Jesus Taught by Shocking Statements: Shocking statements are those by which the listeners are taken aback and, so to say, their senses are numbed to slowly recover from the shock to come to a proper understanding of what is meant.
At Matthew' House: At the beginning of his public ministry Jesus went about calling his disciples to follow him. The dramatic call and response of Matthew, who was a tax-collector, was followed by a sumptuous meal at Matthew's house where many bad characters sat at table with Jesus and his disciples. The Pharisees who used to follow Jesus everywhere, with sinister intentions unlike the disciples, noticed the anomaly of honorable people sitting at table along with the dishonorable. They expressed their displeasure to the disciples of Jesus about the incongruity of his eating with the tax-gatherers and the sinners. Overhearing the comments of the Pharisees, Jesus came out with a shocking statement that has since changed the rigid face of religion practiced till then. "Jesus heard it and said, 'It is not the healthy that need a doctor, but the sick. Go and learn what that text means, "I require mercy, not sacrifice". I did not come to invite virtuous people, but sinners' " (Matthew, 9: 12-13)..
Genuine Love of God: Before announcing the purpose of his mission of invitation to the sinners excluding the virtuous, Jesus made two supporting statements. The first one that the healthy do not need a doctor but the sick was self-evident and justified the purpose of his coming. The second one that what God requires is mercy and not sacrifice is a revealed truth through the prophet Hosea (See Hosea, 6: 6) that was quoted by Jesus. The same passage was used by him to keep the importance of the Sabbath in the right perspective (See Matthew, 12: 7). It also supported the purpose of the coming of Jesus as mercy, compassion, and love take precedence over every other obligation to God and the humans. The one who shows mercy in loving even the sinner and the enemy has fulfilled all the obligations prescribed by the Law and the Prophets. God does not require anything else over and above genuine love from the humans.
The Canaanite Woman: We have already discussed in an earlier Post how Nicodemus was shocked beyond belief when Jesus told him about the need of being born again to see the Kingdom of God. Let us now see another shocking statement by Jesus to the Syro-Phoenician woman, who is called a Canaanite woman by Matthew, with a request to drive out the devil from her daughter (See Mark, 7: 24-30; Matthew, 15: 21-28). The Gospel according to Matthew has dramatized the scene better than Mark. Jesus was in the region of Tyre and Sidon, a Gentile territory, when the woman approached Jesus with the request. According to Matthew, Jesus did not say a word in reply so that the disciples had to intercede for her with Jesus. Jesus replied, "I was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and to them alone" (Matthew, 15:24). One of the main contentious issues, even during the time of the Apostles, the Church had to face was the scope of the redemption wrought by Jesus Christ. Those who became Christians from the Jews considered it their privilege to be saved and the benefits of salvation could not be extended to the Gentiles. The Gospel was written by Matthew (or the writer in his name) mainly for the Jews of Palestine who became the disciples of Christ. In order to teach them the implications of the salvation in Jesus Christ, the writer brings in Jesus himself to the fore with their view on his lips that was going to be corrected by his action. In addition, the lesson that faith overrides all kinds of barriers set up by the humans was taught by Jesus by his provocative and shocking statement and what followed the same. Undeterred by the refusal of Jesus even to look at her , the woman came and fell at the feet of Jesus asking for help. "To this Jesus said, 'It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs' " (Matthew, 15: 26). The woman acknowledged her low position vis-a-vis the Jews, a commonly held position at the time; and countered the logic of Jesus, i.e., the logic of the Jews, with an unassailable logic acceptable to the Jews and the Gentiles alike. " 'True Sir', she answered; 'and yet the dogs eat the scraps that fall from their masters' table'. Hearing this Jesus replied, 'Woman , what faith you have! Be it as you wish!' And from that moment her daughter was restored to health" (Matthew, 15:27-28).
Peter's dilemma: The next shocking statement Jesus made was also in a Gentile territory, Caesarea Philippi, where he went with his disciples. Jesus wanted to know about the people's perception about him as well as that of the disciples. Peter identified Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Jesus endorsed the view of Peter and added that it was revealed to him by his heavenly Father and not coming from any mortal human. Therefore peter was made the rock on which Jesus would build his Church and the powers of death would never conquer it. Jesus then promised Peter the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven with powers to bind and loose on earth with corresponding repercussions in heaven.
After having identified the rock on which the foundation of his Church was to be laid, Jesus proceeded to reveal another important basis of his mission of salvation. It was about his suffering, death and resurrection in Jerusalem to which Peter vehemently objected and prayed that it should never happen to Jesus. Although Peter succeeded in grasping the revelation directly from the heavenly father about Jesus' identity, he failed miserably in understanding the implications of the Messiahship revealed to him by Jesus himself. Then we have the shocking statement from Jesus about Peter who was raised to heavens a moment ago, now brought down to the ignominy of the netherworld. "Then Jesus turned and said to Peter, 'Away with you, Satan:; you are a stumbling -block to me. You think as men think, not as God thinks' " (Matthew, 16: 23).(To be Contd).
At Matthew' House: At the beginning of his public ministry Jesus went about calling his disciples to follow him. The dramatic call and response of Matthew, who was a tax-collector, was followed by a sumptuous meal at Matthew's house where many bad characters sat at table with Jesus and his disciples. The Pharisees who used to follow Jesus everywhere, with sinister intentions unlike the disciples, noticed the anomaly of honorable people sitting at table along with the dishonorable. They expressed their displeasure to the disciples of Jesus about the incongruity of his eating with the tax-gatherers and the sinners. Overhearing the comments of the Pharisees, Jesus came out with a shocking statement that has since changed the rigid face of religion practiced till then. "Jesus heard it and said, 'It is not the healthy that need a doctor, but the sick. Go and learn what that text means, "I require mercy, not sacrifice". I did not come to invite virtuous people, but sinners' " (Matthew, 9: 12-13)..
Genuine Love of God: Before announcing the purpose of his mission of invitation to the sinners excluding the virtuous, Jesus made two supporting statements. The first one that the healthy do not need a doctor but the sick was self-evident and justified the purpose of his coming. The second one that what God requires is mercy and not sacrifice is a revealed truth through the prophet Hosea (See Hosea, 6: 6) that was quoted by Jesus. The same passage was used by him to keep the importance of the Sabbath in the right perspective (See Matthew, 12: 7). It also supported the purpose of the coming of Jesus as mercy, compassion, and love take precedence over every other obligation to God and the humans. The one who shows mercy in loving even the sinner and the enemy has fulfilled all the obligations prescribed by the Law and the Prophets. God does not require anything else over and above genuine love from the humans.
The Canaanite Woman: We have already discussed in an earlier Post how Nicodemus was shocked beyond belief when Jesus told him about the need of being born again to see the Kingdom of God. Let us now see another shocking statement by Jesus to the Syro-Phoenician woman, who is called a Canaanite woman by Matthew, with a request to drive out the devil from her daughter (See Mark, 7: 24-30; Matthew, 15: 21-28). The Gospel according to Matthew has dramatized the scene better than Mark. Jesus was in the region of Tyre and Sidon, a Gentile territory, when the woman approached Jesus with the request. According to Matthew, Jesus did not say a word in reply so that the disciples had to intercede for her with Jesus. Jesus replied, "I was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and to them alone" (Matthew, 15:24). One of the main contentious issues, even during the time of the Apostles, the Church had to face was the scope of the redemption wrought by Jesus Christ. Those who became Christians from the Jews considered it their privilege to be saved and the benefits of salvation could not be extended to the Gentiles. The Gospel was written by Matthew (or the writer in his name) mainly for the Jews of Palestine who became the disciples of Christ. In order to teach them the implications of the salvation in Jesus Christ, the writer brings in Jesus himself to the fore with their view on his lips that was going to be corrected by his action. In addition, the lesson that faith overrides all kinds of barriers set up by the humans was taught by Jesus by his provocative and shocking statement and what followed the same. Undeterred by the refusal of Jesus even to look at her , the woman came and fell at the feet of Jesus asking for help. "To this Jesus said, 'It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs' " (Matthew, 15: 26). The woman acknowledged her low position vis-a-vis the Jews, a commonly held position at the time; and countered the logic of Jesus, i.e., the logic of the Jews, with an unassailable logic acceptable to the Jews and the Gentiles alike. " 'True Sir', she answered; 'and yet the dogs eat the scraps that fall from their masters' table'. Hearing this Jesus replied, 'Woman , what faith you have! Be it as you wish!' And from that moment her daughter was restored to health" (Matthew, 15:27-28).
Peter's dilemma: The next shocking statement Jesus made was also in a Gentile territory, Caesarea Philippi, where he went with his disciples. Jesus wanted to know about the people's perception about him as well as that of the disciples. Peter identified Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Jesus endorsed the view of Peter and added that it was revealed to him by his heavenly Father and not coming from any mortal human. Therefore peter was made the rock on which Jesus would build his Church and the powers of death would never conquer it. Jesus then promised Peter the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven with powers to bind and loose on earth with corresponding repercussions in heaven.
After having identified the rock on which the foundation of his Church was to be laid, Jesus proceeded to reveal another important basis of his mission of salvation. It was about his suffering, death and resurrection in Jerusalem to which Peter vehemently objected and prayed that it should never happen to Jesus. Although Peter succeeded in grasping the revelation directly from the heavenly father about Jesus' identity, he failed miserably in understanding the implications of the Messiahship revealed to him by Jesus himself. Then we have the shocking statement from Jesus about Peter who was raised to heavens a moment ago, now brought down to the ignominy of the netherworld. "Then Jesus turned and said to Peter, 'Away with you, Satan:; you are a stumbling -block to me. You think as men think, not as God thinks' " (Matthew, 16: 23).(To be Contd).
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