The teacher of wisdom view: The moral teachings of Jesus

Question 1

Q: What is the general overview of the Parable of the Lost Son?

Answer 1

A: A younger son asks for his inheritance, squanders it, and then repents. The father forgives him and celebrates his return, while the older brother feels unfairly treated.

Question 2

Q: How does the Parable of the Lost Son illustrate Jesus’ teaching on repentance?

Answer 2

A: The younger son admits his sins against heaven and his father, illustrating the importance of repentance.

Question 3

Q: What does the Parable of the Lost Son teach about forgiveness?

Answer 3

A: The father’s willingness to forgive and celebrate the younger son’s return emphasizes Jesus’ message of unconditional forgiveness.

Question 4

Q: What is significant about the celebration of the lost son’s return?

Answer 4

A: The father’s joy in celebrating the return of the lost son signifies the joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.

Question 5

Q: What does the older brother’s reaction in the Parable of the Lost Son highlight?

Answer 5

A: The older brother’s refusal to celebrate highlights feelings of resentment and perceived injustice, contrasting human fairness with divine mercy.

Question 6

Q: How does the father respond to the older brother’s feelings of unfairness in the Parable of the Lost Son?

Answer 6

A: The father assures the older brother that his constant presence and everything he has belong to him, teaching about constant love and shared blessings.

Question 7

Q: What is the Sermon on the Mount?

Answer 7

A: A collection of Jesus’ teachings on moral and spiritual subjects, found in Matthew 5:16-41, including the Beatitudes and various ethical instructions.

Question 8

Q: What are the Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount?

Answer 8

A: Blessings pronounced on the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, the merciful, and others, highlighting virtues that lead to spiritual happiness.

Question 9

Q: What does Jesus say about the Old Law in the Sermon on the Mount?

Answer 9

A: Jesus declares that he came not to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them, emphasizing the continuity and deepening of ethical teachings.

Question 10

Q: What are Jesus’ teachings on murder in the Sermon on the Mount?

Answer 10

A: Jesus extends the commandment against murder to include anger and insults, teaching that reconciliation is necessary to avoid judgment.

Question 11

Q: How does Jesus address adultery in the Sermon on the Mount?

Answer 11

A: Jesus intensifies the prohibition of adultery, stating that even looking at someone with lustful intent is committing adultery in the heart.

Question 12

Q: What does Jesus teach about divorce in the Sermon on the Mount?

Answer 12

A: Jesus teaches that divorce, except for sexual immorality, leads to adultery, advocating for the sanctity and permanence of marriage.

Question 13

Q: What are Jesus’ teachings on oaths in the Sermon on the Mount?

Answer 13

A: Jesus advises against swearing oaths at all, encouraging honesty and integrity by simply saying ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’

Question 14

Q: What does Jesus teach about the old law of retaliation in the Sermon on the Mount?

Answer 14

A: Jesus teaches against the old law of retaliation, advocating instead for turning the other cheek, going the extra mile, and loving one’s enemies.

Question 15

Q: What do these moral teachings suggest about Jesus’ role?

Answer 15

A: These moral teachings illustrate Jesus as a profound teacher of wisdom, focusing on inner righteousness, forgiveness, mercy, and love.

Question 16

Q: What does Jesus’ statement “But I tell you” in Matthew 5:38-39 imply about his authority?

Although Jesus gave moral teachings

Answer 16

A: It implies that Jesus considers himself to have greater authority than Moses, as he feels entitled to override Moses’ teachings.

Question 17

Q: Why is Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:38-39 significant?

Although Jesus gave moral teachings

Answer 17

A: It suggests that Jesus believed he had the authority to give teachings that contradict and supersede those of Moses, indicating a divine level of authority.

Question 18

Q: What specific teaching does Jesus give in Matthew 5:38-39?

Although Jesus gave moral teachings

Answer 18

A: Jesus teaches, “Do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also,” which contradicts the Old Testament law of retaliation.

Question 19

Q: What does Jesus’ authority to change Moses’ law suggest about his identity?

Although Jesus gave moral teachings

Answer 19

A: It suggests that Jesus thought of himself as more than a mere human teacher of wisdom, possibly as divine, since he claimed an authority that traditionally only God would have.

Question 20

Q: How does Jesus’ reinterpretation of the law in Matthew 5:38-39 challenge traditional Jewish teachings?

Although Jesus gave moral teachings

Answer 20

A: By saying “But I tell you” and introducing a new, contradictory teaching, Jesus challenges the established authority of Moses and the traditional Jewish law, asserting a superior authority.

Question 21

Q: What does C. S. Lewis argue against in his trilemma?

C. S. Lewis’ trilemma develops this kind of point.

Answer 21

A: Lewis argues against the view that Jesus was merely a moral teacher, considering it ‘patronizing nonsense’ and an incoherent interpretation of Jesus’ sayings.

Question 22

Q: According to C. S. Lewis, why is Jesus’ claim to forgive sins significant?

C. S. Lewis’ trilemma develops this kind of point.

Answer 22

A: The claim to forgive sins which were not committed against oneself is only a moral teaching if ‘the speaker is God,’ as only God has the right to forgive sins.

Question 23

Q: What are the three options in C. S. Lewis’ trilemma regarding Jesus’ identity?

C. S. Lewis’ trilemma develops this kind of point.

Answer 23

A: Jesus was either God, insane, or evil; he cannot be only a moral teacher.

Question 24

Q: Why does C. S. Lewis believe Jesus could not be just a morally good teacher?

C. S. Lewis’ trilemma develops this kind of point.

Answer 24

A: Because a morally good teacher would not claim the authority to forgive sins unless he truly was God, as only God has that authority.

Question 25

Q: What does C. S. Lewis conclude about the interpretation of Jesus’ sayings?

C. S. Lewis’ trilemma develops this kind of point.

Answer 25

A: Lewis concludes that Jesus’ sayings cannot be interpreted as the teachings of a mere moral teacher; they must be understood as the claims of someone who believed he was God.

Question 26

Q: What is one alternative to C. S. Lewis’ trilemma regarding Jesus’ belief in his own divinity?

There are other options

Answer 26

A: One alternative is that Jesus’ belief that he was divine was an honest mistake and he was genuinely deluded about it.

Question 27

Q: How could Jesus still be considered a good moral teacher if he was deluded about being divine?

There are other options

Answer 27

A: Jesus could have been a mere human teacher of wisdom who mostly taught good morals but also incorrectly thought himself divine.

Question 28

Q: What does the delusion about divinity not necessarily affect, according to the alternative view?

There are other options

Answer 28

A: The delusion about his divinity need not affect Jesus’ overall moral reasoning.

Question 29

Q: How does this alternative view allow for a different interpretation of Jesus’ teachings?

There are other options

Answer 29

A: This view allows for the interpretation that Jesus was a great moral teacher despite his mistaken belief about being divine.

Question 30

Q: Why might someone argue that Jesus’ delusion about his divinity does not undermine his moral teachings?

There are other options

Answer 30

A: Because his mistaken belief about being divine could be seen as an isolated aspect of his self-perception that did not impact his overall ethical teachings and moral insights.