Jesus' most important teaching.

[Elijah John]

What is Jesus most important teaching?

a) That Jesus came to die in order to "pay for" the sins of humanity?
b) That God is our loving and merciful Heavenly Father*, who expects us to show the same good will towards others?
c) Anything else?

(* Please, do not construe advocacy for this option to mean "God is a permissive, anything goes Father", as some here have done in the past.)

If importance is highlighted by emphasis, and emphasis by repetition, which teaching is most emphasized by Jesus?

And remember, the OP seeks to determine what is Jesus' most important teaching, not Paul's.

[2timothy316]

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?� He said to him: “‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment." Matthew 22:36, 37

To love the Almighty God was Jesus' most important teaching. Every teaching hangs on loving Jehovah with everything we have.

[Elijah John]

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?� He said to him: “‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment." Matthew 22:36, 37

To love the Almighty God was Jesus' most important teaching. Every teaching hangs on loving Jehovah with everything we have.

And that is very compatible with Jesus' teaching of God as loving Father. But that is the greatest commandment. What is Jesus' own greatest teaching? The one he seems to have emphasized most?

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 3 by Elijah John]

Jesus said the taught nothing of his own originality, everything he taught was God's teaching. God's greatest teaching is to recognise that the principle of love of God is above all else and to love one's neighbour should motivate all we do.

[Benoni]

[Replying to Elijah John]

No mention of the name "Jehovah" in this verse. The text in the Greek is Theon or Lord the God NOT Jehovah.

[2timothy316]

[Replying to Elijah John]

No mention of the name "Jehovah" in this verse. The text in the Greek is Theon or Lord the God NOT Jehovah.

Didn't you know that Jesus was quoting Deuteronomy 6:5?

"You must love Jehovah your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your strength."

So the Divine Name in Matthew is perfectly acceptable. Do you hate the name of God?

[2timothy316]

[Replying to post 3 by Elijah John]

Jesus said the taught nothing of his own originality, everything he taught was God's teaching. God's greatest teaching is to recognise that the principle of love of God is above all else and to love one's neighbour should motivate all we do.

Yes exactly, Proverbs 2:6 says, "For Jehovah himself gives wisdom; From his mouth come knowledge and discernment."

John 5:19 - Jesus said, "Most truly I say to you, the Son cannot do a single thing of his own initiative, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things that One does, these things the Son does also in like manner. "

Jesus didn't teaching things that were independent of his loving Father's will.

[ttruscott]

And remember, the OP seeks to determine what is Jesus' most important teaching, not Paul's.

I hope then we can be trusted to use Jesus' own words and not be challenged to prove that John for instance was not spouting Paul???

I would think we'd have to do a topic count of every verse to get a definitive answer...

[Elijah John]

And remember, the OP seeks to determine what is Jesus' most important teaching, not Paul's.

I hope then we can be trusted to use Jesus' own words and not be challenged to prove that John for instance was not spouting Paul???

I would think we'd have to do a topic count of every verse to get a definitive answer...

Go ahead and include John. Not even limiting it to the Synoptics. Take John and combine with the Synoptics, and what do you see as Jesus most emphasized teaching.

Not a scientific count, but a general impression of emphasis based on repetition.

Do you think John's emphasis on "believing in Jesus" (whatever that means) outweighs Jesus emphasis in the Synoptics on how YHVH is a loving and merciful Father?

Did either John or the Synoptics mention Jesus primary teaching as dying to "pay for" the sins of humanity, in more than a verse or two each? If so, where?

And if not, are one or two verses from the Synoptics or one or two verses from John enough of a foundation upon which to base a whole blood-atonement theology?

[ttruscott]

Do you think John's emphasis on "believing in Jesus" (whatever that means) outweighs Jesus emphasis in the Synoptics on how YHVH is a loving and merciful Father?

If His most often spoken message was indeed that YHVH is a loving and merciful Father, how does that conflict with the need to put one's faith in Him as saviour?

I stand on the rule that scripture cannot contradict scripture. HIS love cannot contradict the need for faith. Nor can His death as atonement contradict love. To my mind, the Passover story is a love story though it involves death, both sacrificial and judgmental. So is the offering of Isaac: Gen 22:7 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." And he said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" 8 Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." So the two of them walked on together.

GOD provides the sacrifice is as old as the start of the religion.