Jesus Preaching • “What counts the most in life is blessed Jesus Christ, his holy Church, his Gospel, truth and goodness.” • Bl. Pope John XXIII
Feb 24, 2016
Jesus Preaching• “What counts the most in life is blessed Jesus
Christ, his holy Church, his Gospel, truth and goodness.”
• Bl. Pope John XXIII
The Preaching begins
• Baptism begins his ministry– Then the 40 days in the desert
• Returns to Galilee with the Holy Spirit– Fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies– Rejection at Nazareth
• Growing out of the prophetic tradition– Called on the people to repent
Jesus as a Teacher
• Creative (parables)• Dramatic (flipping over tables at the Temple)• Performed miracles (raise the dead, heal the
sick)
An Outstanding teacher
• Genuine: lived what he preached– “the greatest love is to lay down one’s life for a
friend”• Available: taught out in the real world• Understandable: down-to-earth language– Vibrant images to aid recall– Hyperbole: cutting off the sinful hand
• Authority: Knew whereof he spoke, didn’t have to quote others
Jesus with other teachers
• Debater: Frequently challenged by Pharisees and others– Verbal traps: “Is it lawful to pay this tax?” “Which
is the greatest Commandment”– Turns it around on them
• Challenger: Don’t be a passive listener, but be changed by the teaching
God’s Grace
• We cannot earn or deserve salvation– Given by God’s grace
• Must be humble, have faith and trust in God
• “Camel through the eye of needle”– Hyperbole yes– People with money tend
to think it solves all problems
Regions of his teaching
• Galilee– Jews & Gentiles just beginning to mix– Zealots hate this
• Samaria– Jews & Gentiles long ago intermixed,
erasing distinctions
• Judea– Capital of Judaism: Jerusalem
The Teaching
• The Kingdom of God– Not of this Earth– “active presence of God’s love, justice, truth, and
Salvation”– Brought to us by Christ through the Paschal
Mystery
Parables• Short allegorical stories
– Illustrate the Kingdom using prosaic examples
• Easy to remember– Good Samaritan– Lazarus & the rich man– Prodigal Son– Sowing seeds
• Point is clear– Inform Christian life and thought