BetheButterfly Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Hello, I asked in another thread about the primary teachings of Buddha, which would be interesting to know. Then, I thought, "What are the primary teachings of Jesus?" Nobody has ever asked me that specific question before, but I think it's a good question that I would like the answer to if somebody should ever ask me that. Jesus' teachings, accounted in the New Testament of the Bible, are many. However, I personally believe the following are the primary teachings of Jesus. What do you think? Thanks! 1. Love God and love others. Matthew 22 NIV - The Parable of the Wedding Banquet - Bible Gateway “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[Deut. 6:5] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[Lev. 19:18] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” 2. Believe in him (Jesus) and remain in him. John 6 NIV - Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand - Some - Bible Gateway "28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” 29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” John 15 NIV - The Vine and the Branches - " 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." 3. Love each other and love even one's enemies, which also includes praying for, doing good to, forgiving, and blessing those who curse you (I guess this can go under 1. too.) John 15 NIV - The Vine and the Branches - "9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit —fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other." Luke 6 NIV - Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath - One - Bible Gateway 27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. 32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." 4. Do not judge, but rather forgive and give. Luke 6 NIV - Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath - One - Bible Gateway 7 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” 5. Help those in need. Matthew 25 NIV - The Parable of the Ten Virgins - Matthew 25 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’" 6. Endure persecution and wait/be ready for his return. Matthew 24 Matthew 24 NIV - The Destruction of the Temple and Signs - Bible Gateway "3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. 9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." "42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." 7. Make disciples. Matthew 28 Matthew 28 NIV - Jesus Has Risen - After the Sabbath, at - Bible Gateway "16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” For those interested, what do you think are the primary teachings of Jesus? Thanks! Link to post Share on other sites
M30USA Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 (edited) That is a great question. I will preface it first by saying that the most important thing about Jesus was not what he taught, but rather who he is. Even if we didn't have a single record of him or any of his teachings (which obviously isn't the case), it still wouldn't change who he is or how it impacts our relationship to God. His coming and dying was more about satisfying God's plan in God's presence than it was about a human audience or humans even understanding the entirety of what happened. That being said, if I had to sum up all of Christ's teachings into a single one of his quotes, it would be: "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." Edited July 6, 2012 by M30USA 2 Link to post Share on other sites
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