What made Jesus such a powerful and effective teacher during his life was his ability to use parables and metaphors to make profound points. We’ve all heard them before, parables like “The Prodigal Son” to help illustrate how we can always return to our father with open arms and access the kingdom of god (aka simply the universe) within regardless of how far we veer off from home. He used metaphors like a wealthy person going to the kingdom of god/heaven will be as hard as a camel going through the eye of a needle, that is to say, impossible.
Unfortunately, some of the use of figurative language has resulted in the underlying points going over people’s heads. There are some people that use Jesus saying “I have come not to bring peace but a sword” as evidence that Jesus was not a pacifist, and then take it a step further to argue that Jesus would be pro-gun since they see guns as the modern-day sword/weapon of choice. Of course, this is intellectually dishonest since they are deliberately misreading or completely misunderstanding the underlying message in order to suit their own personal agendas.
So, what we end up with is millions of people that suddenly think this quote from Jesus supersedes his other teachings that say turn the other cheek and not engage in violence. Of course, the verse in which he says I have come to bring a sword is simply a figurative statement which in reality means he has come to disrupt the status quo, the zeitgeist and that his message could create a lot of conflict and division amongst people due to disagreements, etc.
However, despite the eager gun aficionados that want to use this to portray Jesus as a violent wielding Conan the Barbarian-esque figure, they are deliberately misreading Jesus’ message so they can construct their own custom version of Christianity that they prefer to follow. They in turn pick and choose the things they believe in and discard things that don’t line up with their own worldview and opinions. Unfortunately, this is far too often the case, especially from where I am observing and witnessing Christianity in American society/culture.
Jesus also spoke in Hyperbole, that is to say, hugely exaggerated language for effect/impact. This is something we all do, and most people can pick up when we are exaggerating for effect, however, when Jesus’ teachings are being absorbed on paper, the tone and context of his teachings is lost when it’s not being communicated verbally.
An important example to note is when Jesus states that you must hate your own family and your own body if you are truly to be committed to Jesus teachings and his life. This is of course not to say that Jesus was advocating hatred, which unfortunately has far too often been the case where words like hatred are used for hyperbolic effect, and now they feel they have permission to discard Jesus teachings to love thy neighbor. Again, another example of people cherry picking and outright misinterpreting the bible in order to have a custom version of Jesus teachings that lines up with their own worldview and conveniently doesn’t require them to make any changes in their spiritual life, and their overall outlook on the world and society at large.
So yes, right now we are in a civilization that is Christian in name only, because many feel it’s completely acceptable to spew hatred because of what Jesus said, and his use of hyperbole went unnoticed. Don’t be surprised if some of these are some of the same people that feel it’s perfectly fine to not turn the other cheek and to violently and aggressively attack anyone or yell at anyone despite Jesus’ teachings to always choose the path of peace and to not act out of anger or hatred. (Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God).
Other common excuses by modern Christians that attempt to justify anger is when Jesus flipped tables at the temple in anger. I’ve unfortunately seen people go totally violent and destructive and use the temple incident to justify their behavior and make them feel like they were Christian. The point of that story was that Jesus was also a human, susceptible to the same weaknesses and vulnerabilities that we all shared. This may be difficult for many Christians to accept because they refuse to acknowledge or consider the possibility that Jesus was not perfect, but he was in fact also a human. This should give us all a huge sigh of relief as it demonstrates that even Jesus, the most enlightened human being on the planet, was still capable of slipping up from his own teachings. This should reassure us that there is hope for us all. This is by no means a free pass to stray from his teachings; it should only reassure you that you will always be able to return home to our father as he taught in the Prodigal Son. So, the story was absolutely not permission to go ballistic on others or on people’s property in a violent rage, thereby negating his prior teachings to curb your anger.
He taught: “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.” Jesus stresses that harboring anger and calling someone names is also subject to judgment, highlighting the need to resolve conflicts and reconcile relationships. In consideration of the fact that Jesus always taught the path of peace, why would anyone think that the temple incident would automatically negate and nullify the prior teachings of the prince of peace?
For the modern Christians that have manipulated his teachings to serve their own lifestyle and personality, they are living a life that does not in any way resemble what Jesus taught. I am tempted to label this as a new denomination of Christianity called American Christian, but I’m certain this is not only a problem in America as well. I am sure this has been a problem for 2000 years since we have much documented evidence of self-declared Christians doing some of the most hateful unchristian things ever. While I understand Jesus’ method and delivery of his message during his day was very effective by relying on figurative devices such as parables and metaphors, it also leaves much room for interpretation and ambiguity which leaves a lot of room for Jesus’ teachings to be completely corrupted and contaminated. The best way to know you are on course and on track with what Jesus taught was to ensure if what you’re doing is in alignment with love, peace and forgiveness, as these were the cornerstones of Jesus’ entire faith and teachings.
If you find yourself getting angry with someone, yelling at someone, punching someone, and verbally spewing hatred towards others, that’s when you know your actions are no longer in alignment and in harmony with Jesus teachings. The feelings of being offended and taking retaliation are other checks and your cues to forgive. Any desire to give in to feelings of anger, revenge and hatred is your confirmation that your ego is firmly in charge instead of the holy spirit. So, ask the holy spirit to take the wheel, and always forgive.
That being said, the use of parables is used throughout the Bible and most importantly it should be emphasized to those reading so that it doesn’t get in the way of scientific literacy.
Some examples of Jesus’ use of hyperbole in his lessons and teachings:
Matthew 5:29, “If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away.” This is not meant to be taken literally but rather to emphasize the seriousness of avoiding sin.
Luke 14:26, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.” Here, “hate” is used in a hyperbolic way to stress the importance of prioritizing one’s commitment to following Jesus over all ties including familial ties.
Mark 10:25: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” The image of a camel passing through the eye of a needle is a hyperbolic metaphor used to illustrate the difficulty of a rich person entering the Kingdom of God. The hyperbole emphasizes the challenge of overcoming the potential spiritual obstacles that wealth can create, such as attachment to material possessions and self-sufficiency, which may lead to a lack of dependence on God.
Some examples of Jesus’ most popular parables:
The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37): A compassionate Samaritan helps a wounded Jewish man who has been ignored by others, including a priest and a Levite. This parable teaches the importance of loving one’s neighbor and shows that compassion should extend beyond social and ethnic boundaries. It redefines “neighbor” to include anyone in need.
The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32): A young man asks for his inheritance early, squanders it, and returns home in repentance. His father welcomes him back with open arms, while his older brother struggles with resentment. This parable highlights themes of forgiveness, redemption, and the boundless nature of God’s love. It illustrates that no matter how far one strays, they can always return to God and be forgiven.
The Lost Sheep (Luke 15:3-7; Matthew 18:12-14): A shepherd leaves 99 sheep to search for one that is lost and rejoices when it is found. This story demonstrates God’s immense joy over one sinner who repents and underscores the value of each individual to God.
The Sower (Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15): A sower scatters seeds on different types of soil, leading to various results based on the soil’s condition. This parable explains how different people respond to the message of the Kingdom of God. The quality of one’s spiritual receptiveness determines how well the message takes root and flourishes.
The Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) A master entrusts three servants with different amounts of money (talents) before going on a journey. Upon his return, he praises those who invested wisely and punishes the one who did nothing. This parable emphasizes the importance of using one’s God-given gifts and resources wisely and being responsible stewards of what has been entrusted to us.
The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31): A rich man lives in luxury while a poor man named Lazarus suffers at his gate. After death, their roles are reversed: Lazarus is comforted, and the rich man is in torment. This story highlights the consequences of ignoring the needs of others and underscores the importance of compassion and justice.
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