Introduction

Jesus the teacher:

“And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ” Mat.23:8, 10).

Jesus’ teaching has been extensively used as a manual of discipleship for new believers, particularly in recent decades of the church’s history. Matthew pictures Jesus seated on the mountain, in full view of Hs disciples who are poised ready in rapped attention to hear Him, “and He opened His mouth and taught them” (5:2). So typical of Jesus, He concludes with a graphic parable for them to take home with them to share with their family round the meal table (7:24-29). Jesus is the original and authoritative teacher, repeatedly He says (in contrast to the contemporary religious teachers of Judaism), “but, I say to you …” (5:18, 20, 22, 26, 28, 32, 34,39, 44). The apostle John begins his Gospel by describing Jesus as the Logos of God, He is the embodiment of all that John defines as the Logos/Word of God. It therefore follows that all He speaks from His mouth is also the WORD of God. How men dare to question His words, and His eternal Sonship is wicked arrogancy. Nor should we dare to question Scripture or the integrity those who wrote Scripture. I would like to say that I personally believe that the 4 Gospels do synchronise and that apparent contradictions only appear so because we do not understand fully, nor do we always have the necessary information to resolve those apparent differences. The apostle John did not tamper with His material – there were 2 visits of Jesus to Jerusalem and Jesus did rise on the third day despite the impossibility of being able to fit it all into the church calendar. The church calendar may have got the date of Jesus’ birth wrong, but the Gospel account of events are undeniably true as are the infallible statements regarding the virgin conception/birth of Jesus Christ. We need to delight ourselves in the integrity and infallibility of Scripture. There is no other book in the world that has such a multiplicity of ancient documents to authenticate its genuineness, it is the Book of God, authored by the Holy Spirit and as such to be honoured by reading it, believing it and obeying its precepts.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

Jesus begins with beatitudes rather than imperatives. The demands Jesus makes on His disciples are to be viewed in the context of grace. Jesus’ blessings are strong affirmations, pronounced on those blessed ones whose lives are characterized by certain qualities.