An Unconventional Theology - Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – The Teachings of Jesus Christ

Often today we get so caught up in the doctrines surrounding Jesus (such as His Divinity, Humanity, or the Salvation which He brought about), we forget about what He actually said and taught, yet it is what He said and taught which affected those to whom He preached. The demonstrations of power He performed got people’s attention, but it was because of His teachings that people followed Him with sincerity. It was His teachings that revealed what was most important to the heart and mind of God and revealed the Father to mankind through the Son.

It has been my habit in any kind of discipleship teaching that I might undertake to have the person take an empty notebook, a Bible, and a pen and write out everything Jesus says in the Gospels, beginning in the Gospel of St. Matthew. Not the narrative portions, and not anyone else’s dialogue, just what Jesus Himself said. The reasoning behind this is relatively simple. When you are in school, one of the best ways to learn and retain what the teacher or professor is teaching is to take notes, and the more detailed the notes the better. If one professes to be a student or “disciple” of Jesus Christ, one who is learning to practice the discipline which Jesus Christ taught, then it only makes sense to focus on what He Himself said first and foremost. Everything else written in the New Testament, with perhaps the exception of the Acts of the Apostles, is essentially expository and explanatory of Jesus’ own teachings.

It is both disconcerting and troubling, that the teachings of Jesus Christ are frequently ignored or explained away by those who profess to follow Him. Many instead claim to follow the teachings of St. Paul and ignore what Jesus actually said through a kind of “theological gymnastics”. All the time they do not seem to understand that everything St. Paul taught was, as I stated, mere exposition of Jesus’ teachings.

Jesus taught love (agape, the dispassionate choice to care about another person no matter how you feel about them), detachment, voluntary poverty, non-judgment, forgiveness, non-retaliation, defilement comes from within, the realities of salvation, and the necessity of remaining in Him. I would like in this chapter to allow Jesus Christ to speak for Himself as much as possible where what He taught is concerned:

Love

The necessity of loving the other person is probably the bedrock of everything else Jesus taught. In short He taught to love God, love one another, love your neighbor (or the stranger), and to love your enemies. There was no one left to not love by the time He was done teaching.

28One of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together. Knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the greatest of all?” 29Jesus answered, “The greatest is, ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one: 30you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31The second is like this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32The scribe said to him, “Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he, 33and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” (Mark 12:28-34, WEB)

43“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, 45that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 47If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 48Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48, WEB)

“But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, don’t withhold your coat also. Give to everyone who asks you, and don’t ask him who takes away your goods to give them back again. As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.”

(Luke 6:27-35, WEB)

“In this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; and so you will be my disciples. Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love. I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full. This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant doesn’t know what his lord does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you. You didn’t choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” (John 15:8-16, WEB)

Detachment

The word “detachment” doesn't appear as such in most English translations of the New Testament, but the concept appears over and over again. It appears most blatantly in the Ten Commandments in the last commandment, “thou shalt not covet anything which belongs to thy neighbor”. Literally, “don't desire or want anything that you don't already have”. It appears in the Greek word “aphiemi” which is used frequently in the New Testament and means something like, “to let go”. This word is also often translated as “forgive”, but also is used of James and John when they left their nets and father Zebedee in the boat and followed the Lord; they let them go.

34He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? 37For what will a man give in exchange for his life? 38For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:34-38, WEB)

37He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me.
38 He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me, isn’t worthy of me.
39 He who finds his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matt. 10:37-39, WEB)

17As he was going out into the way, one ran to him, knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”

18Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one— God. 19You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not give false testimony,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and mother.’”

20He said to him, “Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth.”

21Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross.”

22But his face fell at that saying, and he went away sorrowful, for he was one who had great possessions. 23Jesus looked around, and said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into the Kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:17-23, WEB)

43If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire, 44‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’ 45If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame, rather than having your two feet to be cast into Gehenna, into the fire that will never be quenched— 46‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’ 47If your eye causes you to stumble, cast it out. It is better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire, 48‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’ (Mark 9:43-48, WEB)

19“Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; 20but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; 21for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21, WEB)

Jesus is here saying in no uncertain terms for His students to focus on the permanent and not the transient. The important thing to focus on is the medium, not the wave through which it moves.

Detachment is a concept also not talked about much in Christian practice or theology, but it is a kind of wisdom which should be embraced by those who follow Christ. Detachment is the way of the cross.

“If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. ²⁴For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake, the same will save it. (Luke 9:23-24, WEB)

²⁶“If anyone comes to me, and doesn’t hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can’t be my disciple. ²⁷Whoever doesn’t bear his own cross, and come after me, can’t be my disciple.(Luke 14:26-27, WEB)

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. ²⁵For he that will save his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for my sake, shall find it. (Matthew 16:24-25, Douay-Rheims)

What is Jesus saying in these passages? First, let me make mention that all three synoptic gospels record these words almost word for word, and one of them records them twice. It can be said then that this is a true condition of discipleship for the one who wants to follow Jesus. That person must deny himself.

Denying oneself is detachment on a number of different levels. It is not a coldness or unfeelingness towards something or someone, rather it is not allowing oneself to cling to anything except Jesus. It is not a matter of convincing yourself to hate anything or anyone, but a matter of coming to the realization that all created things change and pass away, and allowing yourself to let them pass without disturbance to yourself.

Denying your self is also a matter of detachment from one's delusions of oneself as a Self, and fundamentally embracing the truth of human existence discussed in the first part of this treatise, if we walk in the light as He is in the light... In Greek the word translated as “Deny” can also be translated as “abandon” or “disown”. This leads us to a deep truth. In order for us to truly be students of Jesus and of His life and teaching, we must abandon our selves. We must disown our selves. We must detach from our selves and be focused on others.

Detachment and love are not mutually exclusive, rather they are the two wheels which drive the life of a true student of Jesus. One detaches from himself, and loves all others to the exclusion of himself. Or if he must love himself, he does so as though it were another person he is loving. One cannot cling to himself and walk in the Truth. The person who believes he can or is doing so is deluding himself and the truth is not in him.

Voluntary Poverty

Related to detachment is voluntary poverty and it appears to not only have been practiced by Jesus, but also to have been a condition of discipleship. In the spiritual writings of the Eastern Orthodox monastic fathers, they considered voluntary poverty essential to one’s practice in order to attain detachment from material goods.

“You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have, and distribute it to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Come, follow me.” … “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into the Kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:22, 24, WEB)

“Take nothing for your journey—neither staffs, nor wallet, nor bread, nor money; neither have two coats apiece. Into whatever house you enter, stay there, and depart from there. As many as don’t receive you, when you depart from that city, shake off even the dust from your feet for a testimony against them.” (Luke 9:3-5, WEB)

“The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20, WEB)

“Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man’s life doesn’t consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses. The ground of a certain rich man produced abundantly. He reasoned within himself, saying, ‘What will I do, because I don’t have room to store my crops?’ He said, ‘This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns, and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. I will tell my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared—whose will they be?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life, what you will eat, nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they don’t sow, they don’t reap, they have no warehouse or barn, and God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than birds! Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his height? If then you aren’t able to do even the least things, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if this is how God clothes the grass in the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith? Don’t seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be anxious. For the nations of the world seek after all of these things, but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek God’s Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you. Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. Sell that which you have, and give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don’t grow old, a treasure in the heavens that doesn’t fail, where no thief approaches, neither moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ”(Luke 12:15-34, WEB)

It is also worth noting that many of those recognized as Saints by the sacramental Churches upon deciding to devote themselves to Jesus Christ divested themselves of all their worldly possessions, became functionally homeless, and lived day to day on only what God provided for them that day. St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Francis of Assisi are two examples that immediately come to mind.

Non-Judgment

1“Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged. 2For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you. 3Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye? 4Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye;’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye? 5You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:1-5, WEB)

4Who are you who judge another’s servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. Yes, he will be made to stand, for God has power to make him stand.
5 One man esteems one day as more important. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind.
6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks. He who doesn’t eat, to the Lord he doesn’t eat, and gives God thanks.
7 For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself.
8 For if we live, we live to the Lord. Or if we die, we die to the Lord. If therefore we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
9 For to this end Christ died, rose, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written,
“‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘to me every knee will bow.
Every tongue will confess to God.’”
12 So then each one of us will give account of himself to God.
13 Therefore let’s not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother’s way, or an occasion for falling.

(Romans 14:4-13, WEB)

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is the willingness to discontinue passing judgment, or to refuse to pass judgment, on actions committed by another. What Jesus is saying is that God is unwilling to allow His sacrifice to be applied to those who refuse to relinquish their delusion of moral authority. One must come to the enlightenment of themselves as ripples and not the medium. In this respect, forgiveness and repentance are two different shades of the same concept. Repentance is the change of heart about one's independent authority to commit an action or thought contrary to God's expressed will. Forgiveness is the change of heart about one's independent authority to pass moral judgment on another.

22Jesus answering said to them, “Have faith in God. 23For most assuredly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening; he shall have whatever he says. 24Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them. 25Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions. 26But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions.” (Mark 11:22-26, WEB)

14“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.(Matthew 6:14-15, WEB)

“If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother. But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector. Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven. Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in their midst.” Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven. Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants. When he had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But because he couldn’t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and kneeled before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’ The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. “But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’ He would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due. So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told to their lord all that was done. Then his lord called him in, and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’ His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him. So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.” (Matthew18:15-35, WEB)

Non-Retaliation

38“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39But I tell you, don’t resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. 41Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42Give to him who asks you, and don’t turn away him who desires to borrow from you. (Matt. 5:38-42, WEB)

Non-retaliation or non-action has long been ignored as a core Christian teaching of practice, or shoved aside as an “Eastern” religious teaching. But the truth is that it was part and parcel of the gospel that Jesus preached and taught His students to practice. In every synoptic gospel, and with more detailed explanations and warnings, He said repeatedly to not return evil for evil, not to retaliate for something done to you or against you, but to instead do good to those who would be your enemies. Retaliation is the result of embracing one's delusion of the authority to not only pass judgment on another's actions, but to punish and make them suffer for their actions. Jesus said don't do it. St. Paul reiterated this in Romans 12:

17Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all men.
18 If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men.
19Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.”
20Therefore
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him.
If he is thirsty, give him a drink.
For in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
21Don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

(WEB)

Defilement comes from within

14He called all the multitude to himself, and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. 15There is nothing from outside of the man, that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man. 16If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!”

17When he had entered into a house away from the multitude, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Don’t you perceive that whatever goes into the man from outside can’t defile him, 19because it doesn’t go into his heart, but into his stomach, then into the latrine, thus making all foods clean?” 20He said, “That which proceeds out of the man, that defiles the man. 21For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts, 22covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. 23All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” (Mark 7:14-23, WEB)

Realities of Salvation

15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. 16By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17Even so, every good tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit. 18A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. 19Every tree that doesn’t grow good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire. 20Therefore, by their fruits you will know them. 21Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’ 23Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’ (Matthew 7:15-23, WEB)

This is the strongest statement against the popular belief of “once saved always saved”, and should not be so callously ignored. Jesus says very clearly that just acknowledging Him as Lord and/or savior is not sufficient for entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven or inheriting Eternal Life. One must repent. One must love. One must do the will of God the Father.

24“Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. 25The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand. 27The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” (Matthew 7:24-27, WEB)

What Jesus taught is just as important as Gospel as what He did. If anyone ignores what He taught in favor of teachings about what He is or what He did than they are like that person who built their house on sand. He taught us to turn away from our illusions as moral authority, accepting the unquestioning Authority of God the Father as he did, and to deny ourselves in favor of others. He Himself said:

19Jesus therefore answered them, “Most assuredly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things he does, these the Son also does likewise. ... 24“Most assuredly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. 24“Most assuredly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. (John 5:19, 24, WEB)

The Necessity of Remaining in Him

“Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man doesn’t remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:4-7, WEB)