Assignment Requirements

Jesus teaching Assignment:

Please address each question below with complete sentences and clear, specific explanation. The total word count (including all questions and your answers) should be between 750-1,250 words.

Select one teaching of Jesus from one of the following Bible verses (underline passage): Matthew 5:21-24, Matthew 5:43-48, Matthew 6:19-24, Matthew 7:15-23, Luke 15:1-32, John 13:1-17, 34-35, John 15:1-11. Answer the following questions:

Answer

What was Jesus’ point in the teaching?

In the Gospel according to Saint Matthew 6: 19-23, Jesus teaches the Galileans about the treasures of the heart (Manson, 2016). He urges them to treasure the Kingdom of Heaven which lasts forever other than embracing the earthly desires and material wealth which are prone to destruction. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on the earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” The teaching of Jesus in this context helps to lure peoples’ hearts to start believing in God and not in their material possessions because their ultimate help comes from Him “for where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.”

Secondly, Jesus teaches about the lamb which enlightens the body (Manson, 2016). The lesson about the lamb of light which comes from above fulfills the teaching according to prophet Isaiah who taught that there should come a lamb that will brighten the lives of people who dwell in the dark along the seas of Galilee. “The land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, and Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who sat in darkness saw a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death, the light has dawned” (Matthew 4: 15-16). Jesus further emphasizes that the Gentiles should only serve God alone because it is not possible to equally help God and wealth at the same time (Matthew 6: 24).

What sort of relevance does this teaching have for other worldviews?

It is evident from philosophers’ standpoint like in the teachings of Jesus about the role of the eye in enlightening the body that people who stay in the “dark” miss out on many essential aspects of life in comparison with those in the “light” (Baumann, 2017). In this context, darkness denotes ignorance, or lack of information and light signifies knowledge. In other words, the coming of Jesus brings knowledge about the Kingdom of God to Gentiles living by the river banks of Galilee. Additionally, the lesson of Christ about serving two masters juxtaposes with the philosophers saying that “you cannot serve two masters at ago.”

What does this teaching reveal about Jesus?

The teaching of Jesus according to the Gospel of Saint Matthew 6 comes after His temptations in the wilderness where He defeats the devil’s tricks to confirm that He is the Son of God (Perrin, 2017). Secondly, His teachings at Zebulon, Naphtali, and the seas of Galilee fulfills the prophecies of Isaiah that He is the Messiah, the Lamb of God that comes to save the evil nations from the bondage of Satan. Moreover, Jesus manages to amass huge gatherings from different walks of life and with different beliefs to leave their endeavors and start following Him. He heals the people with paralysis, people with epilepsy, free demon-possessed people, and performs miracles to confirm further that He is the son of God.

Identify at least one claim that Jesus made about His nature and the purpose of His ministry (such as in Mark 2:1-12, Matt 9:9-13, Luke 7:18-23, John 5:16-18, John 10:25-38, or John 14:5-11). Underline the passage chosen.

In the teachings according to Matthew 9: 9-13, Jesus refutes Pharisees’ claims when they complain about His dining with sinners. He says the role of His ministry is to save the lost, call sinners to repentance, and heal the sick, “Those who are fine do not need a physician, but those who are sick.” “I desire mercy and not sacrifice, for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9: 12-13). According to Pharisees, Jesus’ mixing with tax collectors was not by the law. The Pharisees treat the tax collectors as “dirty” and sinful, and they do not deserve to mingle with Jesus and other “clean” people. On the contrary, Jesus calls most of the tax men to be His disciples in ministering the Word (Cadoux, 2015).

 What is the significance of this claim?

Jesus’ claim to redeem the lost and dine with the less fortunate people in the community is significant in the sense that, the affluent should not sideline other people from their social statuses (LaVerdiere, 2013). Additionally, He implies that no one is “righteous” before the sight of God, which is why He comes to save the world (Perrin, 2017). However, Jesus accepts to lower His dignity as a God to mingle with the people with epilepsy and heal them without regarding His godly status. It is a lesson to the world that even the least of all need a hand to help them up.

How would you answer Jesus’ question, “But who do you say that I am?” Describe your own beliefs about Jesus.

The coming of Jesus Christ to earth is one of the most selfless acts that God has ever done to humankind (Perrin, 2017). God’s decision to send Jesus, His only son to suffer on the cross and make a lasting covenant with humanity through His blood is indeed a kind act. The conception of Jesus, His transfixion, the countless miracles, and His later resurrection are proof enough that Jesus is the real son of the Highest God.

References

Baumann, E. (2017). Worldview as worship (3rd ed.). Eugene, Or.: Wipf & Stock.

Cadoux, C. (2015). The historic mission of Jesus (12th ed.). London and Redhill: Lutterworth Press.

LaVerdiere, E. (2013). Dining in the Kingdom of God (6th ed.). Chicago, IL: Liturgy Training Publications.

Manson, T. (2016). The teaching of Jesus (8th ed.). Cambridge: University Press.

Perrin, N. (2017). The Kingdom of God in the teaching of Jesus (7th ed.). London: S.C.M.