically on love and how you should treat other people, Jesus gives precise directions on how we should approach and deal with others, especially those who wrong us. One of the instructions Jesus provides for us through Matthew is, “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven;” (Matthew 5:44-45). The word of Jesus is very clear here, that we should love all those around us, our neighbors and even those who wish the worst on us. His message becomes even more clear when
Jesus teaches his followers many life lessons that gives them a good life while they have faith in God. John 15:1-11 and other passages explains to people that Jesus is the people’s lord and savior of his disciples, who in following Jesus will give them the love and hope they need by God, Jesus Father.
Jesus Christ of Nazareth was the supreme preacher of all time. The Son of God serves as an example for us to follow in pastoral ministry. During his earthly ministry, Jesus called down the false teaching of the Religious leaders of his days. In fact, Christ was crucified by the Religious leaders for preaching the true doctrines of God’s Word.