Chapter 7 - Jesus the Teacher

Knowing Me, Knowing You - Ahaaaa! It might be a strange way to start a discussion about our Lord's teaching, but I think it fits. All about Jesus' parables, the seventh chapter of Drane's work does a nice job of showing that the many stories Christ shared with those around Him were focused on relationships - the relationships we have with God's Law, with God's kingdom, God's people, and with God Himself. The author reminds us that in Jesus, our relationship with God shifts, and He "can be addressed and known in the same intimate way that a human father might be addressed by a child."(p. 130) And so it's in relationships, it's Jesus teaching us that we can call God "Dad - Abba" that we can find the deeper meanings of the Lord's teachings.

What beautiful ways to reach out to the world the parables are. Christ, the master story teller, weaving images that the common woman or man could understand. Drawing us in, revealing to us the truth of the "significant aspects of God's own nature," (p. 128) Jesus desires that His children would come to know the character of God. He knows that as we come closer to God, we move further away from the ways of the world. In the parables we can see that God's sovereignty - He has authority over and is in control of everything. And we hear of God's love for us who don't really warrant His attention - and we see its unconditional nature. In God's grace, and in His compassion for a rebellious people, we see a God who is unending on His generosity in His provision for us.

But Jesus also taught us how to approach God in ways that pleasing to Him. He spoke of turning our lives around in repentance, "being prepared for a radical change in lifestyle...in order to become a member of God's kingdom." (p. 131) And maybe even more importantly, Jesus made it plain that God would accept no other way. God wants us all to come to Him...on His terms. Even as Jesus answered when asked about what was the most important law - He taught the same in His parables, showing that a proper relationship with God involves a living relationships with the communities in which we live.

One of the great things is that we can see that Jesus was the best teacher who ever was. Others had come before Him. "[Eager] students had sat at the feet of intellectual giants such as Plato or Socrates, hoping to discover the meaning of life." (p. 121) How amazing is it for us, that instead of sitting at His feet, we walk beside our Lord - having discovered life Himself.