The Big Questions About Jesus Sýnishorn

What Did Jesus Actually Teach?

My wife and I have been married for more than 15 years, and I’ve noticed a funny thing: as time goes by, her recollections of what happened in a certain situation are different from mine. I guess it’s what always happens!

There’s no question Jesus Christ was a real, living person of history, that he was a teacher, and what he taught was powerful and unique. What did he actually teach? Different individuals, and even different churches, will give you different answers.

Thankfully, we have a record of what Jesus taught, based on eyewitness accounts. We can find them in the Gospels in the New Testament. They record several key themes, but running through everything Jesus taught was his emphasis on the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus taught he was the Son of God. Jesus showed his power over every limitation that affects humanity, including sickness and death. Jesus taught he had come to save the world and restore people to a right relationship with God so that they might enter the Kingdom of Heaven. He taught that God loves sinners – all of us – and his ministry was to call sinners, not the so-called “righteous” people, to repentance.

In Jesus’ teaching, the Kingdom is not just a future reality when everything will be perfect. It is that, but it’s more than that. The Kingdom of Heaven is a reality where God’s children can live right now. That’s possible when we hear the words of Jesus and when we believe in God. That’s why Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven is already in our midst and, indeed, within us (Luke 17:21).

He meant this when he said he had come so people could have a “more abundant” life (John 10:10). Jesus taught the Kingdom of Heaven is built on love – his love for us. He also provided guidelines for people, showing us what it means to live lives of love. His Sermon on the Mount, particularly the simple statements of the Beatitudes, illustrate how Jesus’ way is the opposite of the way the world believes we can have successful, happy lives.

He also taught us how to communicate with God and pray in what we call “The Lord’s Prayer.” Jesus also gave us his example by maintaining constant communication with his Father.

All these are important, but the most powerful thing we can say about Jesus’ teaching is that he showed us just how good God is and that we really can call God our “Father.”

– Eliezer Gonzalez