Jesus Taught by Explaining the Meaning of Words(Contd):
Deeper Meaning of Words: Words like "saving", "safety" etc. are given deeper meaning by Jesus. Real safety does not lie in holding on to one's own self, but in abandoning it. "Whoever cares for his own safety is lost; but a if a man will let himself be lost for my sake and for the Gospel, that man is safe" (Mark, 8: 35). These words of Jesus cannot be understood if we refuse to abandon our usual notions of safety as understood by the world. What the world considers as constituting our true self should be thoroughly examined for assessing the level of safety we have achieved. The meaning of "saving" and "safety" are affected by our notions of our own "selves". Where is our true self? What constitutes it? How can we achieve it? The answers to these questions will bring out the true meanings of words "saving" and "safety". In order to help us find the answers, Jesus has these challenging words: "What does a man gain by winning the whole world at the cost of his true self: What could he give to buy the self back?" (Mark, 8: 36-37).
Gradual Revelation of Meaning of Words: After his transfiguration on the mountain, on his way down Jesus directed Peter, James and John not to tell anyone what they had seen until he rose from the dead. But the disciples did not understand what the "rising from the dead" could mean and they discussed it among themselves. Jesus did not try to explain it to them as the disciples were to witness the signs of his resurrection and believe in it. Earlier they were told that some of those standing there would not taste death before they see the Kingdom of God already come in power (See Mark, 9: 1). A symbolic representation of the Kingdom of God come in power was given to the three Apostles at his transfiguration. All the Apostles and other disciples were given a foretaste of the Kingdom of God come in power at his resurrection. The final and definitive coming in power of the Kingdom of God is reserved for the eschatological times when the world would come to an end. (See Mark, 8: 38). This being the situation, there is no wonder if the disciples discussed about what the "rising from the dead" could mean. Meaning of certain things gradually to be gathered through personal experience could not be explained all at once as was the case with the reality of the resurrection of Jesus (See Mark, 9:1-13).
Meaning by Intrinsic connection: We have already seen in an earlier Post how Jesus gives meaning to the word "good" by its necessary connection to God who alone is good (See Mark, 10:18). The word "impossible" has no standing when we talk about God, because everything is possible for God (See Mark, 10: 27). Any imagined impossibility attributed to God , as in Philosophy and Mathematics through inventing certain problems, is nothing but a trick played on us by misuse of our language. A clear analysis of language applied to such problems will dissolve them leaving no trace of their seeming unassailable truth! Besides, the meaning of the word "God" is intrinsically connected to the word "almighty" to which everything is possible. Similarly, the word "God" and the words "Truth", "Justice", "Love", "Goodness", "Beauty" etc., cannot be seen in isolation.
Clarification of Words: We have a beautiful instance of how Jesus taught by clarifying the meaning of words in the parable of the good Samaritan. A lawyer who wanted to test Jesus asked him what he should do inherit eternal life. Jesus questioned him about not only what was written in the Law, but also how he understood it. "He replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart , with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind: and your neighbor as yourself'. 'That is the right answer', said Jesus; 'Do that and you will live' " (Luke, 10: 27-28). At that point the lawyer felt the need of vindicating himself by his next question that was meant to declare that the seemingly clear answer given Jesus was not clear at all! Hence the lawyer asked Jesus the next question: "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus understood the import of the question to be in the clarification of the word "neighbor" just as he had done about his own question on "Who is my mother?" "Who are my brothers?" Although the lawyer may have had in his mind the need of identifying particular persons as his neighbors, Jesus by his answer transcended all barriers by clarifying the very concept of "neighbor"
Thus we have the parable of the good Samaritan. A man,whose nationality is not mentioned, was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell in with robbers, who stripped him, beat him and went off leaving him half dead. A priest and a Levite, both of them Jews, came to the place and seeing the injured man went past on the other side. Evidently, they were preoccupied with their duties at the Temple missing which would cause inconvenience to the people gathered there as well as losing their own share from the sacrifices! They took the easy way out probably justifying it to themselves that their duty to God took precedence over every other duty. For them, the priority of loving God over everything else consisted in offering the prescribed sacrifices at the temple without interruptions. However, when a Samaritan came upon the wounded man, he was moved to pity . He too was going on a journey and had his own priorities and yet he forgot all about them the moment he saw a man in need. The result of his being moved to pity was his going up to the man, bandaging his wounds and bathing them with oil and wine. After this first aid, he lifted the man on to his own beast, brought him to an inn and looked after him there. Next day the Samaritan gave two silver pieces to the innkeeper charging him to look after the man saying that if he spent anything more he would repay him on his way back. A comprehensive health insurance, we should say, for that faceless man in need. His only qualification for assistance was that he was a human being and that he was in need. Then Jesus asked the lawyer a question: "Which of these three do you think was neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" he answered. "The one who showed him kindness". Jesus said, "Go and do as he did" (Luke, 10: 36-37). Thus Jesus established that the person in need is your neighbor, whoever he is by other criteria, whom you are bound to love at all times. (To be Contd).
Deeper Meaning of Words: Words like "saving", "safety" etc. are given deeper meaning by Jesus. Real safety does not lie in holding on to one's own self, but in abandoning it. "Whoever cares for his own safety is lost; but a if a man will let himself be lost for my sake and for the Gospel, that man is safe" (Mark, 8: 35). These words of Jesus cannot be understood if we refuse to abandon our usual notions of safety as understood by the world. What the world considers as constituting our true self should be thoroughly examined for assessing the level of safety we have achieved. The meaning of "saving" and "safety" are affected by our notions of our own "selves". Where is our true self? What constitutes it? How can we achieve it? The answers to these questions will bring out the true meanings of words "saving" and "safety". In order to help us find the answers, Jesus has these challenging words: "What does a man gain by winning the whole world at the cost of his true self: What could he give to buy the self back?" (Mark, 8: 36-37).
Gradual Revelation of Meaning of Words: After his transfiguration on the mountain, on his way down Jesus directed Peter, James and John not to tell anyone what they had seen until he rose from the dead. But the disciples did not understand what the "rising from the dead" could mean and they discussed it among themselves. Jesus did not try to explain it to them as the disciples were to witness the signs of his resurrection and believe in it. Earlier they were told that some of those standing there would not taste death before they see the Kingdom of God already come in power (See Mark, 9: 1). A symbolic representation of the Kingdom of God come in power was given to the three Apostles at his transfiguration. All the Apostles and other disciples were given a foretaste of the Kingdom of God come in power at his resurrection. The final and definitive coming in power of the Kingdom of God is reserved for the eschatological times when the world would come to an end. (See Mark, 8: 38). This being the situation, there is no wonder if the disciples discussed about what the "rising from the dead" could mean. Meaning of certain things gradually to be gathered through personal experience could not be explained all at once as was the case with the reality of the resurrection of Jesus (See Mark, 9:1-13).
Meaning by Intrinsic connection: We have already seen in an earlier Post how Jesus gives meaning to the word "good" by its necessary connection to God who alone is good (See Mark, 10:18). The word "impossible" has no standing when we talk about God, because everything is possible for God (See Mark, 10: 27). Any imagined impossibility attributed to God , as in Philosophy and Mathematics through inventing certain problems, is nothing but a trick played on us by misuse of our language. A clear analysis of language applied to such problems will dissolve them leaving no trace of their seeming unassailable truth! Besides, the meaning of the word "God" is intrinsically connected to the word "almighty" to which everything is possible. Similarly, the word "God" and the words "Truth", "Justice", "Love", "Goodness", "Beauty" etc., cannot be seen in isolation.
Clarification of Words: We have a beautiful instance of how Jesus taught by clarifying the meaning of words in the parable of the good Samaritan. A lawyer who wanted to test Jesus asked him what he should do inherit eternal life. Jesus questioned him about not only what was written in the Law, but also how he understood it. "He replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart , with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind: and your neighbor as yourself'. 'That is the right answer', said Jesus; 'Do that and you will live' " (Luke, 10: 27-28). At that point the lawyer felt the need of vindicating himself by his next question that was meant to declare that the seemingly clear answer given Jesus was not clear at all! Hence the lawyer asked Jesus the next question: "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus understood the import of the question to be in the clarification of the word "neighbor" just as he had done about his own question on "Who is my mother?" "Who are my brothers?" Although the lawyer may have had in his mind the need of identifying particular persons as his neighbors, Jesus by his answer transcended all barriers by clarifying the very concept of "neighbor"
Thus we have the parable of the good Samaritan. A man,whose nationality is not mentioned, was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell in with robbers, who stripped him, beat him and went off leaving him half dead. A priest and a Levite, both of them Jews, came to the place and seeing the injured man went past on the other side. Evidently, they were preoccupied with their duties at the Temple missing which would cause inconvenience to the people gathered there as well as losing their own share from the sacrifices! They took the easy way out probably justifying it to themselves that their duty to God took precedence over every other duty. For them, the priority of loving God over everything else consisted in offering the prescribed sacrifices at the temple without interruptions. However, when a Samaritan came upon the wounded man, he was moved to pity . He too was going on a journey and had his own priorities and yet he forgot all about them the moment he saw a man in need. The result of his being moved to pity was his going up to the man, bandaging his wounds and bathing them with oil and wine. After this first aid, he lifted the man on to his own beast, brought him to an inn and looked after him there. Next day the Samaritan gave two silver pieces to the innkeeper charging him to look after the man saying that if he spent anything more he would repay him on his way back. A comprehensive health insurance, we should say, for that faceless man in need. His only qualification for assistance was that he was a human being and that he was in need. Then Jesus asked the lawyer a question: "Which of these three do you think was neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" he answered. "The one who showed him kindness". Jesus said, "Go and do as he did" (Luke, 10: 36-37). Thus Jesus established that the person in need is your neighbor, whoever he is by other criteria, whom you are bound to love at all times. (To be Contd).
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