What Was Jesus’ Point in the Teaching?

Mark 8:29 Worksheet

Name: Evelyn Renee Marlik        

Course: CWV-301

Date: October 5, 2015

Instructor: Todd Forrest

Please address each question below with complete sentences and clear, specific explanation. The total word count (including all questions and your answers) should be between 750-1,250 words.

1. Select one teaching of Jesus from one of the following Bible verses (underline passage): Matthew 5:21-24, Matthew 5:43-48, Matthew 6:19-24, Matthew 7:15-23, Luke 15:1-32, John 13:1-17, 34-35, John 15:1-11. Answer the following questions:

1. What was Jesus’ point in the teaching?

Jesus’ point is the true righteousness to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Jesus revealed to us that by dealing with those who persecute us is by bringing them to the Father through our prayers and by loving our enemies is to move towards our enemies in a loving service and treat them with love the same way we treat our families, friends, and neighbors (Bible Gateway, 1993).

1. What sort of relevance does this teaching have for other worldviews?

For some, Jesus revealed that the true righteousness to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us progresses from the heart of God, His attributes in which He explained that the importance of true righteousness includes the freedom not only to love but also to serve others – even those who brought forth negative and judgmental words and actions towards us. Some accept that it has nothing do with perfection and imperfection, but rather with the maturity of our relationships we have with one another. However, for other worldviews is the denial of Jesus’ teaching, where they feel that the love they have is for those who loves them and those who portrays as an enemy remains enemies and those who persecute them will also be persecuted. Therefore, God’s desire for us is nothing less than for us to be free from hate, anger, and brokenness as He is, but in some parts of the world today, there are those who rejects those who are the enemy by placing hatred, anger, and resentments unto those who are not loved by them, while others continue to move towards their enemies with loving service and pray for those who persecutes them (Bible Gateway, 1993).

1. What does this teaching reveal about Jesus?

Jesus is telling us that we are to love everyone and not just the people who love us. Jesus continues to remind us that each and every person is lovable – even the ones who portrays as an enemy or those who tends to persecute us. The love we have for others, even those who are selfish and ungrateful should all be the same form of love, mercy, and kindness that the LORD God has showed us. Through Jesus’ death of the cross, Jesus freed us from anger, revenge, hatred, and resentment as well as provided us the courage and strength to replace evil with true righteousness of goodness. Therefore, Jesus continues to tell us that one who is righteous will be true in treating his or her enemies with love just as the way he or she treats his families, friends, and neighbors. As we continue to show true righteousness to love and pray for our enemies, we will continue to live as God’s children, reflecting upon the Heavenly Father’s life and attributes (Bible Gateway, 1993).