Welcome to Paper 1: The Teaching of Jesus

Hello! This chapter is crucial for understanding the core message of the Gospels. We aren't just looking at what Jesus did (miracles), but what he taught about God, society, and how we should live. Mastering this section will give you strong evidence for your AS Level essays and structured questions. Let's dive into the revolutionary ideas Jesus introduced!

1.2.1 The Kingdom of God and the Nature of God

What is the Kingdom of God (KOG)?

The central theme of Jesus's teaching was the Kingdom of God (or Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew). In first-century Jewish thought, the KOG was often understood as a future, political realm where God would defeat Rome and establish Israel as the dominant nation.

Jesus redefines this concept, presenting the KOG in two ways:

  • Present Reality (Inaugurated Eschatology): The Kingdom is here now, active in Jesus's ministry, miracles, and teachings (e.g., healing the sick, casting out demons).
  • Future Hope (Consummated Eschatology): The Kingdom will be fully realized and completed in the future (often linked to judgment).
The Purpose of Parables

Jesus primarily taught about the KOG using parables—short stories drawn from everyday life used to illustrate complex spiritual truths. (Mark 4:1-20, 26-29, 30-32)

Why use parables? The syllabus states the purpose:

  • They reveal the truth to those who are open to understanding (insiders).
  • They conceal the truth from those who resist (outsiders), requiring deeper thought and commitment to grasp the message.

Think of a parable like a coded message: if you have the key (faith and openness), the message is clear. If you don't, it just sounds like a confusing story about farming.

Teaching on the Nature of God through Parables (Luke 15:1-32)

Jesus’s teaching fundamentally reshaped the understanding of God, focusing on His goodness, grace, and love, which often challenged the strict legalism of the time.

The trilogy of parables in Luke 15 (Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, Prodigal Son) emphasizes:

  • God's Relentless Search: God actively seeks out those who are lost or considered insignificant (the sheep, the coin).
  • God's Unconditional Grace: The father in the Prodigal Son story (Luke 15:11-32) represents a God who forgives lavishly, without the son having to earn back his status. The father runs out to meet him—an act highly unusual for an elder man in that culture, demonstrating excessive, shocking love.

The Radical Nature of the KOG

Jesus taught that the KOG overturns human expectations:

1. Shocking Generosity (The Labourers in the Vineyard - Matt 20:1-16):

  • Workers hired at different times all receive the same pay.
  • Key Takeaway: God's reward (grace/salvation) is based on His generosity, not solely on human merit or the length of service. It challenges the human expectation of 'fairness' (earning salvation).

2. Humility is Required (Receiving the kingdom like a child - Mark 10:13-16):

  • Children were powerless and lacking status in society.
  • Key Takeaway: Entering the KOG requires humility and absolute dependence, like a child relying on their parent. Status and power are irrelevant.

3. Danger of Wealth (The Rich Man - Mark 10:17-31):

  • Wealth makes entry into the KOG difficult, famously compared to a camel passing through the eye of a needle.
  • Key Takeaway: Riches often lead to self-reliance, which blocks the necessary humility and dependence on God.

Quick Review: KOG Concepts

KOG Essence: Present and future, focusing on God's sovereignty.
Parables: Stories that simultaneously reveal and conceal.
God's Nature: Loving, seeking, and radically generous (Matt 20:1-16; Luke 15).

1.2.2 Ministry to the Marginalised

In first-century Jewish society, people were often marginalized (excluded) due to several factors: sin/morality, ethnicity, illness, or occupation. Jesus’s ministry actively sought out and included these groups, fundamentally challenging social and religious hierarchies.

Reasons for Marginalisation in Jewish Society

  • Ritual Impurity: Certain illnesses (like leprosy) or physical conditions made people ritually 'unclean,' barring them from temple worship and social interaction.
  • Moral Status: Those who broke purity laws or were deemed "sinners" (like prostitutes).
  • Occupation: Tax collectors were seen as traitors working for Rome, often extorting their own people.
  • Ethnicity/Gender: Non-Jews (Gentiles) and women often held lower status or were excluded from certain aspects of public life.

Jesus's Attitude: Inclusivity and Acceptance

Jesus demonstrates God's immediate acceptance and love for those deemed unworthy.

1. Calling 'Sinners' (Jesus calls Levi - Mark 2:13-17)

  • Levi was a tax collector, despised by society. By calling Levi to follow him and then dining at his house, Jesus deliberately ignored purity laws and social norms.
  • Jesus's Justification: "I have come not to call the righteous but sinners." This shows his mission priority: reaching those who know they need help (the sick needing a doctor).

2. Foreigners and Faith (The Syrophoenician woman - Mark 7:24-30)

  • This Gentile woman, an outsider both ethnically and religiously, demonstrates exceptional faith by arguing humbly for her daughter's healing.
  • Significance: Jesus praises her great faith and grants the request. This signals that access to God’s grace is not restricted by Jewish identity.

3. Overturning Wealth (Jesus and Zacchaeus - Luke 19:1-10)

  • Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector—doubly hated! Jesus deliberately goes to his house.
  • Outcome: Zacchaeus repents and pledges to repay those he defrauded fourfold. Jesus declares that salvation has come to his house.

4. Moral Outcasts (The woman caught in adultery - John 8:2-11)

  • The religious leaders attempted to trap Jesus. If he upheld the Law, the woman would be stoned. If he didn't, he would break the Law.
  • Jesus's Response: "Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone." (John 8:7). This shifts the focus from judging the sinner to examining one’s own spiritual health. Jesus offers forgiveness without condemnation.

Key Takeaway: Ministry to the Marginalised

Jesus’s interactions with the marginalized show that the true standard for entry into the KOG is repentance and faith, not social status or adherence to strict ritual purity laws. He prioritized grace over rigid law.

1.2.3 The Demands of Discipleship

Being a follower (a disciple) of Jesus requires total commitment, challenging believers to live by a standard far higher than mere outward obedience to the Law. This teaching is most clearly laid out in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).

A. The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1–7:29 excerpts)

The Sermon on the Mount is often seen as the constitution of the Kingdom of God.

The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12)

These statements describe the characteristics of KOG citizens. They praise people whose circumstances (like being poor, mourning, or persecuted) are often seen as unfortunate.

  • They focus on internal attitude and spiritual character, not outward wealth or power.
  • They promise future blessing or spiritual reward for these humble attitudes.

Don't worry if the language of the Sermon seems impossibly high. The debate (as noted in the syllabus) is whether Jesus was setting an ideal standard or a goal that could actually be achieved. Many scholars argue it serves as a divine benchmark that reveals humanity’s need for God's grace.

Internalizing the Law (Matthew 5:17-48)

Jesus stresses that he did not come to abolish the Jewish Law, but to fulfill it. He then intensifies its requirements, showing that righteousness must come from the heart (internal) and not just from outward compliance (external).

Example Analogy: Jesus moves the goalposts from just obeying the traffic rules to having the right attitude while driving.

  • "You have heard it said, 'Do not murder,' but I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister..." (Matt 5:21-22). The sin is now located in the heart (anger/hatred).
  • "You have heard it said, 'An eye for an eye,' but I say to you, do not resist an evildoer..." (Matt 5:38-39). Demanding radical, non-retaliatory love.
Practicing Faith without Hypocrisy (Matthew 6:1-18)

Jesus strongly condemns performing religious acts (charity, prayer, fasting) to impress others.

  • Hypocrisy Avoidance: Actions must be done for God's approval, not public applause ("Do not sound a trumpet before you...").
  • Putting God First (Matthew 6:19-34): Disciples must seek the KOG first; worrying about material possessions (e.g., clothes, food) is a distraction (Do not serve two masters).

B. Attitudes to Others: Love and Forgiveness

The Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:21-35)

  • The parable illustrates that because God has granted us immense forgiveness (the massive debt), we are obligated to forgive others for their smaller offenses.
  • Demand: Forgiveness is not optional; it is essential for discipleship.

The Greatest Commandment (Mark 12:28-34)

  • When asked the most important command, Jesus combined two Old Testament laws: Love God with everything you have, and Love your neighbour as yourself.
  • The New Commandment (John 13:34-35): Jesus later distilled this further, commanding disciples to "love one another just as I have loved you." This sets Jesus's self-sacrificial love (*agape*) as the standard for all relationships.

The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)

  • This parable redefines 'neighbour.' The Samaritan was a member of a group despised by the Jews.
  • Demand: A true neighbour is anyone in need, regardless of race, status, or religion. Discipleship requires actively showing mercy and overcoming cultural prejudice.

Quick Review: Discipleship Demands

  • Standard: Internal purity, not just external actions.
  • Priority: Seeking the KOG above wealth and public approval.
  • Attitude: Radical love and unconditional forgiveness towards all people.