What Jesus Taught

This page summarizes Some One’s interpretation of the teachings of the historical Jesus.  His goal was to find what Jesus, the teacher, had to say about how he should live his life.  In his search he relied on various translations of the Synoptic gospels in the new testament, The Gospel According to Jesus by Stephen Mitchell, and The Five Gospels, What  Did  Jesus  Really  Say  by R. W. Funk,  R. W. Hoover, and The Jesus Seminar.  

Teachings of the Historical Jesus

Come hear the gospel (good news) of the historical Jesus.
The Kingdom of God is here on earth now!
The Kingdom of God is within you!
Nurture it as a small seed and it will grow large.
The measure of attention you give to the Kingdom
     will be the measure you receive in return.
Nothing is more important than loving and serving God.
Love The Lord God with all your heart and all your soul and all
     your strength and all your mind, and love your fellow man
     as yourself.
The beatitudes:
      Want nothing, have nothing, be open minded.
      Grieve if you have not yet found God.
      Be humble.
      Seek righteousness.
      Be merciful.
      Be pure of heart.
      Be a peacemaker.
      Be a good example to others.
Follow the commandments (laws of Moses):
     Do not murder.
     Do not commit adultery.
     Do not steal.
     Do not bear false witness.
     Do not defraud.
     Honor your father and mother.
Follow Jesus’ new teachings on the laws.
     You must be more righteous than the strict followers of the law.
     Not only must you not murder, but you must not hate.
     Not only must you not commit adultery, but you must not lust.
     Not only must you not perjure yourself, but you must
          tell the truth without an oath.
     Don't resist the wicked man; if he hits you on the cheek,
           turn the other cheek.
     Don't refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
     Not only must you love your neighbor, but you must:
           Love your enemy too,
           Do good to those who hate you,
           Bless those who curse you.
           Give expecting nothing in return.
Be careful not to do your righteous acts in public so that you
     may be seen.
Keep your charity a secret and your Father who sees that secret
     will reward you.
Don't show off your praying.  When you pray go to your inner
     room and pray in secret.
Don't talk on and on in your prayers for your Father knows
     what you need before you ask him.
If your brother wrongs you, you should not forgive him seven
     times, but seventy times seven times.
If you forgive others their offenses, your Father will forgive yours.
If you ask, your Father gives you his grace whether your sins
     are those of the prodigal son or the elder son.
No one is good but God alone, and yet God will forgive you,
     if you ask.
Don't judge and you will not be judged.
Those who sin are not in a position to condemn other sinners.
     Go and sin no more.
Don't be anxious about what you eat or wear; God will provide.
Don't worry about things.  First seek the Kingdom of God and
     these things will be given to you.  Knock and the door will be
     opened to you.
If you give, things will be given to you.  The measure by which
     you give is the measure by which you will receive.
Whatever you want others to do to you, do to them.
Whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister,
     my mother.
How hard is it for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God? 
     It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.
Unless you become like children you cannot enter the
     Kingdom of God. ( A young child is innocent, unaware of
     itself, free from worries, joyful, accepting without prejudices,
     open to learning new things.)
Enter the Kingdom by the narrow gate that leads to true life,
     not the wide gate that leads to suffering.