Jesus as a Teacher

Jesus’ Teaching Methods

• Overstatement – Mt. 5:29-30; Lk 14:26

• Hyperbole

• Pun

• Proverb

• Riddle

• Paradox

• Parable

• Overstatements – Exaggerations– “Unless you hate your father and mother …”

Lk 14:26– “if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.”

Mt. 5:29-30

• Hyperbole– “speck in your brother’s eye, but a log in your

own.” Mt. 7:3-5

• Pun– “straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel”

Mt. 23:23-24 (qalma/gamla)

• Parables were Jesus’ favorite form of teaching– A figure of speech in which there is an

extended comparison– Types of parables

• Metaphor• Proverb• Story parable• Example story• Allegory

• The most popular parables were the story parables– The rich man and Lazarus– The Lost Son (Prodigal Son)– Parable of the Samaritan

• Parables have primarily one main point– One should not try to interpret every detail of

the story – focus on the main point

• Jesus’ purposes in telling parables– To illustrate his message– To conceal from those “outside” (Mk. 4:10-12)– To disarm or silence his opponents (MK. 12:1-

11)

• Luke 15 – 3 parables about the lost

• Sheep • Coin• Son

• The overriding theme in the parables is the Kingdom of God– The basic concept of the phrase “Kingdom of

God” is the extent of the influence of God in one’s life

– Mark 4 & Mt 13 have several parables on the Kingdom