Jesus’ Top Ten Teachings (IMO)
I’ve been pestering Jesus for years, whining at him really: “Why couldn’t you have left us with something more clear than parables, apocalyptic koans and exorcisms to work with? Other religions have their five pillars, eightfold paths, ten commandments and twelve steps; where’s our memorizable list of core principles?”
After many years of ignoring me, Jesus finally shooed me away: “You’re a scripture scholar; if you want a list just make one.”
So I did. I’ll give you the list, then give some reasons, then ask if anything’s missing:
Love Gd and love others
Give away money
Give away things
Forgive others
Heal and release others from suffering
Feed people
Include everybody
Pray
Cause justice
Risk everything to do the right thing
Love Gd and love others: Combined here because he combined them too (following Hillel). At the top of the list even though he hardly ever spoke of love, because this was his answer when someone asked him what was most important.
Give away money: Second on the list because of frequency in his teaching; also because it was his answer to “What must I do to follow you?”
Give away things: As above, but billed third because he usually lumped it in with money, (“all you possess”), and we only see it in action, proving what he meant, in Acts 2
Forgive others: Way up there on the list of frequent instruction and commissioning, as well as in his actions; forgiving others is a contender for the #1 spot on the list
Heal and release others from suffering: Best I can do with the healing and exorcisms; frequent in his actions and often part of commissioning
Feed people: Another contender for #1 spot, its importance is shown not only by frequency of action but also by calling fishers as disciples and by almost all the resurrection appearances and recommissioning sayings happening at meals
Include everybody: I suspect myself of political correctness here, but can’t help it. It’s here because of the accusations from opponents about eating with tax collectors and sinners, and the sayings about the lost, the last and the least
Pray: Not sure about this one either, but the fact that he withdrew to pray at key times of transition shows its importance; and the disciples’ asking him how to do it also suggests that they recognized its importance to him
Cause justice: This one is amorphous and might also be a too-contemporary read-in. Jesus never used the word itself. Still it’s accurate as a summary of his actions, and it’s clear that Rome perceived him as speaking/acting against its imperial power by enacting alternative justice
Risk everything to do the right thing: “Take up your cross” is in the running of frequent authentic sayings; my own understanding of the cross is that it wasn’t something Jesus did on our behalf, but that he meant for all his followers to love their neighbor to the extent of risking their lives for it
There you go; there’s my list. What would you add, and why?
This is excellent. I remain profoundly disappointed that the two most accepted creeds in the Christian tradition, the Nicene and Apostles, do not contain the word love.
Very good list and explanations.