Reading the Teachings of Jesus

HOW TO READ JESUS’ TEACHING

1. Jesus’ teaching is often organized according to main themes.

2. Jesus’ teaching revolves around a central message.

All the teaching of Jesus comes together around the idea of the kingdom of God.    

• Much of the OT treatment focused on the earthly, geographical kingdom of Israel, while Jesus’ teaching focused on the eternal rule of God.
• The OT kingdom focused on the Israelites, whereas Jesus’ teachings focused on the kingdom as universal.
• In the OT, especially in the Prophets, God’s ideal kingdom is often spoken of as a reality in the distant future. But in Jesus’ teachings, the kingdom of God is near, having come on the scene with Him and His ministry. We as believers are to live as if God is the rightful Ruler of the world – because He is!

3. Jesus’ message was communicated through a variety of methods.

• He used Object Lessons – the use of a common, everyday object or person to teach a truth
• He used Drama – acting out a truth
• He used figures of Speech like: Hyperbole

(exaggeration used to drive home a point), Metaphor

(a comparison made by saying one thing is another),

and Simile (a comparison using the word like or as)

• He used Proverbs – a short saying that sums up a general truth about life
• He used Quotations – the use of an Old Testament to make a point
• He Used Riddles – a clever question used to stimulate thinking
• He used Parables – A graphic story that is set alongside a spiritual truth in order to focus on that spiritual truth. See Handout on the Parables of Jesus

4. Jesus’ teaching has a primary goal: discipleship.