Method of Jesus' Preaching (Contd).

Jesus Taught by questioning and Arguing (Contd):
Faith and Prayer:  The disciples of Jesus failed in casting out a devil from a boy who was brought to them by his father. When the matter was reported to him, Jesus answered : "What an unbelieving and perverse generation! How long shall I be with you? How long must I endure you? Bring him to me" (Mark, 9: 19). Jesus asked for details about the condition of the boy from his father who gave a concise report to him and added that, if it was possible for him, he should take pity on them and help them. Lack of faith was the underlying reason the disciples could not drive out the devil from the boy coupled with the lack of faith of the father of the boy. Jesus had to remind the father of the boy that everything was possible to one who had faith and his conditional request to him was unacceptable. Immediately after that we have a beautiful prayer from the lips of the boy's father." 'I have faith', cried the boy's father, 'help me where faith falls short' " (Mark, 9: 24). His faith was increased as a result of this prayer and Jesus commanded the evil spirit to come out and leave the boy alone forever. To the question of the disciples why they were not able to do it Jesus answered that prayer was the only means to cast out this sort. Genuine prayer inspired by true faith gives us power to do all sorts of things for the benefit of the people. Jesus came to give such power to his disciples as he would not be with them always and was a little annoyed that they were not taking the lessons taught by him. It is a perverse generation that cannot believe as it is preoccupied with its own priorities, thinking like the humans and not like God  (See Matthew, 16: 23).      
The Question of Being the First:  When Jesus wanted to teach one of the most fundamental laws of the Kingdom, he chose an appropriate opportunity to do so. "So they came to Capernaum; and when he was indoors, he asked them, 'What were you arguing about on the way?' " (Mark, 9: 33). It is obvious that Jesus had overheard what they were discussing on the way and he did not stop them then and there. He wanted to make a point very impressively and so waited till they reached the house. The disciples kept silent about the subject-matter of their discussion as they had been discussing who was the greatest. They did not dare to reveal their inner self to Jesus as it was repellent to his presence. In order to teach them authoritatively, Jesus sat down and called the twelve Apostles to him and reminded that the only way to be first was to be last of all and servant of all.. He took a child and set him in front of them as a model and as his own ambassador (See Mark, 9: 33-37).(We have discussed more about the qualities of a child in our previous Post on 'Living in the Freedom of the Children of God').
Sanctity of Marriage:  Following his usual practice of teaching whenever a crowd gathered around him, Jesus was speaking to the people in the region of Judea and Transjordan when a question was put to him to test him. The question was about the lawfulness of divorcing one's wife. Jesus knew that those who questioned him, probably Pharisees, were banking on the Law of Moses that allowed divorce of one's wife by a note of dismissal. "He asked in return, 'What did Moses command you'?" (Mark,10: 3). This question was meant to preempt the strategy of the Pharisees to fall back on the law of Moses at a later stage of discussion in order to defend their position. As he was going to uphold the original law at the time of creation of man and woman, Jesus had to bring to the fore the later Law of Moses on divorce that he was going to abrogate. He did it through eliciting an answer from his opponents by means of his question (See Mark, 10: 1-12). (We have elaborated this point on the Law of Moses and Divorce in a previous Post).
Meaning of Goodness:  Once a man approached Jesus and addressing him "Good Master", asked him what he should do to win eternal life. "Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone' " (Mark, 10: 18). Does it mean that it was out of place to address Jesus as good? It only means that the man was using the word 'good' without knowing its full import that is appropriate only when it is used to refer to God. Since all goodness has its source in God, no one can claim goodness apart from his or her dependence on God. The man could not be expected to know as much and therefore Jesus cautions his use of words, although goodness was an attribute most suitable for Jesus as he was himself God in the form of man.
Educating the Disciples:  We have two instances when Jesus asks what he was required to do as if to find out the intentions of the interested parties. But, in fact, it was for teaching them the right attitudes or for evoking the faith required for performing a miracle. The first instance was when James and John, the sons of Zebedee, wanted to sit one on his right and the other on his left when Jesus comes in glory. This was the answer they gave when Jesus asked them "What is it you want me to do?" (Mark, 10: 36) on their request for a favor. They were on the way to Jerusalem and Jesus had called the twelve Apostles to him away from the crowds that followed and had foretold about his passion and glorification. These two Apostles were so enamored of the glory that they forgot all about the suffering and passion that preceded it. Hence Jesus asks them a further question to make them understand the implications of their seemingly innocuous request. "Jesus said to them, 'You do not understand what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?' " (Mark, 10: 38). On hearing from them their readiness to follow him even on his passion, Jesus endorsed their determination and told them clearly that it was not up to him to distribute places of honor as they were for those to whom they have already been assigned (See Mark, 10: 35-40).
Germinating Faith:  The second instance when Jesus asked the question "What do you want me to do for you?" (Mark, 10: 51), he was just leaving Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd. Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, a blind beggar shouted calling out "Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me!" He did not keep quiet although many people wanted him not to shout, when he shouted all the more! When Jesus called him he threw off his cloak and sprang up coming to Jesus when he was asked the above-quoted question. We can see that the import of the question of Jesus was not in seeking some information that was evident from the context. He wanted to put the blind man in the right frame of mind so that faith will be germinated in him resulting in his cure by the word of Jesus. Bartimaeus requested Jesus for restoration of his sight, probably lost due to some illness or accident in his journey of life, unlike the man born blind in John, chapter 9. "Jesus said to him, 'Go, your faith has cured you.' And at once he recovered his sight and followed him on the road" (Mark, 10: 52). (To be Contd). 

Method of Jesus' Preaching (Contd)

Jesus Taught by Questioning and Arguing (Contd):
Sin Against the Holy Spirit:  What exactly is a slander or sin against the Holy Spirit that is an eternal sin? It is nothing but putting oneself beyond the realm of influence of the Spirit of God Who is all-pervasive. It can happen only to someone who closes the door of his or heart from within without leaving a handle outside the door. Deliberately refusing to acknowledge truth even when it is sufficiently evident is equivalent to shutting oneself off from the influence of the Spirit of God. An example would be the assessment of the Doctors of Law from Jerusalem who saw the power of Beelzebub in the actions of Jesus. Anyone who is open to truth that sets us free can never be guilty of a sin against the Holy Spirit. Jesus said: "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free" and "everyone who commits sin is a slave" (John, 8: 32, 34).
Rhetorical Questions:  When Jesus asks questions like "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" (Mark, 3: 33) and "What made you search for me?" (Luke, 2: 49), he did not expect any answer. Those questions were designed in a most effective rhetorical and pedagogic way to teach us the meaning of detachment resulting in true attachment. Thus the mission of Jesus was safeguarded from being encroached upon by natural human relationships, which were safe only within the ambit of the fulfillment of God's Will.
                                                    Jesus did not expect any answer to most of the questions put forward to the audience, instead he answered them himself. Thus the method was rhetorical and pedagogic meant to invite the attention of the audience to be alert and to concentrate on what he taught. As for Jesus, it was essential that people understood properly what he taught without which he could never expect people to do the Will of God. In this context we should understand the questions quoted below and similar ones. "So he said, 'You do not understand this parable? how then are you to understand any parable?' " (Mark, 4: 13). "He said to them, 'Do you bring in the lamp to put it under the meal-tub, or under the bed?' " "He said also, 'How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we describe it?' " (Mark, 4: 30).
For Strengthening Faith:  Jesus made use of the method of questioning not only for teaching but also for strengthening the faith of his disciples. Jesus taught the people at the Galilee beach escaping into the boat kept ready for him to be relieved from the rush of people crowding around to touch him.. At the end of one such session Jesus asked his disciples to set sail for the other side of the lake. But the people were not willing to give up their desire to be with Jesus and to hear him. They too followed Him and the disciples in other boats. A heavy squall came on and the waves broke over the boats almost sinking them. Jesus was calmly sleeping on a cushion in the stern of the boat unaware of the furious change in nature. The disciples were overtaken by fear of the impending danger and brought it to the notice of Jesus after waking him up. After rebuking the wind and the sea, in response to which the wind and the sea turned dead calm,  Jesus addressed the disciples. "He said to them, 'why are you such cowards? Have you no faith even now?' " (Mark, 4: 40). Jesus mildly reprimanded his disciples having seen that they were swayed by the antics of nature instead of putting faith in him. The purpose of questioning the disciples here was not to blame them but to rekindle their faith in him. We have already seen in a previous Post about the woman suffering from hemorrhages the question "who touched my clothes?" was meant to bring her secret faith in Jesus out into the open (See Mark, 5: 25-34). 
For Understanding:  When exasperated by the lack of understanding of his teaching by the people and his own disciples, Jesus expressed himself strongly through certain questions. The Pharisees came to discuss with Jesus and to test him they asked for a sign from heaven. "He sighed deeply to himself and said, 'Why does this generation ask for a sign? I tell you this: no sign shall be given to this generation' " (Mark, 8: 12). When the disciples misunderstood the warning of Jesus about the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod, he questioned them to bring them to their senses. "Knowing what was in their minds, he asked them, 'Why do you talk about having no bread? Have you no inkling yet? Do you still not understand? Are your minds closed? You have eyes: can you not see? You have ears: can you not hear? Have you forgotten?  When I broke the five loaves among five thousand, how many basketfuls of scraps did you pock up?' 'Twelve', they said, 'And how many when I broke the seven loaves among the four thousand?' They answered 'Seven'. He said, "Do you still not understand?' " (Mark, 8: 17-21). Matthew makes the mind of Jesus clearer by adding one more question. "How can you fail to see that I was not speaking about bread? Be on your guard, I said against the leaven of the Pharisees and the Saddiccees" (Matthew, 16: 11). Matthew adds further: "Then they understood: they were to be on their guard, not against baker's leaven, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and sadducees" (Matthew, 16: 12).  
For Revelation of Truths:  Occasionally Jesus asked questions to bring out new truths and allow direct revelations from God to take possession of the disciples. One such question was put forth by Jesus when he came to the region of Caesarea Philippi with his disciples. "Who do men say that the Son of Man is?" (Matthew, 16: 13). Jesus was not concerned about what people thought about him as he knew how fickle-minded they could be (See John, 2: 24-25). What he was really interested in was to form his disciples into a string foundation of the new community of which he himself would be the corner stone. So when the question was addressed to the disciples, the Heavenly father revealed the fundamental truth of the Messiah being at the same time the Son of God Himself to Simon Peter. This faith received as a revelation from above by Peter was to remain as the foundation of the Church. All the other powers in the Church are derived from this fundamental truth professed by the head of the Apostles (See Matthew, 16, 13-20). It is another matter that in the centuries after the conversion of Emperor Constantine to Christianity in A.D. 337, the powers in the Church including that to the keys of the Kingdom of heaven were understood more in tune with a worldly kingship than with a spiritual kingship. (See the coming Section 5 on "The Theology of Gospel proclamation"). Therefore, those Churches, Sects and Groups professing the name of Christ have an ecumenical role to play in bringing out the nature of the Church according to Gospel traditions, although at the moment they are not in communion with the Church of Rome. (To be Contd).   

Method of jesus' Preaching (Contd)

Jesus taught by Questioning and Arguing:  We have already seen in the case of curing the paralytic how Jesus used his method of questioning and answering while teaching that the son of man has authority to forgive sins on earth (See the previous Post dealing with 'The Paralytic' in reference to Mark, 2: 9). Here we shall see more of the same method in the teaching of Jesus.
Fasting and Feasting:  Once some people brought a grave accusation against Jesus and his disciples during a period of fasting. This was a time when all religious-minded people were expected to observe fast and please God.  Their difficulty was that this rule of fasting was not observed by the disciples of Jesus, while those of John the Baptist and Pharisees were strictly following it. Jesus said to them: "Can you expect the bridegroom's friends to fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, there can be no fasting. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and on that day they will fast" (Mark, 2: 19-20). What an apt simile as an answer to the people who knew the customs of the times! No further explanation was necessary as Jesus reminded his adversaries of a context when fasting was impossible. The only point of controversy still possible was only about the context itself.On what ground does Jesus say that a wedding-like situation has been created? By his very presence, announcement of the Good news of the Kingdom and associated activities of doing good to all, the context was a new one of joy and peace that could not be appreciated by the old mind-set. A new piece of cloth should not be sewn on to the old one nor should new wine be put in old wine-skins (See Mark, 2: 21-22).
Sabbath for man:  The Synoptic gospels report one after another two instances when Jesus taught the true relevance of Sabbath  by the method of question and answer. The first instance is about the precedent King David created whom no one dared to question. The problem of the Pharisees was that the disciples of Jesus plucked corn from the fields they were passing through and were eating them after rubbing them in their hands. The Jews were allowed to eat on the Sabbath but not prepare prepare food by any activity disallowed on the Sabbath. Plucking and rubbing the corns in the hands were disallowed as per their regulations. The Pharisees invited the attention of the master to the sins of his disciples. He answered, "Have you never read what David did when he and his men were hungry and had nothing to eat?" (Mark, 2: 25). When Abiathar was the High Priest, David took the unusual step of going into the House of God and ate the sacred bread and also gave to his men, although no one but a priest was allowed to eat it. No one ever condemned David for it nor did Jesus. Instead, Jesus made a momentous proclamation that has reverberated through the sacred corridors of all temples, churches and religious institutions. "He also said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for the sake of man and not man for the Sabbath: therefore the Son of man is sovereign even over the Sabbath' " (Mark, 2: 27-28). 
Do Good on the Sabbath:  The second instance took place in a Synagogue on a Sabbath day. There was a man with a withered arm in the congregation and they were watching to see if Jesus would cure him on the Sabbath. Jesus called the man with the withered arm and asked him to come forward and stand there. "Then he turned to them: Is it permitted to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill?' " (Mark, 3: 4). No one uttered a word at which Jesus felt angry at their obstinate stupidity. The congregation, especially the Pharisees and Doctors of the law who were an invariable part of the same, knew that they could not answer Jesus honestly and continue to live their own lives. Their refusal to understand the Word of God and transform themselves eloquently manifested through their complete silence, made Jesus look around with anger and sorrow. He decided to do good even on the Sabbath and restored the man's arm by commanding him to stretch out his arm.
Beelzebub:  Jesus went about announcing the coming of the Kingdom curing people of all ills and driving out devils from the possessed ones. The Doctors of the Law who had come down from Jerusalem made a great discovery and announced that Jesus was possessed by Beelzebub, the prince of devils, through whom he drives out devils. "So he called them to come forward, and spoke to them in parables: 'How can Satan drive out Satan' "(Mark, 3: 23). The internal contradiction of a kingdom divided against itself or a household divided against itself will not allow it to stand firm. The same rule applies to Satan who would have seen his own end if he was in rebellion against himself. Or again, anyone planning to break into a strong man's house should first tie the strong man up before trying to ransack his house. However, if they admitted that Jesus was the one who was able to tie Satan down they would have had to become his disciples. They chose the other alternative of maligning Jesus and remaining in their obstinacy preferring to be blind to the inspirations of God. " ' I tell you this : no sin, no slander, is beyond forgiveness for men; but whoever slanders the Holy Spirit can never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin'. He said this because they declared that he was possessed by an unclean spirit" (Mark, 3: 28-30). (To be Contd).

Method od Jesus' Preaching (Contd)

People Flocked to Jesus and were Taught by Him (Contd):
The purpose of the Law:  If this is the reality of the Laws of God, why were they given to the humans? The Laws were given in order to draw the enemy lurking behind us, i. e., Satan himself , out of the shades into the open battle ground. Until a warrior arrived who was able to challenge the enemy openly, it was necessary to keep the people under the law as a guardian. Until the true warrior, Jesus Christ, came on the scene people had to be content with the protection of the Law and the Prophets (See Galatians, 3: 24). Violence to others was the consequence that was tolerated by God until John the Baptist. From the time of john the Baptist, those who do violence to themselves enter the Kingdom of God. No more violence to others will be tolerated from the time of the inauguration of the laws of the Kingdom of God by Jesus Christ (See Matthew, 11: 12-14). By his own death and resurrection, Jesus conquered sin, death and Satan himself in a most unexpected manner. The warrior who knows exactly when, where and how to strike the enemy to his entire destruction has given us new laws of eternal life. 
Control of Passions:  The new laws are the laws of the Kingdom of God (See the last Post of the Second Section: The Content of Gospel Proclamation) that are capable of reforming a person from within thereby supplying power to do what is commanded. Like the engineer in the parable in the last Post, Jesus asks us  to put up dykes or bunds much ahead of building the dam by asking us not to get angry or even abuse or sneer at our brothers and sisters. No one should be presumptuous to think that one will not proceed to commit murder without taking any precaution to nip in the bud passions that lead to it. The same logic applies to many other sins and violations committed by the humans. Therefore, Jesus teaches with authority ways and means for us to become true sons and daughters thereby becoming like God according to His original plan.
Settle Disputes:  In tune with the laws of the Kingdom, Jesus wants us to settle our disputes with each other at the earliest before the situation gets complicated. For, a private claim between two parties may get out of hand and take unforeseen proportions if allowed to go public and other unwanted characters are drawn into settling a claim that ought to remain essentially private. Even on a purely worldly and economic consideration, a delay may cost us dear in terms of money, prestige and position. Much more damaging spiritually would be a situation where action is delayed due to various reasons (See Matthew, 5: 25-26).
The New Laws:  As against the law of adultery, Jesus has this to say: "But what I tell you is this: If a man looks at a woman with a lustful eye, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart (See Matthew, 5: 28). No more hypocrisy or false consolation about not really having done the act of adultery would be acceptable. Jesus brings out the real import of the act of adultery that starts from the heart and has all its ingredients like in a seed. Just like the person who is vehemently angry with his brother has really killed him  by his hatred, the person who looks upon a woman with lustful eyes has already committed adultery as far as God is concerned. The solution to save oneself from getting caught unawares is given by Jesus like an expert engineer in human relationships. Plucking off an eye or cutting off a hand can be understood only by the logic of losing one part to save the whole from going to hell (See Matthew, 5: 29-30). Since Jesus came that the humans may have life and have it in all its fullness (See John, 10:10), cutting off a part of our body is not to be taken literally. In interpreting literally such passages, even great authors like Origen have gone wrong by acting literally on such passages. Even painful renunciations or restraints should be heartily welcomed although they might be equivalent to losing a part of us. Just by losing a part of our body we need not be internally transformed, but the pain of true internal transformation is equal to or more than losing a part of our body. Internal transformation through self-reformation with the help of God's graces is the antidote provided by Jesus Christ to all those who believe in him for fighting the virus of sin leading to death. 
Divorce:  As for divorcing one's wife, the only requirement among the people of Israel was regarding the modality of giving her a note of dismissal and the right to divorce one's wife was never in question. The people of Israel called upon the authority of Moses to justify their practice of divorce, which Jesus disallowed on two grounds. First, Moses allowed divorce due to the hardness of their hearts and second, it was not so from the beginning when God decided that the man should leave his father and mother and be made one with his wife. A final blow to any desire for divorce rings out from these words of Jesus: "It follows that they are no longer two individuals: they are one flesh. What God has joined together man must not separate" (Matthew, 19: 6). Therefore, Jesus lays down a law of the Kingdom of God thus: "But what I tell you is this: If a man divorces his wife for any cause other than unchastity he involves her in adultery; and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery" (Matthew, 5: 32; 19: 3-9).
Oath-Taking:  The common practice of establishing truth or confirming promises made was rampant among the people of Israel just like other people. The only condition laid with the taking of oath as an obligation was not to break the oath once taken and to fulfill the oath sworn to the Lord. Jesus corrects this practice authoritatively: "But what I tell you is this: You are not to swear at all - not by heaven, for it is God's throne, nor by earth, for it is his footstool, nor by Jerusalem. for it is the city of the great King, nor by your own head, because you cannot turn one hair of it white or black. Plain 'yes' or 'no' is all you need to say; anything beyond that comes from the devil" (Matthew, 5: 34-37). Jesus removes the very foundation of swearing or taking oaths by declaring unsuitable all the objects people usually swear by. The fundamental reason for avoiding all kinds of swearing and oaths is that it is not needed for a straight-forward and God-fearing person. Thus we shall escape the traps laid at our doors by the ever cunning deviSatan looking out for his daily prey!
Loving Our Neighbor:  Having used violence against ourselves for fighting the workings of sin in us, we should gradually move to the positive territory to enhance ourselves. Thus Jesus abolishes the old law of "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth". In the Old Testament times it was considered a virtue if someone did not destroy both the eyes of a person in retaliation for suffering damage from him to one of his eyes. He should strictly be just and destroy only one eye of the offender (See Exodus, 21: 24; Deuteronomy, 19: 21). But Jesus teaches: "But what I tell you is this: Do not set yourself against the man who wrongs you. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn and offer your left. If a man wants to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well. If a man in authority makes you go one mile, go with him two. Give when you are asked to give; and do not turn your back on a man who wants to borrow" (Matthew, 5: 39-42). Is it practically possible for us to live according to these instructions of Jesus? It is possible only if we have two essential qualities that are part of the laws of the Kingdom of God. They are: childlike trust in God and detachment from material things. (Please see our previous Post on 'Living in the Presence of God' as part of 'Living in the Power of the Spirit'). Therefore our secret fears of turning out to be simpletons ordered around by others should be allayed by the conviction that by fulfilling those requirements we become fully liberated from all shackles that bind us. However, resistance to exploitation and cheating is not excluded by these requirements. Besides, we should not get ourselves involved in the greed for wealth nursed by others (See Luke, 12: 13-15).
Loving Our enemies:  According to the Book of Leviticus 19: 18, an Israelite fulfills the Law if he loves his neighbor as himself and by implication hating his enemy is taken for granted. However, Jesus has more positive ideas: "But what I tell you is this: Love your enemies and pray for your persecutors; only so can you be children of your heavenly Father, who makes his son rise on good and bad alike, and sends the rain on the honest and the dishonest, If you love only those who love you, what rewards can you expect? Surely the tax-gatherers do as much as that. And if you greet only your brothers, what is there extraordinary about that? Even the heathens do as much. There must be no limit to your goodness, as your heavenly Father's goodness knows no bounds" (Matthew, 5: 44-48). Here we have reached a point of divinization of the humans who were created for the specific purpose of being like God Himself. We May add here that there is no other way given to the humans for self-realization except by becoming like true children of God whereby we become genuinely liberated (To be Contd).  
 

Method of Jesus' teaching (Contd)

People Flocked to Jesus and were Taught by Him (Contd):  Let us examine some of the teachings of Jesus with authority as part of his proclamation of the Good news of the Kingdom and as elements of his preaching the love of God.
Authority of Jesus:  The disciples of Jesus should resemble two things of our daily life routinely used by us. They are salt and light. The disciples are salt to the world and if the salt becomes tasteless, nothing can restore its saltiness. It has to be thrown out to be trodden under foot by people. The disciples are light for the entire world and should shed light among their fellow-humans. They should do it in such a way that seeing the good works they do, people should give glory to the Father in heaven (See Matthew, 5: 13-16) Please consult our earlier Post on the 'Glorification of God the Father').
                                                   Since Jesus was teaching with complete authority, a question could have naturally arisen in the minds of his listeners. If so, what about the Law of Moses? Has the Law any relevance any more ? Besides declaring that he did not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets but to complete them, he teaches with authority with an introduction of the phrase " I tell you"  that nothing from the Law will disappear as long as heaven and earth endure. Jesus distinguishes three categories of people on the basis of their observance or otherwise of the Law. Those who set aside even the least of the demands of the law or teach others to do the same will have the lowest place in the Kingdom of Heaven. Those who keep the Law and teach others to do the same will stand high in the Kingdom of heaven. The third category of people is introduced authoritatively again with an "I tell you" phrase. These are the people who will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven if they don't turn out to be better people than the Pharisees and the doctors of the Law (See Matthew, 5: 17-20). This teaching of Jesus shows that there is a huge difference between actually keeping the Law and making a show of keeping it.
The Law of Moses:  In conformity with what has been said above, Jesus explains how the Law has to be kept by going over and above it and completing it. Where the Law waits till the end of the process culminating in murder to forbid it, Jesus forbids anger that is at the beginning of the process leading to murder. All abuses and sneering associated with anger are strictly forbidden by Jesus. Not only that, even one's duty to worship God at the altar is subordinated to the demand of making peace with one's brother. "If,  when you are bringing your gift to the altar, you suddenly remember that your brother has a grievance against you , leave your gift where it is before the altar. First go and make your peace with your brother, and only then come back and offer your gift" (Matthew, 5: 23-24).
                                                It is important to bring out into the open a secret objection we might have about the teaching of Jesus as against the injunction of the Law. The demands Jesus makes on us seem to be severe and harsh compared to the requirements of the Law. While the Law only requires that we don't commit murder and is not bothered about anything that happens before that, Jesus enjoins upon us not even to get angry with our brother and goes even further back and forbids us from abusing or sneering at our brother. There is a sound reason for Jesus in doing this, which may be explained by means of a parable. Let us suppose that we want to build a dam on a river with strong currents and we go about doing it with our common sense. We assemble all the materials required, bring workers and show them the place where the dam should be built. Since the currents are so string that the workers are not even able to station themselves at the spot they want to build, how would they ever put together the materials and build the dam? There comes a civil engineer who is well-versed in hydraulic laws and asks the workers to stop all work and get back to the upper regions of the river. He wants them to build dykes or even bunds in different spots far above the spot where the dam is intended to be built. he will readily agree with them that he too wants to build the dam exactly on the spot they planned to do it for which he is taking action by building dykes or bunds far above it. This way the current of the river will be stopped or restrained so that the workers could get back to their original spot to build a perfect dam. Here we can see that the objection from the uninitiated to the waste of time, money, and man-power used in building dykes has no "locus standi" to building the dam.
                                         Similar is the case with the feelings of severity and harshness associated with the demands of Jesus. He is the one, like the engineer in the parable, who knows the laws of the Kingdom of God and the intricacies of  human nature besides the vile of Satan. For, Satan has a special capacity to disguise himself as our benefactor as he did to Eve in the Garden of Eden. Taking the form of a serpent, he advised our first mother that the real reason God forbade Adam and Eve from eating the fruits of the tree of knowledge of good and evil was to prevent them from becoming like gods (or God) (See Genesis, 2: 16-17; 3: 1-7). Thus Paul tells us that although the law and commandment are holy in themselves, sin finds an opportunity in the commandment to seduce and kill us  (See Roman, 7: 7-13). Even though the law is spiritual, as I am not spiritual I am not able to do what I want to do. The will to do good does not issue forth in good deeds (See Romans, 7: 14-25). 
The Law of Sin:  Let us try to understand the intricacies of human nature a little further. The law of sin emanating from Satan is in constant conflict with the Law of God given to us to become like God Himself. Sin lurks behind every action we perform according to the Law given by God after the commandment to the first parents was violated. An inherent infirmity is built into every law including the Law of Moses and the Ten Commandments in that while it forbids an action it does not give power to obey it. Reformation of an individual is beyond the scope of the law that commands and punishes the violators of the law. Punishment is seen as meeting the ends of justice. Deprived of the power to execute the dictates of the law, the humans invariably break them and are punished. The greatest punishment of breaking God's Law is death that is inbuilt into those laws as wages of sin. The death meant here is eternal death , a state where a person is driven out of the presence of God, of which our physical death is only a symptom. (To be Contd).    

Jesus' Method of Preaching (Contd)

People Flocked to Jesus and were Taught by Him (Contd):
Multiplication of Loaves:  "On one of his teaching journeys round the villages he summoned the Twelve and sent them out in pairs on a mission" (Mark, 6: 7). On their return from the mission, the Apostles narrated to Jesus their accomplishments. Jesus saw that they had no leisure even to eat as many were coming and going. He invited the Apostles to a lonely place for a respite from their busy schedule and rest a little. Although they set off with Jesus privately by boat for a lonely place, seeing them leave, the people from all the towns took the land route and arrived there first. "When he came ashore, he saw a great crowd and his heart went out to them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd;  and he had much to teach them" (Mark, 6: 34).
                                                       Imagine the situation where Jesus and his Apostles had gone to take a little rest and now they had to deal with the very practical problem of catering to the people. The day was wearing on and there was no sign from the part of Jesus of sending away the people. The Apostles were alarmed at the prospect of keeping continuous company with that huge crowd. So they thought out a strategy and approached Jesus with a practical problem. According to their thinking, it was impossible to keep the crowd of people in that lonely place since nothing was available there for them to eat. For that reason, the Apostles suggested to Jesus, the people should be sent off to the farms and villages round about so that they could buy themselves something to eat. The thinking of Jesus was quite different as he knew that he was their only true shepherd.  Without batting an eyelid Jesus asked the Apostles to give them something to eat themselves. The Apostles were flabbergasted at this suggestion and made a quick calculation of the expenses involved in feeding such a huge crowd to be around 200 denarii (About Rs. 15,000/-). Jesus asked them to go and see how many loaves they had. they reported that there were only five loaves and two fishes. He ordered the Apostles to make the crowd sit down and without hesitation they made them sit in rows of hundreds and fifties. Then Jesus took the five loaves and two fishes and looked up to heaven, said the blessing, broke the loaves and fishes and gave to the Apostles to distribute. Although there were five thousand men, not counting women and children, all ate to their heart's content and twelve basketful of scraps were picked up (See Mark, 6: 30-44). The incident throws light on the eagerness of the people in flocking to Jesus, although there may have been a few who were after the material benefits rather than the spiritual ones.
Spiritual Food:  Although some people may have been after the perishable bread rather than the imperishable one, Jesus repeated the feat of multiplying the loaves on another occasion. He was sorry for those people who were with him for 3 days and they had nothing to eat. This time Jesus fed 4,000 people with 7 loaves of bread and a few little fishes (See Mark, 8: 1-10). On both the occasions Jesus dismissed the crowd only after giving them food to eat lest they falter on the way and fall down. Ultimately, it was himself he would give as our spiritual food lest we fall off the right path from our journey to eternity. The Gospel according to John, chapter 6 details out the qualities of the bread of life that is his own body connecting it both to the perishable bread and the Word of God. Jesus gave himself up for the people as he was convinced that there was no one to take care of them, an insight gained from his journeys around the towns and villages teaching in their Synagogues, announcing the Good News of the Kingdom and curing every kind of ailment and disease. "The sight of the people moved him to pity: they were like sheep without a shepherd, harassed and helpless" (Matthew, 9: 36). 
Jesus Taught with Authority:  As prophets were not honored in their own country, Jesus left after teaching in the Synagogue of Nazareth. He was actually chased out from there since people were told unpalatable truths (See Luke, 4: 23-30). So he went to another town of Galilee, Capernaum, and taught in the Synagogue on Sabbath days. The people were astounded at this teaching as he had taught with authority (See Luke, 4: 31-32). Mark contrasts Jesus' teaching with that of the Doctors of the Law, authority being the distinguishing mark of the former's teaching (See Mark, 1: 22). Jesus had an aura of authority not only in his teaching but also in his actions. He rebuked the evil spirits (See Luke, 4: 35), and wind and sea (See Mark, 4: 39) and fever (See Luke, 4: 39) and made them behave as per his commands. Even at the age of twelve in the temple of Jerusalem the teachers of the Law listened to him and were amazed at his intelligence and the answers he gave, and yet he went with his parents to be under their authority (See Luke, 2: 46-52).(To be Contd).

Method of Jesus' Preaching (Contd)

People Flocked to Jesus and were Taught by Him (Contd):
Power of Faith:  Two extra-ordinary instances of profession of true faith are recorded by the Evangelists during the journey of Jesus to the home of Jairus. In the crowd that followed Jesus, there was a woman suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had spent all she had on treatment without any improvement and her condition had grown worse. Her knowledge about Jesus was what she had heard from people about him without any direct contact with him. But that was enough to inspire a deep faith in her about the efficacy of Jesus' power, which she thought of "stealing" from him. We say "stealing" in the sense that it was done without the knowledge of Jesus as she was unable to confront him in the crowd milling around. Although she touched only the edge of his cloak, Jesus knew that power had gone out of him and a cure had taken place. He looked for the beneficiary of the cure not to condemn her but to extol her faith as a model for everyone (See Mark, 5: 25-34).( We have already discussed her faith in a previous Post under the caption 'Faith'.)  
                                                  The second instance is about the faith of Jairus himself who received a message from his home that his daughter was already dead and that there was no need of troubling the Rabbi any further. Overhearing the message that was delivered to Jairus, Jesus told him not to be afraid but only have faith. Then Jesus made a tactical move in order to clear the atmosphere of all the elements of confusion and disbelief since what was required at the moment was complete faith in him from the beneficiary of his intervention. "After this he allowed no one to accompany him except Peter and James and James's brother John" (Mark, 5: 37). What must have persuaded Jesus to take this drastic step was the comment made by the messengers of the sad news of the girl's death. Out of concern for Jesus or devotion to the president of the Synagogue, i. e., Jairus himself, the messengers were keen to add their own interpretation to the situation. They decided that there was no further need to disturb an eminent personality like Jesus with an arduous journey that was going to be useless. Their thinking was bound by the confines of this world and death was the limit no one could cross as they did not know the one who came to conquer death itself. Jesus saw that out of their ignorance they were spreading a virus that was going to infect everyone in the crowd through whispers and murmurs. Eventually that was bound to get to Jairus himself whose faith could seriously be threatened  Therefore, asking Jairus to have faith Jesus immediately took action to rid the atmosphere of all rumors and proceeded taking with him only his closest disciples along.
                                              On reaching the house of Jairus, Jesus noticed that a perfect atmosphere was created whereby any fledgling faith Jairus may have had in spite of that painful situation could come easily crashing down within no time. So great was the commotion created by everyone crying and wailing, as was the usual custom, even an unaffected person like a mere onlooker could be moved to tears. What would have been the mental agony and internal conflict faced by Jairus, the father of the girl? How could he still keep his faith in the power of Jesus? On the verge of falling away from faith, he must have looked forlorn and desolate. Having seen the particular situation Jairus was placed in, Jesus wanted to keep his faith burning in his heart that was necessary for the performance of the imminent miracle. Thus Jesus took a stance that was contrary to common sense and accepted wisdom and announced that the child was not dead but only sleeping. The people laughed at him as they did not understand the meaning of what Jesus said. For him death was only a sleep, albeit a long one as his vision of the world was different from theirs. For them death was the end of everything and for Jesus it was but a new beginning. For those who believe and have faith in Jesus, there is no insuperable condition in this world including death which is the end of everything for those who don't believe. Faith could be expressed in many ways as we see in the case of raising Lazarus from the dead (See John. 11: 40) as well as the son of the widow of Nain (See Luke, 7: 13). Again Jesus took action as at the beginning of this journey by sending out all those mourners and weepers and taking with him only the child's parents and his own companions. Jesus commanded the child to get up and immediately the order was followed. The girl not only got up but also started walking. She was a girl of 12 years old. For further proof of her real return to this world, Jesus asked the parents to give her something to eat. When the girl came back to life, the parents were beside themselves with amazement that they probably did not know how to thank Jesus or how to reward him. The only reward Jesus expected was their compliance with his strict orders not to publish it as it would not have been taken in the right spirit by the public and would have posed as an obstacle to his true mission (See Mark, 5: 35-43). For the public that does not believe, it would be enough to know the girl was just sleeping and was woken up by Jesus. The disbelieving public, that laughed at Jesus on his remark that the girl was sleeping because they were sure that the girl was dead according to all available worldly criteria, would be the first to announce that the girl was only sleeping now that she was alive and was back in action. Therefore it was essential that the truth of her death and life be revealed to only those who have faith . The same logic applies to the resurrection of Jesus and his many appearances to the believers and not to the general public (1 Corinthians, 15: 3-8). (To be Contd).   

Method of Jesus' Preaching (Contd).

People Flocked to Jesus and were Taught by Him:  After the cure of the paralytic in the house he was teaching and before the call of Levi, when Jesus went out to the lake-side all the crowd came there and he taught them (See Mark,2: 13). This instance shows us that there was no special place for Jesus to teach and preach as anywhere the people gathered was good enough for him. After curing the man with the withered arm. as the Pharisees and the Herodians were plotting to do away with him, "Jesus went away to the lake-side with his disciples" (Mark, 3: 7). On hearing what Jesus had done a lot of people from Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, Transjordan, and the neighborhood of  Tyre and Sidon came to see him. Since the sick people of all kinds wanted to touch him, in order to save himself from being crushed by the people, Jesus told his disciples to keep a boat ready for him. Jesus was all for teaching and curing the people of their infirmities and therefore did not avoid them, but only took precaution to be safe from the danger of their over-enthusiasm. For to be cured of any malady, faith in the power of Jesus was enough and yet people wanted to touch him. Those possessed of unclean spirits were told not to reveal his true identity as it would have turned out to be a hindrance in fulfilling his mission (See Mark, 3: 8-12).
In the Midst of People:  Jesus went up the hill-country and chose from his disciples whom he wanted after spending a night in prayer according to the Gospel of Luke (See Luke, 6: 12) that adds the detail that they were called Apostles. In the Gospel of Mark we see the role of the Apostles to be his companions, to be sent out to proclaim the Gospel with a specific commission to drive out devils (See Mark  3: 14-15).  Jesus came down the hill with the newly appointed Apostles and entered a house. The crowd that milled around them was so huge that they did not have a chance even to have food. Jesus was acting in the full power of the Holy Spirit that the routine activities like eating and drinking were less important to him. Because of this unusual behavior, the people started saying that he was out of his mind. Having heard this kind of opinion from the people, his family thought of taking charge of him. However, Jesus started teaching the people the difference between the Holy Spirit and the evil spirit  Jesus was engrossed in teaching the people that when word was brought to him that his mother and brothers were waiting for him, he said: "Whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister, my mother" (Mark, 3: 35). It is evident that Jesus is here speaking of spiritual relationships beyond any consideration of other kinds of relationships. The detachment required for true attachment is seen in these words of Jesus just like when he asked his mother at the age of twelve in the Jerusalem Temple, "What made you search for me?" (Luke, 2: 49).  
From the Boat:  On another occasion Jesus began to teach at the lake-side when the crowd swelled out of all expectations and he had to get into a boat and teach them there. The many parables about the Kingdom of God were taught on that occasion (See our previous Posts for those parables). Afterwards Jesus and the disciples crossed the lake of Galilee over to the country of the Gerasenes where he cured the man possessed of the Legion. On his return back to the shore, a great crowd gathered around him again. When Jesus was by the lake-side, Jairus, the president of one of the Synagogues came to him and threw himself down at his feet. Jairus wanted his daughter who was at death's door to be cured by the laying on of the hands of Jesus on her. "So Jesus went with him, accompanied by a great crowd which pressed upon him" (Mark, 5: 24).(To be Contd).     

Method of Jesus' Preaching (Cont'd) .

Jesus Went Out to the People and Preached (Cont'd):
The Samaritan Woman:  A typical example of the method of preaching adopted by Jesus may be seen in the case of the Samaritan woman. In conformity with the usual practice of Jesus of leaving a scene of controversy quietly, he left for Galilee from Judea where the Pharisees were seized of a rumor that Jesus had won more disciples than John the Baptist. He had to pass through Samaria and reached Sychar, a Samaritan town. His disciples went to the town to buy bread and Jesus sat at the springs called Jacob's well, being tired of the journey and it was about noon. A Samaritan woman came to draw water from whom Jesus asked for water to drink. The woman was taken by surprise as Jews and Samaritans did not intermingle and never used vessels in common.  The woman pointed out this custom as justification for her surprise. "Jesus answered her, 'if only you knew what God gives, and who it is that is asking you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water' " (John, 4: 10). the response of the woman to Jesus was so materialistic and her tendency to invoke her family connection were so wide off the mark that Jesus saw that she was not in a position to understand spiritual matters. She had to be goaded out of her complacency and sense of self-sufficiency by an appropriate dose of information she could not resist. Jesus, therefore,described the nature of the water he would give in contrast to the water she came to draw. For, the water he gives will stop the thirst of the one who drinks, the reason being that it will be an inner spring always welling up for eternal life. The water that the woman is able to give can quench the thirst only for sometime and one has to drink again and again. Suspecting that the woman might misunderstand the nature of this water Jesus was talking about, he had mentioned that it would be welling up for eternal life. But the woman was not in a position to understand anything other than material realities that any reference to eternal life could not make much difference to her!  
                                                   The hunch Jesus had about her proved right when the woman asked for that water to save her the trouble of coming all the way to draw water everyday. Seeing that indirect hints would not touch her heart, Jesus sent a spiritual arrow through physical words by asking her to go home and come back with her husband. Even then the woman wanted to hide as much as possible from Jesus and tried ti dismiss the requirement of calling her husband by just saying that she had no husband. Jesus immediately agreed with her assessment of the situation of her personal life, although for a reason unforeseen by her. She only wanted to get rid of the unpleasant line the conversation was taking and thought that her categorical denial of having a husband would stump Jesus. The next words uttered by Jesus completely unnerved the woman confident of her ability to ward off unwanted demands. "You are right", said Jesus, "in saying that you have no husband, for, although you have had five husbands, the man with whom you are now living is not your husband; you told me the truth there" (John, 4: 17-18). See how the nature of truth is objective; it does not depend on anyone's thinking one way or other but forces itself upon us. Here is an example of a divine value referred to in our previous Post under the caption "Tolerance" in the context of the saying of Jesus that "he who does not gather with me scatters". No religion, morals, or customs can have authority to deviate from such values.    
                                                Under the circumstances, the least the Samaritan woman, who sounds very intelligent, had to admit was her recognition of a prophet in Jesus. At the same time, she dragged Jesus into the religious controversies of the time between the Samaritans and the Jews. Jesus, on his part modestly defended the importance of Jews vis-a-vis the Samaritans inviting, at the same time, all peoples of all Nations to a concept of religion unheard of before. "But the time approaches, indeed it is already here , when those who are real worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. Such are the worshipers whom the Father wants. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth" (John, 4: 23-24). Neither Samaria nor Jerusalem is important for worship of God as the Most High does not live in houses made by men (Acts, 7: 4-7). The worldly wisdom and craftiness of the Samaritan woman sought to put an end to the reasoning of Jesus about God by invoking the higher authority of the Messiah (that is Christ) who would teach everything when he comes. The woman was completely stumped when Jesus announced his identity by identifying himself as the Messiah!      
                                            The return of the disciples at that moment provided the woman with a much needed respite using which she withdrew from the scene leaving her water-jar there. She went back to her people and announced the arrival of a man who told her everything she ever did, obviously an exaggeration intended to cover up the sore point in her life pointed out by Jesus. She asked them to find out whether the person could be the Messiah. The people who went to Jesus requested him to stay with them and he stayed there for two days. As a result, many more believed in Jesus and told the woman that they believed because of what they heard from his own lips. Although the Samaritan woman was a missionary for some to believe in Jesus and others to approach him, once they heard Jesus they confessed that their belief was no longer on the basis of what she said but on what they themselves heard. Their belief in Jesus progressed to the level of knowledge that he was in truth the savior of the world (See John, 4: 27-42). (To be Contd). 

Method of Jesus' Preaching (Contd).

Jesus Went out to the People and Preached (Contd):
Tolerance: We have two instances recorded in the Gospels indicating how we should be tolerant to those who hold a different viewpoint or even those who do not accept us. In the first instance, John the Evangelist could not digest the fact that a man driving out devils in the name of Jesus refused to be in his company. He tried to stop the man from doing it and reported the matter to Jesus. "Jesus said to him, 'Do not stop him, for he who is not against you is on your side' " (Luke, 9: 50). Here is a beautiful ecumenical principle in our relations not only with all Christians, but also with all those who believe in God whatever religion they follow. Mark reports a reason Jesus gave why the man should not be stopped from working a miracle. "Jesus said, 'Do not stop him; no one who does a work of divine power in my name will be able the next moment to speak evil of me. For he who is not against us is on our side' " (Mark, 9: 39-40). This ecumenical principle of interaction is tempered and balanced by the injunction: "He who is not with me is against me, and who does not gather with me scatters" (Matthew, 12: 30). Therefore, tolerance does not mean indifference or the mentality of "Laissez-faire" in matters of religion in as far as they involve our relationship to God. The injunction of Jesus, therefore, implies that our dealings and relationships should be imbued with divine values and the same may be verified objectively. Checks and balances are inbuilt into our genuine relationship to God as well as to our fellow human beings. This point has been discussed in one of our previous Posts under the caption "Love of God and Love of Our Neighbor".  
                                                 In the second instance of tolerance strongly advocated by Jesus, both John and his brother James were involved. Incensed by the refusal of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Jesus who was set to go to Jerusalem in his final journey, James and John wanted to call down fire from heaven to burn them up. "But he turned and rebuked them, and they went on to another village" (Luke, 9: 55-56). Some manuscripts add the following:"You do not know"' he said, to what spirit you belong; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them" Here we see how Jesus grapples with the raw human nature, exemplified in the reactions of James and John, and how people are prone to look for power and prestige under the garb of service to God.
Mission of Disciples:  Although Jesus knew very well what would happen if power was conferred on the disciples, he wanted to teach its consequences to them by a live demonstration. As an experiment Jesus chose a further 72 disciples, apart from the 12 Apostles, and sent them in pairs to every town and place he was going to visit himself. Their first duty was to pray for more laborers in the field and to go about their duty of announcing the Kingdom like lambs among the wolves. They should not themselves have any provisions. That would be taken care of by the house where they stayed. They were authorized to denounce anyone who does not accept them for which such a person will have to answer on the day of Judgment. "Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the One who sent me" (Luke. 10: 16).
                                               The thirst for power over others inherent in every human heart was to be tamed and trained by Jesus, especially in the case of his 12 Apostles, although the 72 were allowed to express their feelings. They were jubilant that in the name of Jesus even the devils submitted to them. Jesus endorsed their feelings and sounded a note of satisfaction that Satan fell like lightning out of the sky. However, he added two reminders to mellow down their over-enthusiasm by saying: "And now you see that I have given you the power to tread underfoot snakes and scorpions and all the forces of the enemy and nothing will ever harm you. Nevertheless, what you should rejoice over is not that the spirits submit to you, but that your names are enrolled in heaven" (Luke, 19: 20). Therefore, the two things to remember were that the power was given to them by Jesus and that the real reason of joy should not be the power itself but their reward in heaven.  
Permanent Power:  Jesus was particular that his Apostles should learn lessons from all these experiments. He was gradually training them to conquer themselves in order to have real power in themselves. That would be the real permanent source of power , especially when they received the Holy Spirit, and they did not have to look for temporary manifestations of power occasionally granted. In order to teach them the ways and means to achieve real power Jesus gave them his own body and blood in the Last Supper in view of his death and resurrection. The poor disciples were slow in understanding and therefore to jolt them out of their stupor, Jesus announced that one of them would be his betrayer. Just like any human reaction in a similar situation, the disciples were more eager to know who it was that would betray him than to ponder over the implications of the same. As an indication of how far they wee from the concerns of Jesus, we read that a jealous dispute broke out among them about who would rank highest among them! Then Jesus taught them that the meaning of authority was service and the chief among them should bear himself like the servant of all. Jesus saw how Satan was ready to sift all of them like wheat and he prayed for Simon Peter who had to strengthen his brethren once he comes to himself. Peter protested to Jesus about his allegiance with a strong dose of presumption in his own strength. Jesus had to warn Peter of his denial three times that very night before the cock crowed (See Like, 22: 14-34).
                                       Having directed his disciples through these experiences the night before he died, Jesus wanted to put things in perspective. Thus he asks them about their favorable experiences when they were sent out without any provisions. "It is different now", he said, "whoever has a purse had better take it with him, and his pack too; and if he has no sword, let him sell his cloak to buy one" (Luke, 22: 36). This is a much misunderstood verse that should be seen in the proper perspective. Here Jesus contrasts his saying to the 72 disciples earlier who were to totally depend on the power from Jesus. Therefore they did not have to make any provision for themselves because the power temporarily given to them would help them meet their needs. However, that being a purely temporary arrangement, Jesus now instructs his disciples to aspire for permanent power within themselves. It has nothing to do with money power or material weapons like swords. Instead, they should be spiritually empowered in order to accomplish their mission. When the disciples are severely tested because of their faith, they put on the armor of prayer like a sword and keep on watching.
                                    Jesus knew that the Apostles would not be able to grasp the real import of what he was saying. In order to help their understanding, Jesus quoted Scripture about his being counted among the outlaws and warned that it would be fulfilled as Scripture had to be fulfilled. Their response was so out of context that Jesus could only exclaim in exasperation. "Look, Lord", they said, "we have two swords here". 'Enough, enough!', he replied" (Luke, 22: 38). (To be Contd). 

Method of Jesus' Preaching (Contd).

Jesus Went Out to the People and Preached:  Jesus did not wait for people to come to him for helping them and preaching the Kingdom of God to them. It was far from the mind of Jesus to make himself unapproachable by pretending to be busy surrounded by some sycophants. He never created a situation that would intimidate people , especially the poor and the weak. The life-style of Jesus was such that he always identified with the people and never set himself apart for honor or praise. For, Jesus knew that a man dressed in silks and satin surrounded by grand clothes and luxury can be seen in palaces (See Luke, 7: 25). Instead he went out to places like open spaces, mountains or beaches, towns or villages, feasts or family weddings, private houses or synagogues. In short, Jesus went to the real situations of the people, both when they were happy and when they wee sad, both when they prayed and when they celebrated, etc. The one concern that must have been agitating the mind of Jesus in his public ministry was his apprehension whether the people, including even his disciples, would understand correctly what he said and did. This was the main reason why very often Jesus forbade the publication of whatever extraordinary actions he performed.
                                                      There is an instance recorded in the Gospel of John where this kind of internal conflict of Jesus is brought out. After declining the invitation by his brothers to go to the feast of the Tabernacles at Jerusalem, Jesus stayed back in Galilee saying that he did not want to go there. However, later he changed his mind and went up not publicly, but almost in secret. It was because even his brothers had no faith in him that they could not understand Jesus in the proper perspective and he did not want to encourage them in their wrong outlook about his work What they wanted was a share in the glory that would accrue from the miracles "their brother" was performing! Hence, Jesus had to be ambivalent in the matter of going to the festival that actually offered an excellent opportunity to preach to the people (See John, 7: 1-10) (We have discussed this point in a previous Post under the caption "The Right Time").
At the Synagogue of Nazareth:  After being tested by the devil in the wilderness and as John the Baptist was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee and taught in their Synagogues. At Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the Synagogue on the Sabbath and solemnly announced his mission by preaching after the text of Isaiah was read out by him. The reaction of the people to the preaching of Jesus is expressed by Luke thus: "There was a general stir of admiration; they were surprised that words of such grace should fall from his lips" (Luke, 4: 22). However, immediately afterwards the people were antagonized by what Jesus said and they tried to kill him. What did infuriate the people so that they contemplated extreme steps and even threw him out of the town and took him to the brow of a hill to throw him down? Jesus hinted at the conditions that were required for working miracles and why he could not do there what he had done at Capernaum. As proofs for what he said, Jesus quoted the instances of miracles performed by Elijah and Elisha from the Old Testament times. A prophet is taken for granted in his own country and therefore he is powerless with the faithless people of his own region (See Luke, 4:16-30).
Mission of Jesus:  After resting at the house of Simon peter, at day-break Jesus went out to a lonely spot. The people went in search of him and requested that they should not be left alone. "But he said, 'I must give the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other towns also, for that is what  I was sent to do' " (Luke, 4: 43). In Mark's Gospel we see that the people who searched for Jesus and found him in the lonely spot were Simon and his companions (See Mark, 1: 36). In accordance with the mission Jesus was sent for , he went through all of Galilee and preached in the Synagogues casting out the devils (See Mark, 1: 39).
                                                  Jesus did not restrict his ministry to Galilee, Samaria and Judea but went beyond the Lake of Galilee to Decapolis (Meaning Ten Towns) which was the country of the Gerasenes. There he cured the man possessed by many devils, which was called Legion, who was allowed to enter the pigs numbering about two thousand that rushed over the edge into the lake and were drowned. When the people heard the news and saw what happened, they were afraid and requested Jesus to leave their district. Without hesitation Jesus left them and as he was leaving , the man who was cured wanted to follow Jesus. But he was advised to be a missionary announcing to his own people what the Lord in his mercy had done for him. "The man went off and spread the news in the Ten Towns (Decapolis) of all that Jesus had done for him; and they were all amazed" (Mark, 5: 20). Here is a lesson for us in proclaiming the gospel in that we should be sensitive to the beliefs and priorities of the people to whom we announce the Good News. Besides, we should encourage people who have experienced the value of the Good News to announce the same to others instead of keeping it wrapped up with our own self-interest in a negative attitude like that of the third man in the parable of talents narrated by Jesus (See Luke, 19:20).
                                                Similarly, Jesus and his disciples crossed the lake of Galilee to Gennesaret, close to the town of Bethesda, where he was immediately recognized by the people unlike the Gerasenes. People there took the trouble of searching out for the sick throughout the country-side and brought them on stretchers to wherever Jesus was. "Wherever he went, to farmsteads, villages, or towns, they laid out the sick in the market-places and begged him to let them simply touch the edge of his cloak; and all who touched him were cured" (Mark, 6: 56). Here we see that the reaction of the people was different from that of Gerasenes because probably the people knew Jesus through his disciples Simon Peter, Andrew and Philip who were from Bethesda, a town in the province of Philippi as was the town of Gennesaret. (However, we read in John, 12: 20 that Philip was from Bethesda in Galilee). Besides, at the beginning of his public life, Jesus started staying at Capernaum that was just opposite Bethesda, though in the province of Galilee. Hence the people there had no reasons to be afraid of Jesus unlike the Gerasenes who were, so to say, unaware of the happenings in Galilee. (To be Contd).    
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Method of Jesus' Preaching (Contd)

Jesus Attracted People to Himself before Preaching (Contd):
The Paralytic:  It was not the first time that the unbelieving Jews murmured against Jesus forgiving sins. If in the case of the sinful woman it was her faith that earned forgiveness, in the case of the paralytic, it was the faith of the people who brought him that earned forgiveness for the paralytic and made him whole. The paralytic was so helpless, so to say, that he was as good as dead. He was in fact dead as he was not spiritually alive, although his body did not start to degenerate beyond his inability to walk. In a way, he was incapable of helping himself in any way. He was lucky that he had people to carry him to Jesus and that too people with real faith for whom nothing posed as an obstacle. Since the entrance to the house where Jesus was sitting was blocked by a huge crowd, they took the imaginative step of letting him down with the bed from the roof of the house! Their only thought was to reach him somehow to Jesus and they were sure that they would not be disappointed. Jesus did not protest nor did he think of any protocol and calmly told the paralytic: "My son, your sins are forgiven you".
                                                                        Jesus knew that his pronouncement would invite controversy as Scribes and Pharisees were present there. When it was a question of teaching and preaching the Word of God, Jesus did nit flinch from controversies, calumnies, threats and even death. The Scribes and Pharisees seemingly had a legitimate grudge against Jesus that was silently expressed in words like "Who but God alone can forgive sins?" In order to allay their fears about possible blasphemy, Jesus wanted to convince them that the Son of man had the right to forgive sins. For achieving this purpose, Jesus asked a question with two alternatives about which is easier to say. "Your sins are forgiven you", or to say, "Stand up and walk""? What in fact is easier to do sounds to be more difficult and what is difficult sounds easy. For to say that your sins are forgiven sounds easier since no one can verify it, whereas to say stand up and walk to a paralytic sounds difficult as it can easily be verified. Therefore, Jesus connects the verifiable with the unverifiable and proves the veracity of the latter with that of the former. John's Gospel mentions all the miracles of Jesus as signs for the very same reason of the intimate connection established between the verifiable and the unverifiable, the earthly and the heavenly, the ordinary and the extra-ordinary, the human and the divine through them. In the case of the paralytic, Jesus did not stop at merely curing him of his illness but asked him to take up his bed and go home. No ground for argument or doubt about the genuineness of the cure was allowed to linger in anyone's mind so that all would be convinced that the Son of Man had the right on earth to forgive sins (See Luke, 5: 17-26).    
Call of Matthew:  One of the most telling instances of the attraction Jesus exerted on people may be seen from the call of Levi, the tax collector. After curing the paralytic, Jesus went out of the house and Luke reports the manner in which he called Levi: "Later, when he went out, he saw a tax-gatherer, Levi by name, at his seat in the custom-house, and said to him, 'Follow me'; and he rose to his feet, left everything behind, and followed him" (Luke, 5: 27-28). The same scene is presented both by Mark and Matthew less dramatically. From their reports we learn one additional item each about Levi. Mark specifies that Levi was son of Alphaeus and Matthew forgets all about Levi and gives the new name of Matthew to himself. (See Mark, 2: 14; Matthew, 9: 9).
                                                  What is supremely fascinating is the magnetic attraction of Jesus that draws a public servant glued to his seat and counting cash collected out of his occupation to follow Jesus. Not a word of protest or hesitation, no argument or excuse stands in the way of the one called just by two words "follow me". The order must have been irresistible, especially given the context of Matthew's profession where a person's whole attention would be taken for granted. It was curious not only because Matthew was engaged in the business of collecting money as tax, but also as a public servant he was accountable to his superiors. It was unlike the case of Peter, Andrew, John and James who had to leave their private business to which they could return any time they wanted. A tax-gatherer leaving his post so irresponsibly could never hope to return to his post as he would have been immediately dismissed and a new one appointed in his place. To Matthew nothing of this mattered because he was mesmerized by the power of the personality that confronted him. That very moment he died to the world,  for his job that sustained him and his family was considered by Matthew as of no value in comparison to following Jesus.
                                                Afterwards Levi held a reception for Jesus in his house and many tax-gatherers and others of ill-repute joined him at the table. It was scandalous to the Scribes and Pharisees that any God-fearing person could eat and drink with tax-gatherers and sinners. "Jesus answered them: 'It is not the healthy that need a doctor, but the sick; I have not come to invite virtuous people but to call sinners to repentance' " (Luke, 5: 31-32). Matthew adds one more detail to the incident saying that Jesus invited the Scribes and Pharisees to go and learn the meaning of the text in prophet Hosea 6: 6 that says: "I require mercy, not sacrifice" (Matthew, 9: 13; See also Matthew, 12: 7).
Zacchaeus:  Among the Gospels Luke alone narrates the conversion of Zacchaeus, a superintendent of taxes, who had taken initiative to see Jesus out of sheer curiosity. He may have heard of Jesus from others of what he had said and done as is clear from his motive for seeing Jesus. The fact that he was eager to see what Jesus looked like tells a lot about the disposition of his mind at the moment. Being very rich he did not want to come out into the open to associate with Jesus in his good works, prevented by his sense self-importance. On the other hand, Zacchaeus knew that he had no chance of acceptance from the self-righteous Jewish authorities who looked down upon him as a sinner. Though Zacchaeus himself was a Jew, in the eyes of the authorities, he was a traitor who looked after collection of taxes from his own people for the Roman authorities. As is evident from his own words to Jesus, Zacchaeus was not always just in amassing wealth and thus could not stand up erect in the midst of his own countrymen. It is obliquely hinted by the Evangelist in the expression 'being short of stature" or "being a little man". Zacchaeus could not see Jesus because of the crowd. However, his eagerness to see Jesus made him run ahead of the crowd and climb a sycamore tree as Jesus was to pass that way. The intention of Zacchaeus was to size up Jesus about whom he had heard a lot and nothing more was in his mind at the moment although ironically he was sized up by Jesus correctly.
                                             We must say that the eagerness to see Jesus was grace given to Zacchaeus by God that he nurtured and took action to produce fruit. We can also see that when Zacchaeus took one step, Jesus took two towards him to help him out of the dreadful spiritual situation he was in. Zacchaeus just wanted a quiet observation of Jesus and then forget about it. However, an earthshaking command upset all his plans and his entire style of life. "When Jesus came to the place , he looked up and said, 'Zacchaeus, be quick and come down; I must come and stay with you today' " (Luke, 19: 5). Life was never the same again for Zacchaeus as he was a transformed man, although he did not promise to abandon his profession nor did Jesus call him to take such a drastic step. Yet, Zacchaeus found salvation because willingly he agreed to correct the aberrations in his life, besides being generous with his wealth for the benefit of the poor and the needy. Here again, Jesus brushes aside the self-righteous about associating himself with the sinners and the outcasts for the simple reason that the Son of Man came to seek out and save what was lost (See Luke, 19: 1-10). (To be contd). 

Third Section: Method of Jesus' Preaching

                                                           An understanding of the method of preaching employed by Jesus should assist us in our own Gospel Proclamation.
                     Having received baptism from John the Baptist, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness and was tempted by the devil. Since Jesus was in constant communion with God the Father, through prayer and fasting for forty days and nights, it was easy for him to overcome the temptations of the devil. Throughout his life Jesus kept up this communion with the Father through prayer, especially at night, culminating in the prayer at Gethsemane just before he was arrested by the soldiers. The preaching of Jesus was suffused with the power of the Spirit occasionally erupting in miracles (See Matthew 4: 23). Let us examine below a few of the methods used by Jesus in preaching the Word of God by way of proclaiming the Gospel.
Jesus Attracted People to Himself before Preaching:  One day at about 4'o clock in the evening two of John Baptist's disciples followed Jesus on hearing John's testimony that he was the Lamb of God. Jesus felt that the two  were looking for something and inquired of them what they wanted. They wanted to know where Jesus was staying. Instead of giving his address, Jesus lovingly invited them to go with him and see for themselves. "So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent the rest of the day with him. It was then about four in the afternoon" (John, 1: 39). One of the two disciples who left the Baptist was Andrew, Peter's brother, and the other presumably was John the Evangelist. Jesus had left Nazareth at the beginning of his public ministry and started staying at Capernaum. As a result of the impression Jesus made on them, the two disciples spent the rest of the day with him. Not only that, the two left John the Baptist permanently and became the disciples of Jesus. According to the Gospel of John, Andrew was so overwhelmed by the personality of Jesus that he brought Peter, his brother, to Jesus. Similarly, on being called by Jesus, Philip discovered in a short time that Jesus was the Messiah and announced the same to Nathaniel. Like a true leader Jesus was able to cause a ripple and and set off a chain reaction in human relationships. We have seen in a previous Post that relationships constitute the foundation of the Kingdom of God announced by Jesus.
The Apostles:  According to the Synoptic Gospels, two words "follow me" were enough for the disciples to leave everything and follow Jesus (See Matthew, 4: 18-22, Mark, 2: 13-14; Luke, 5: 1-11). Jesus went out into the hills one day and prayed there to God for the whole night and called his disciples together in the morning. Out of those disciples he chose twelve and named them Apostles who were to be with him always and share his mission (See Luke, 6: 12-16). Although people were attracted to Jesus because of the signs he performed among them especially at Jerusalem on the occasion of the Passover, he was cautious about them and did not trust himself to them. This was because Jesus knew what was in everyone as regards his or her intentions and motives and how each one would react to situations arising out if one's actions.      
Nicodemus and Joseph:  One of the most glaring instances of people attracted to Jesus was the case of Nicodemus who went to Jesus at night as he wanted to keep it a secret, he being a member of the Jewish Council. Nicodemus correctly identified the source of Jesus' power as coming from God Himself. Seizing the opportunity, Jesus started preaching the Kingdom of God, re-birth, Holy Spirit, flesh against the Spirit etc. It is another matter that Nicodemus did not understand a thing of what Jesus said, although he was a famous teacher of Israel. (See John, 3: 1-12). Yet, a seed was sown in the heart of Nicodemus that was to grow into a full tree by the time Jesus was lifted upon the cross. Along with another secret disciple of Jesus, Joseph of Arimethea, Nicodemus did not care anymore of the opinions of other people and came forward boldly to give a decent burial to Jesus (See John, 19: 38-42).
Secrecy in Discipleship:  While the Apostles were attracted to Jesus by a direct call from him, there were many disciples who wee with him on having heard him speaking or having seen him doing good. Some were secret disciples like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimethea, who being public figures held back from publicity the treasure of their discipleship. It becomes clear at the burial of Jesus that their discipleship was kept as a treasure in their hearts as it was exposed at a time when nobody dared to associate themselves with Jesus. Even the Apostles were scattered except the helpless John the Evangelist at the foot of the cross. Besides, Luke reports about Joseph of Arimethea that he was a good and upright man who dissented from the action taken by the Jewish Council. He was also looking forward to the coming of the Kingdom of God  (See Luke, 23: 50-51). This kind of background in the personal life of Joseph helped him to stand up for Jesus when he was abandoned by everyone. Therefore, the secrecy of his discipleship was not a matter of convenience as also that of Nicodemus who defended Jesus in his public life (See John, 7: 51). They were unlike a number of those in authority who believed in Jesus but could not bring themselves to acknowledge him for fear of being banished from the Synagogue. "For they valued their reputation with men rather than the honor which comes from God" (John, 12: 43). Even ordinary people who believed in Jesus were reluctant to confess him due to fear of the Pharisees. An example of the same may be seen in the case of the parents of the man born blind who was cured by Jesus and yet they gave an evasive answer to the Jewish authorities in order not to be thrown out of the Synagogue (See John, 9:22-23).  
The Sinful Woman:  However, we see simple women, some possessed and even sinful, who tasted the goodness of Jesus in his acts of compassion towards them, providing for Jesus and the Apostles out of their own resources (See Luke, 8: 1-3). An instance of a sinful woman seeking out Jesus at the Pharisee's house who invited him to eat with him is a clear case of the attraction exerted by Jesus on the despised by the so-called decent people. The doubt of the Pharisee about the genuineness of Jesus' prophetic powers betrays the reason for his invitation of Jesus to dinner. It was not an outward expression of his inner faith in Jesus, but a show of respectability the Pharisee thirsted for in society. He would have achieved his goal had Jesus protested to the sinful woman touching him and made himself respectable before the so-called decent guests invited by the Pharisee. However, Jesus took an unusual step and addressed the Pharisee poignantly ignoring the fact that he was at the table as a guest of the Pharisee. Jesus proved to the Pharisee that he could not be bought at all as he was Lord of all situations irrespective of the wanton sensibilities entertained by the Pharisee and his other guests. The only consideration for Jesus was not to offend the host pointblank and create animosity in him that would have prevented the message from reaching his heart. So Jesus addressed him very personally and said to him: "Simon, I have something to say to you". "Speak on, master", was Simon's reply. Then Jesus used one of his very favorite methods of teaching, asking for the solution of an impersonal problem. Simon gave the correct answer in an impersonal manner as did David to prophet Nathan on the question of an injustice done to a poor man. Jesus turned the table on Simon the Pharisee who was condemned by his own words while the sinful woman went away being forgiven all her sins (See Luke, 7: 36-50). (To be Contd).   

The Content of Gospel Proclamation (Contd).

Work of the Holy Spirit in Us:  Towards the end of his preaching, Jesus felt that his disciples would not be able to bear the burden of understanding all that he had to say. The solution to the problem was his promise of the Holy Spirit who, being the Spirit of truth, would guide them into all the truth. The Spirit will not speak on his own authority but will speak only what he hears. This he does by drawing from the Son who himself has everything from the Father (See John, 16: 12-15).
True Gospel:  From the above instruction of Jesus to his disciples it is evident that in proclaiming the Gospel the work of the Holy Spirit is an essential pre-requisite. That is why the Apostles were directed by Jesus just before his ascension to remain in Jerusalem till they receive power from above before they set out on their mission of proclaiming the Gospel (See Acts, 1: 4-5, 8) The most important point to keep in mind here is that even the Holy Spirit does not speak on his own authority. The Spirit conforms himself to the Son and the Father in such a way that what he reveals is true Gospel meant for all the people. How much more is it required for the preachers of the Gospel of all ages to receive the Holy Spirit and conform themselves to the Son and the Father! Whether the Church has succeeded in proclaiming the true Gospel of God is a question of examination of its own conscience The Apostles and other disciples received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (See Acts, 2: 1-4) and we have received the Spirit in the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation with a mission to proclaim the Gospel to the whole world. No extraordinary powers are required to fulfill our mission as it is essentially a mission of witnessing to the love of God expressed in Jesus Christ. "By baptism we were buried with him, and lay dead, in order that, as Christ was raised from the dead in the splendor of the Father, so also we might set  our feet upon the new path of life" (Romans, 6: 4).
Work in the Spirit:  The spiritual endowment we have received through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation is to be nurtured that will blossom into Gospel Proclamation. A similar instruction was given by Paul to Timothy in the matter of prophecy given to him through the laying on of the hands of the elders (See 1 Timothy,4: 14). Paul also tells us in Romans chapter 8 how the Holy Spirit works in us transforming us into sons and daughters of God. Thus the work of the Holy Spirit is crucial not only in our transformation but also in the Gospel proclamation.
                                            God Himself enters our life as a servant to clean us up from the worldly spirit we are used to so that we may become acquainted with the ways of the Holy Spirit. For any cleaning activity, certain upsets and changes are required. We have to discard certain things, shift some others and polish still others and so on. Does it happen in our life too? Earlier we would have done anything for money, but now we have the proper perspective about it. Earlier we would have liked to occupy the highest position among our equals, but now we start offering the best position to our neighbor. Earlier we would have had no time for others, but now we start to have a few thoughts of compassion on others' plights and so on. Thus God becomes King in our life who allows us to serve others in His name for which He has liberated our hearts and we start finding our own true selves whereby we become happy. Ultimately, what God wants to make of us is that we should be sons and daughters who may call God "Abba, Father". This is how the Kingdom of God is being built up by the working of the Holy Spirit in us.
                                            Before ending this Section, we shall summarize below the content of the preaching of Jesus under two heads: The Laws of the Kingdom and the Secrets of the Kingdom.
The Laws of the Kingdom:
1) The Kingdom of God consists in relationships with God and his creation.
2) Unless we are born again and become like children, we cannot enter into such a relationship.
3) In order to become like children, we must leave everyone and everything behind, including our own selves.
4) This kind of leaving behind everything consists in our detachment from people and things we are prone to love.
5) Leaving behind our own selves is accomplished by becoming servants of all.
6) True detachment results in true attachment as Jesus was attached to his mother through his detachment from her.
7) The status of being servant of all releases our potential to be truly liberated from all shackles that bind us.
8) Love for truth liberates us from ourselves.
9) Love for justice empowers us to judge the world.
10) Our love for God empowers us to empower whoever comes in contact with us.
The Secrets of the Kingdom:
1) The Kingdom of God evolves among us in response to the Word of God whereby relationships with God and His creation are entered into by us.
2) The role of Satan and his agents in spreading hatred and subverting our relationships cannot be ignored. "Watch and Pray" is the remedy prescribed by Jesus to avert the dangers inherent in the activities of the Kingdom.
3) Building up of the Kingdom starts from the inspired promptings of our heart deposited there by God Himself that grow into proportions beyond our grasp.
4) The potentialities of the Kingdom spread themselves once they are planted in the right medium, indicating the requirement of Gospel Proclamation.
5) The logic of the action of people involved in the Kingdom-building is strange to others because they have not perceived the values seen by the builders of the Kingdom.
6) This building process of the Kingdom cannot be accomplished without selling all our possessions, and in this our readiness for detachment holds the key.
7) There would be judgment and selection at the end of the world so that the children could be given their due share, while those of darkness and evil may be thrown out of the presence of God..
           

The Content of Gospel Proclamation (Contd).

Building up the Kingdom of God:  The Kingdom of God is the result of both God's power and action as well as our co-operation with the Will of God. Just like in all our relationships with God, here too the action on both sides is hundred per cent. It is not that God will do half and we will complete the remaining half. In different respects both God's and human's activities are total but inclusive. One does not exclude the other and space is reserved for both God and the humans to act together. God always gives us space to act, whereas the humans sometimes forget or ignore God's part. Thus there is a sense in which we can say that the Kingdom of God depends totally on God as well as it depends totally on the humans. It is God who empowers us and taking the cue from God's activity, when we empower each other, the Kingdom of God is being built up.
Surprises in the Kingdom:  Jesus gives us a very clear indication of what is required of us to go to heaven. "Not everyone who calls me 'Lord, Lord' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of my heavenly Father" (Matthew, 7: 21). All kinds of our activities involving even miracles are unimportant for entering the Kingdom of God. The only essential ingredient for the same is to be known by the judge at the last judgment (See Matthew, 7: 22-23). There will be many surprises in the Kingdom of God. No one can lay a claim on the Kingdom of God and sit back saying we have our fathers and fore-fathers already there. Similarly, no one is excluded from the Kingdom of God and therefore some of the most unexpected guests in the Kingdom, unexpected according to our criteria, will be there. Another surprise would be that of some of the first becoming last and the last becoming first (See Luke, 13: 28-30).
The Sermon on the Mount:  We can see the blueprint for building up the Kingdom of God in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 5. More practical tips for the same are seen in chapters 6 and 7. These 3 chapters comprise what is known as the Sermon on the Mount. Chapter 5: 1-2 gives us the setting as a mountain where Jesus went up when he saw the crowds. He sat and as the disciples gathered around him, Jesus taught them specifically while his teaching was open to the crowds as well. At the end of the session  in 7: 28-29 we see that the people were astounded at his teaching because he taught with authority unlike their own teachers. In 8: 1 we read that he was followed by a great crowd when he came down from the hill. Thus we know that the teachings were addressed to all the people although the disciples were to be the standard-bearers due to their proximity to Jesus.
The Beatitudes:  The title-theme of the Sermon on the Mount may be seen in the beatitudes pronounced by Jesus in Matthew 5: 3-10. All other instructions in chapters 5, 6, and 7 are, so to say, compressed into the 8 beatitudes starting and ending with the blessedness in the Kingdom of Heaven. All the other 6 beatitudes between these two are but further specifications of the blessedness in the Kingdom of Heaven as a result of our willingness to conform ourselves to the Will of God. The first beatitude is about the poor in spirit according to Matthew and the poor according to Luke (See Luke, 6: 20). Poverty in itself is no virtue just as riches by themselves are not evil. Our attitude and spirit regarding the things in this world are the determining factors that keep us in or away from the blessedness of heaven. Thus what Matthew tells us is already an interpretation of the correct meaning of poverty. Luke restricts the beatitudes to 4 and contrasts them with 4 misfortunes that await the rich, the well-fed, the merry-makers and those who seek popularity from others (See Luke, 6: 20-26). This being the scheme Luke adopted, he could not go for explanation of poverty as poverty in spirit that was possible in Matthew's format of the beatitudes.    
The Poor in Spirit:  What exactly is the meaning of being poor in spirit? It is to have an attitude or mentality that is in conformity with the condition of those who are dispossessed in this world. For, such people are powerless and therefore incapable of engaging in many kinds of evil associated with having riches. A rich person tends to be puffed-up, thinks himself or herself to be better than others, worthy of honor and praise, looks down upon others demanding their submission to one's vanities and is prone to use the power and influence to end up being unjust in one's dealings with others. A poor person cannot even imagine in his or her wildest dreams all those kinds of attitudes or mentality. Can a rich person be like a poor person in adopting the latter's mentality? If it is possible, such a person is poor in spirit in spite of having a lot of riches and possessions. It is so difficult and even impossible for a rich person to adopt such a mentality that Jesus had to warn his disciples about how easier it was for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God (See Matthew, 19: 24). In this context let us keep in mind that God sent Jesus to announce the good news to the poor, which he actually did in his ministry (See Like, 4: 18; 7: 22).
Justice:  Justice is so important in building up the Kingdom of God that two beatitudes specifically speak about it (See Matthew, 5: 6 and 10). However, our nature is so self-centered that even when claiming to act justly we are able to cleverly seek our own self-interest by discreetly taking advantage of others. Jesus has a word or two for such hypocrites even if they have an eye on the argument of acting in good faith as an ultimate refuge. "I tell you, unless you show yourselves far better persons than the Pharisees and the doctors of the law, you can never enter the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew, 5: 20). Justice of God is far ahead of what is required by the Law of Moses or even the ten commandments of God so much so that it is this spirit of justice that permeates and gives life to them. Jesus has promised all things to us if only we would seek after the Kingdom of God and His justice before everything else. "Set your mind on God's Kingdom and his justice before everything else, and all the rest will come to you as well" (Matthew, 6: 33).
                                                   What does the justice of God consist in? It consists in God's unrestricted love for the good and the bad, for the just and the unjust without making any discrimination between them. That is why we should not expect that God's loved ones are flooded with goods the evil doers are deprived of. Till the day of judgment, God gives a chance to every one to convert to His ways and this is reason enough for us always to proclaim the Gospel to everyone. We cannot, therefore, build up the Kingdom of God, according to the injunction of Jesus, and seek first the Kingdom of God and His justice without loving even our enemies. Only then shall we become the children of our Father in heaven. Loving the enemies is the distinguishing mark of a disciple of Jesus with the target in mind to be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect (See Matthew, 5: 43-48).
Injustice:  In contrast to building up the Kingdom of God, Paul tells us who all will not possess the Kingdom of God. "Surely you know that the unjust will never come into possession of the Kingdom of God. Make no mistake: no fornicator or idolater, no one who are guilty either of adultery or of homosexual perversion, no thieves or grabber or drunkards or slanderers or swindlers, will possess the Kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians, 6: 9-10). Those who indulge in this kind of behavior that belongs to our lower nature cannot inherit the kingdom (See Galatians, 5: 19-21). "But the harvest of the Spirit is love, joy,peace, patience, kindness, goodness, fidelity, gentleness and self-control" (Galatians, 5: 22-23) Letting the Holy Spirit work in us is the sure way to build up the Kingdom of God (See Romans, 14: 17). (To be Contd).