Topic 13Topic 13 Jesus’ Ethical TeachingJesus’ Ethical Teaching

A. Jesus and the Jewish Law1. Jesus’ attitude to Torah is ambiguous.

a. Lives as a Jew within Jewish law.1) Great respect for Scripture, synagogue, temple, feasts,

etc.

2) Does not replace Judaism with new religion (Christianity).

b. Subjects Torah and Jewish tradition to rigorous critique.1) Antitheses (Mt. 5:21-48).

2) Woes against scribes and Pharisees (Mt. 23).

3) Conflicts with scribes and Pharisees (Mk. 2-3, 7).

a) Fasting – disregards Pharisaic rules.

b) Sabbath – criticized for violating.

c) Ritual purity – disregards in favor of ethical purity.

A. Jesus and the Jewish Law – cont.2. Ways in which Jesus critiques the law:

a. Jesus simplifies the law.1) Love commandment fulfills whole law (Mk. 12:28-34).

2) Presumes law is valid and must be observed.

b. Jesus intensifies the law.1) Antitheses: murder, adultery, love of neighbor.

2) Implies written code is too weak.

c. Jesus relaxes the law.1) Sabbath rules are bent in favor of mercy/compassion.

a) Picking grain (# 69 Mk. 2:23-28 par.) – “Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”

b) Healing withered hand (# 70 Mk. 3:1-6) – “Is it lawful to do good or harm on Sabbath?” (cf. Mt. 12:11-12).

c) Woman with infirmity (# 163 Lk. 13:10-17) – Ox or donkey is untied to get water; daughter of Abraham should be loosed from bondage.

d) Man with dropsy (# 168 Lk. 14:1-6) – Ox in well.

A. Jesus and the Jewish Law – cont.2. Closer look at Jesus’ critique of the law (cont.):

c. Jesus relaxes the law – cont.2) Tithing/sacrifice subordinated to justice/mercy.

a) Justice and mercy are “weightier” than tithing (Mt. 23:23).b) “I desire mercy and not sacrifice” (Hos. 6:6; quoted in Mt.

9:13; 12:7).c) Sacrifice vs. reconciliation (Mt. 5:23-24).

d. Jesus abrogates the law at certain points.1) Disallows divorce, oaths, retaliation, which law allows.2) Disregards ritual purity practices (# 115 Mk. 7:1-23).

a) “Tradition of elders” (= oral law) was used to circumvent God’s commandments (v. 8-9).

b) “Corban vow” (v. 10-13) – “legal fiction” which circumvented duty to parents by declaring funds “devoted to God.”

c) Emphasizes ethical over ritual purity – not what goes in but what comes out defiles (v. 14-23).

d) Sets aside kosher food laws, which were deeply embedded in Scripture (v. 19b; cf. Lev. 11, 17, 19, etc.).

e. Conclusion1) Jesus takes law seriously but does not apply it “literally.” 2) What principles guided his critique?

3. Possible interpretations of Jesus’ teaching on law:a. Jesus rejected the “oral law” but not Torah itself.

1) Does treat oral law more severely (Mk. 7:8-13).2) But also critiques Torah as well.

b. Jesus rejected “ritual law” but affirmed “ethical law.”1) Does reject some rituals (purity); subordinates ritual to ethics. 2) Does not reject all ritual; ethical aspects also critiqued.3) Better: intensifies ethics; relaxes (or subordinates) ritual.4) Resembles prophets (cf. Hos. 6:6; Amos 5:21-24; Mic. 6:8; Isa.

1:10-17).

c. Jesus relativized the law by bringing its fulfillment.1) Jesus brings final, full revelation of God’s will, to which the law

pointed in an incomplete way.2) Law is not ignored, but transcended: Ethic of kingdom of God

transcends ethic of the law.3) Law must be interpreted in light of Jesus’ revelation of its true

intention – to help people as an instrument of justice and mercy.a) Toward that end he can intensify, relax, abrogate, etc.b) Recalls prophetic use of law to protect rights of powerless

(see texts above).4) Eschatological view of law – God’s will no longer written on stone

but on the heart (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:24-28).

B. The Love Commandment (# 208 Mk. 12:28-34)1. Double love commandment fulfills whole law.

a. Simplifies law to its essence – both love commands are in OT:1) Love God with all your heart (Dt. 6:4-5; “the Shema”).

2) Love neighbor as yourself (Lev. 19:18).

b. Not unique to Jesus – rabbis also simplified Torah:1) Hillel: “Do not do to another what seems to you to be hurtful; that

is the whole Torah. All the rest is commentary. Go and learn.” (Cf. “Golden Rule” in # 39 Mt. 7:12 par.)

2) Other Jewish writings also bring together the 2 love commands.

3) Most major religions have some form of the love commandment.

c. Jesus: this is everything; all Scripture comes down to this. 1) “On these two commandments depend all the law and the

prophets” (Mt. 22:40).

2) “There is no greater commandment than these” (Mk. 12:31).

3) All commandments must be interpreted through these.

4) Unburdens poor who had no resources to master complex demands of scribes/Pharisees.

B. The Love Commandment (# 208 Mk. 12:28-34)2. Love of God must be wholehearted and undivided.

a. Puts whole person under total obligation.1) “Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.”

2) “No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other” (Mt. 6:24).

b. What God wants is not performance of rules/rituals but a life wholly devoted to God.1) Not burnt offerings and sacrifices but love of God and

neighbor (Mk. 12:33).

2) Not meticulous tithing but justice and love (Lk. 11:42).

B. The Love Commandment (# 208 Mk. 12:28-34)3. Love of God and neighbor are inseparably united.

a. Love of God requires love of neighbor.1) To love God we must love those whom God loves.

2) Right worship requires reconciliation with neighbor (Mt. 5:23-24).

3) Loving God without neighbor ends up in “mysticism.”

b. Love of neighbor expresses one’s love for God.1) We love God by loving our neighbor.

2) This does not mean using the neighbor as a means to show our piety; love takes the neighbor seriously as a person with needs.

3) Golden Rule: love of neighbor comprises the whole (cf. Gal. 5:14).

4) Parable of Sheep and Goats (Mt. 25:31-46).

a) “Righteous” ministered to Christ by ministering to needy.

b) Not calculating reward – took needs of neighbor seriously.

5) Love of neighbor not motivated and informed by love of God ends up in “humanism.”

B. The Love Commandment – cont.4. Love of neighbor must be unlimited.

a. Includes all situations: to love neighbor “as yourself” is all-encompassing.1) Undercuts all casuistry and loopholes – don’t need list of rules to

tell how to treat others.

2) Treat others as we want to be treated (Mt. 7:12).

b. Includes all people: no one is excluded, even the enemy (Mt. 5:44).1) Context of Lev. 19:16-18 implies fellow Israelites.

2) Tendency in Jesus’ day toward further restriction (cf. Qumran).

3) Jesus expands to include foreigners, enemies, persecutors.

c. Parable of Good Samaritan (# 143-144 Lk. 10:25-37).1) Scribe: “And who is my neighbor?”

2) Not priest or Levite (fellow Israelites) but Samaritan (despised enemy) acted as neighbor.

3) Love of neighbor knows no boundaries.

4) Not “how can I restrict my obligation?” but “who is willing to see human need and respond in love?”

B. The Love Commandment – cont.5. Love of neighbor is not an emotion but an action.

a. Synoptics: “love” nearly always a verb.

b. Doing for another what is in the best interest of the other.

6. Christian love is a response to God’s love a. God’s grace and forgiveness transforms the heart; response

to forgiveness is love.

b. “Her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love” (Lk. 7:47; cf. 1 Jn. 4:19).

C. Some individual areas of life1. Possessions

a. Detachment from possessions and generosity toward the poor.1) Rich young man (# 189 Mk. 10:17-31 par.).

a) Sell what you have and give to poor (v. 21).b) Easier for camel to go through eye of needle… (v. 25).

2) No one can serve two masters (# 34 Mt. 6:24).a) “Mammon” = Aramaic for wealth, money.b) Incompatibility of two kingdoms.

3) Do not lay up treasures on earth (# 32 Mt. 6:19-21).4) Sell possessions and give alms (# 32 Lk. 12:33).5) Parable of Rich Fool (# 156 Lk. 12:13-21).

a) Hoards excess crop instead of sharing; fails to reckon with death.

b) Danger of assuming life consists of accumulating stuff; possessions give false sense of security.

6) Parable of Rich Man and Lazarus (# 177 Lk. 16:19-31).a) Rich man feasted in luxury; did nothing for poor Lazarus

who sat at his gate in misery.b) At death, their fortunes are reversed: “Hades” vs. “bosom of

Abraham.”c) Danger of not using possessions to help others.

1. Possessions – cont.a. Detachment from possessions and generosity toward the

poor.b. Jesus’ motives.

1) Not that material things are evil in themselves.2) Concern for first commandment.3) Compassion for plight of the poor.

a) Kingdom of God brings new order in which no one suffers in poverty while others have more than enough.

b) Disciples anticipate new order by living as community in which compassion and sharing prevail.

2. Womena. Prohibition of divorce is aimed at protecting women.b. Place of women is expanded.

1) Women in Jesus’ culture were treated as 2nd class, excluded.2) Jesus includes women and treats with dignity (Mk. 3:34-35; Lk.

8:1-3; 10:38-42).

3. Childrena. Blessing of the children (# 188 Mk. 10:13-16 par.).

1) Valued in their own right.2) Models of those who belong to kingdom of God.

b. Dispute about greatness (# 129 Mk. 9:33-37 par.).

4. Familya. Positive

1) Permanence of marriage (Mk. 10:1-12).2) Value of women and children.

b. Negative1) Family solidarity is subordinated to cause of the kingdom.2) Jesus’ true relatives – those who do will of God (# 85 Mk. 3:21;

# 89 Mk. 3:31-35).3) Warning of division within families (# 61 Lk. 12:51-53 par.).4) Cost of discipleship (# 171 Lk. 14:25-35 par.).

a) Disciple must “hate” family (or “love less than me”).b) Parables of Tower and King Going to War – counting the

cost.5) Warnings to would-be disciples (# 138 Lk. 9:57-62 par.).

a) Discipleship takes priority even over burial of father and saying farewell to family.

b) Perrin: Jesus’ most radical saying on discipleship.6) Eunuchs for sake of kingdom (# 187 Mt. 19:10-12).

a) Tradition that seems to value voluntary celibacy.b) Was Jesus married? Was Paul, Peter, Jesus’ brothers,

other apostles (1 Cor. 9:5)?7) New family of God (# 189 Mk. 10:28-30).

a) Commitment to kingdom threatens family solidarity.b) Establishes new community of children of God – disciples

receive back a “hundredfold” what they forsake.

5. Prestigea. Equal value and dignity for all persons.

1) In God’s kingdom there is no superior and inferior.

2) Invite the poor and outcasts – who can’t invite you back (# 169 Lk. 14:12-14).

3) The “marginalized” (women, children, poor, sinners, outcasts) are treated with respect and dignity.

b. Denounces seeking of honor and practice of piety to win admiration.1) Parable of Places at Table (# 169 Lk. 14:7-11).

a) Choose lower place to be called up higher.

b) “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

2) Denounces Pharisees’ ostentation – broad phylacteries and long fringes (# 210 Mt. 23:5-7).

3) Do almsgiving, prayer, fasting “in secret” (# 28-31 Mt. 6:1-18).

4) No place in kingdom for “status-seekers.”

a) Unless they repent and become like children – but it is hard for them (as for the rich).

b) Radical stance in “honor-shame” society.

6. Politics and powera. Question about taxes to Caesar (# 206 Mk. 12:13-17 par.).

1) Imperial poll tax was despised as reminder of pagan rule; had sparked rebellion (6 AD); could do so again.

2) Question was calculated to put Jesus in a bind.3) “Image” (eikōn) of Caesar on coin is significant:

a) Recalls human creation “in image of God” (Gen. 1) and prohibition of idolatrous images (2nd commandment).

b) Pharisees are already deeply compromised with Romans.4) Jesus’ answer is famously enigmatic: “Give to Caesar what is

Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”a) Traditional view: pay the tax (Caesar’s image is on coin),

but recognize higher loyalty to God (his image is on you). - Repudiates “zealot” rebellions against Rome. - Duty to both church and state (even separation?).

a) Recent trend: veiled repudiation of Roman tax; “what belongs to Caesar” = nothing; advocating “nonviolent resistance.”

b. In kingdom of God, domination/oppression are replaced by service/love.1) Request for positions of power (# 192 Mk. 10:42-44) – “…

whoever would be great among you must be your servant…”2) Dispute about greatness (# 129 Mk. 9:33-35) – “whoever wants

to be first must be last of all and servant of all.”

Denarius

7. Forgivenessa. Repudiates judgmental attitude toward others (# 36 Mt. 7:1-5).

1) “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged.”

2) Easier to see “speck” in neighbor’s eye than “log” in our own.

b. Necessity of forgiveness: Only by forgiving others can we hope for God’s forgiveness (# 30 Mt. 6:14-15 par. Mk. 11:25).1) Mt: if we forgive others, God will forgive us; if not, he won’t.

2) Mk.: forgive others so that God may forgive you.

3) Spirit of forgiveness opens us to receiving God’s forgiveness.

4) Spirit of “unforgiveness” prevents our receiving God’s forgiveness.

c. Forgiveness must be unlimited (Mt. 18:21-22) – “not seven times but 77 times.”

d. Parable of Unmerciful Servant (# 136 Mt. 18:23-35).1) Servant is forgiven a huge debt; refuses to forgive a trifling sum;

his forgiveness is revoked.

2) Not that God revokes our forgiveness but that our failure to forgive reveals that we have not really accepted our own (Via).

D. Fatherhood of God1. “Father” is Jesus’ most frequent and distinctive term for God.

a. 65x in Synoptics; 100+ in Jn.; all sources.b. Every prayer addresses God as Father.

2. Fatherhood of God before Jesus (not new or unique to Jesus):a. Greek thought: universal by nature – natural kinship.b. Jewish thought: exclusive to Israel – by election.

3. Jesus: potentially universal as gift of grace.a. Not universal by natural kinship as in Greek thought.b. Not exclusively limited to Israel or to the specially righteous (God

sends rain/sunshine on righteous and unrighteous alike; Mt. 5:45).c. Eschatological gift of grace – all who humble themselves as children

have privilege of calling God “Father.”4. Jesus’ use of Abba expresses his special intimacy with God.

a. Aramaic “familiar” term for father; originally was a child’s word.b. Jeremias: child’s word; expressed childlike quality; essentially

“Daddy.”c. G. Vermes; J. Barr: not only child’s word; used also by adults (“Abba

Isn’t Daddy”).d. Still retained a sense of warmth and familiarity (“dear father”); in

Jewish usage, rarely used of God; never as address in prayer.e. Abba is retained in Gk. text of Mk. 14:36; elsewhere, translated patēr.f. Jesus’ use in prayer conveys sense of intimacy (Mk. 14:36; cf. Mt.

11:25-27).

D. Fatherhood of God – cont.5. Jesus taught disciples to call God Abba/Father.

a. Lord’s Prayer (Mt. 6:9; Lk. 11:2) – behind Greek pater probably lies Aramaic abba.

b. Gal. 4:6; Rom. 8:15-16 show “Abba” as part of early church’s prayer tradition.

6. Fatherhood of God removes anxiety for oneself.a. Certainty of future salvation (Lk. 12:32 # 157) – “Fear not, little

flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

b. Assurance of everyday needs (Mt. 6:25-33 par. # 35)1) “Consider the birds of the air…lilies of the field…” – argues from

lesser to greater.2) Removal of anxiety about personal needs frees us for the risks

of kingdom living (v. 33).

7. Fatherhood of God brings summons to “sonship.”a. Love your enemies (Mt. 5:44-45 par. Lk. 6:35 # 27).

1) Loving enemies as God does makes us “sons” of God.2) “To be a son (child) of ____” = “to bear the character of ____.”

b. “Be perfect/merciful” as heavenly Father is (Mt. 5:48 par. Lk. 6:36).

E. Prayer1. Teaching on prayer (# 29-30 Mt. 6:5-15; # 38 Mt. 7:7-11).

a. To be “in secret” (Mt. 6:5-6).

b. To be brief (Mt. 6:7-8).

c. To be in trust (Mt. 7:7-11).

d. To be in spirit of forgiveness (Mt. 6:14-15).

e. To be persistent.1) Parable of Friend at Midnight (Lk. 11:5-8).

2) Parable of Unjust Judge (Lk. 18:1-6).

2. The Lord’s Prayer (# 30 Mt. 6:9-13 par. Lk. 11:2-4)a. Comparison of two versions (Jeremias):

1) Mt. and Lk. probably each recorded the prayer as prayed in their own churches.

2) Lk.’s length is probably more original.

3) Mt.’s wording is more original (at points), in spite of secondary expansions.

b. Jeremias’ reconstruction of “original” Lord’s Prayer (next slide).

c. Analysis of familiar Matthean version (last three slides).

Jeremias’ Reconstruction of Lord’s Prayer:

Address: “Father,

Two “Thou” petitions: Hallowed be Thy name,

Thy kingdom come.

Two “we” petitions: Tomorrow’s bread give us today.

Forgive us our debts as we herewith forgive our

debtors.

Closing petition: Do not let us fall victim to the trial.”

The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew)

1. Address: “Our Father who art in heaven.”a. Lk.’s simple “Father” probably more original; prob. was Abba.

b. Mt. combines “transcendance” and “immanence” of God.

2. Three “Thou” petitions:a. Three lines in synonymous parallelism:

1) “Hallowed be thy name.”

2) “Thy kingdom come.”

3) “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

b. Prays for coming of God’s kingdom.1) Similar to Kaddish (Jewish synagogue prayer).

2) Kingdom of God is on earth; overcomes every form of evil.

3) Involves our obedience; with this prayer we sign up for duty in God’s battle against evil and injustice (Wright).

The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew) – cont.3. Three “we” petitions (note plural; communal nature of prayer):

a. “Give us this day our daily bread.”1) Translation of “daily” (epiousios) is uncertain:

a) “Our bread for subsistence” (just what we need and no more).b) “Bread that pertains to the day” (= “daily;” cf. Lk.’s “each day”).c) “Our bread for the coming day” (= “tomorrow’s”), i.e., a foretaste now of

the eschatological bread of life which is to come (so Jeremias).2) Prays for needs, not wants; that God would supply daily that which is

sufficient (cf. manna in wilderness).b. “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

1) Mt.’s “debts” is probably more original than Lk.’s “sins.”2) Only by God’s mercy can we hope to stand when God’s reign

destroys evil.3) To pray for forgiveness in measure we have forgiven is a frighteningly

dangerous prayer!c. “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

1) Peirasmos can mean “temptation (enticement to evil)” or “trial,” “time of testing” – “Do not bring us to the time of trial” (NRSV).

2) “Evil” can be translated “the evil one” (NRSV). 3) Could refer to final tribulation which precedes the End of the Age.4) Or to daily trials of discipleship.5) Prays for divine strength/protection in times of testing.

The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew) – cont.

4. Doxology: “For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.”a. Doxology is not present in oldest, best manuscripts.

b. Short form of doxology appears in Didachē (late 1st or early 2nd century).

c. Long form of doxology begins to appear c. 8th century.

d. Doxology was apparently modeled on 1 Chron. 29:11-12; appended to adapt the prayer for liturgical usage.