Chapter 20: What Jesus Taught
UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES
1. How Christ Taught (pp. 364–367)
ANTICIPATORY SET
Read the Parable of the Treasure Hidden in the Field (cf. Mt 13:44).
Discuss its meaning.
1. How Christ Taught (pp. 364–367)
BASIC QUESTIONS
What was Christ’s source of authority?
What are parables?
What is the meaning of the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders?
What is the importance of the Kingdom of God in Christ’s teaching?
What does it mean to be born again?
KEY IDEAS
Unlike the rabbis, Christ taught on his own authority.
Christ taught with parables, which are stories that illustrate principles.
The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders illustrates the nature of the
Church he was establishing on rock.
Christ’s central teaching was the Kingdom of God being at hand; the rest
of his teachings were about what the Kingdom is like and how to live in it.
Baptism is the entry into the Kingdom of God.
1. How Christ Taught (pp. 364–367)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What effect did Christ’s teaching have on people?
They had strong reactions. Some left everything to follow him, and some
others wanted to kill him.
How did a typical rabbi teach?
A rabbi would have read a passage of Scripture, studied what past rabbis
had said about that passage, and then offered his own interpretation.
How did Christ teach?
He spoke on his own authority. He did not quote other teachers to give his
argument weight.
1. How Christ Taught (pp. 364–367)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is a parable?
It is a story or example based on a life experience told to illustrate a principle.
What is the first layer of meaning in the Parable of the Wise and Foolish
Builders?
Nothing can harm the man who does what Christ says, but his fall will be great who
does not do it.
What wise man would Christ’s hearers have likely recalled?
King Solomon was the wisest man in Jewish history.
1. How Christ Taught (pp. 364–367)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What house did the man in the previous answer build on rock?
Solomon built the Temple, the Lord’s house, on the Foundation Stone in Jerusalem.
What was the legend about the Foundation Stone?
This great rock was the gate of the underworld, the place of the dead (Sheol / Hades).
The Temple sealed this gate.
Upon what rock did Christ build his Church?
He built his Church on Simon Bar-Jona, whom he renamed Peter (In Greek, Petros,
which means rock).
1. How Christ Taught (pp. 364–367)
GUIDED EXERCISE
A think / pair / share using the following question:
What parallel exists between the Temple and the Church in light of the
Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders?
1. How Christ Taught (pp. 364–367)
GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
Complete the following table to examine the meaning of Christ’s
proclamation: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand:
repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mk 1:15).
Jesus’ Basic Theme
Phrase
The time is fulfilled.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent.
Believe in the Gospel.
Explanation
1. How Christ Taught (pp. 364–367)
Jesus’ Basic Theme
Phrase
The time is fulfilled.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent.
Believe in the Gospel.
Explanation
It is now the fullness of time. It is the
perfect time.
God’s reign or rule is here. Or, God is here.
Turn away from your sin. Leave your old
way of life.
Have faith in the good news you are
hearing.
1. How Christ Taught (pp. 364–367)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What was the theme of all of Christ’s teachings?
His theme was the Kingdom of God.
What was the purpose of the rest of Christ’s teachings?
They either showed what the Kingdom of God is like or explained to his
hearers how they ought to live in it.
How did Christ make his teachings understandable?
He used parables, striking paradoxes, and the example of his own life.
1. How Christ Taught (pp. 364–367)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What was Nicodemus’s status in Israel?
He was a prominent Pharisee.
How did Nicodemus address Christ?
Nicodemus addressed Christ humbly, as a student would address his
teacher, calling him Rabbi.
What are the two meanings of anew?
It can mean again or from above.
1. How Christ Taught (pp. 364–367)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
How did Nicodemus initially misunderstand Christ?
Nicodemus thought Christ meant one had to be literally born again—out
of his mother’s womb—to see the Kingdom of God.
What did Christ actually mean?
Christ meant Nicodemus had to be born from above, born of water and the
Spirit, in other words, baptized.
What effect did meeting Christ have on Nicodemus?
Nicodemus defended Christ before the authorities of Jerusalem and had
the courage to identify himself as a disciple after the Crucifixion.
1. How Christ Taught (pp. 364–367)
CLOSURE
Write a paragraph explaining the two meanings of the Parable of the
Wise and Foolish Builders.
1. How Christ Taught (pp. 364–367)
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT
Study Questions 1–8 (p. 377)
Practical Exercises 1–2 (p. 378)
Workbook Questions 1–6
Read “The Letter of the Law Is not Enough” through “The First Shall
Be Last” (pp. 368–371)
1. How Christ Taught (pp. 364–367)
ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT
A class discussion based on Christ’s discussion with Nicodemus about
the meaning of born again.
2. What Christ Taught (pp. 368–371)
ANTICIPATORY SET
After dinner, John’s mother told him to wash the dishes. An hour later
John’s mother went into the kitchen and saw a mess: John had washed the
dishes, but he had not washed the flatware, glasses, or pots.
Discuss how John has obeyed the letter but not the spirit of his mother’s
request.
2. What Christ Taught (pp. 368–371)
BASIC QUESTIONS
 What is the Spirit of the New Law?
 How does the New Law reorient the Old Law?
KEY IDEAS
 To be holy, one must obey not just the letter of the Law but the spirit
behind it; the Spirit of the New Law is the Holy Spirit, who shows love
and mercy to every person without qualification, illustrated by the Parable
of the Good Samaritan.
 The New Law elevates and orients the Old Law toward the Kingdom of
God by proclaiming the poor, sorrowful, humble, and persecuted will be
first and the rich and proud will be last.
2. What Christ Taught (pp. 368–371)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is the relationship between obeying the spirit of the Law and
conversion of heart?
Obeying the spirit of the Law means discerning what is in the heart of the
Law—what the Law really intends—and conforming an action to its
intention. In order to be attentive to the true intention of a law, one needs a
new, or converted, heart: one that is humble, forgiving, pure, and prayerful.
What two Commandments sum up the Old Law?
Love God with your whole heart and your neighbor as yourself
(cf. Mt 22:37–39).
Why did the lawyer ask, “Who is my neighbor?” (Lk 12:29)?
He wanted to know the letter of the Law, i.e., exactly which people he had
to love and which people he could ignore or even hate.
2. What Christ Taught (pp. 368–371)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, why did the priest and the
Levite avoid the man who had fallen among robbers?
The man looked dead, and touching a dead body would have made them
ritually unclean.
What was the essence of the Old Law according to Micah?
The essence of the Old Law was justice, kindness, and humility before God.
What was Christ’s answer to the lawyer’s original question, “Who is
my neighbor?” (Lk 12:29)?
Since Christ had told him to go and do as the Samaritan had done, the
answer clearly included every person in need.
2. What Christ Taught (pp. 368–371)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Why did the poor and outcast follow Christ?
Christ taught the last would be first and the first would be last. These
groups were certainly last.
What is paradoxical about the Beatitudes?
Christ taught those suffering what people consider misfortunes are actually
blessed because of the rewards they will receive. For example, those who
are poor in spirit will inherit the Kingdom of God and are thus blessed.
How can a person become great in the Kingdom of God?
A person can become great by becoming a servant of others in imitation of
the Son of Man, who came not to be served but to serve.
2. What Christ Taught (pp. 368–371)
GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
Complete the following table to understand how Christ fulfilled the Old
Law by elevating and orienting it toward the Kingdom of Heaven
(cf. CCC 1972, p. 370).
Elevation and Reorientation of the Old Law
Dimensions of the New Law
Explanation
Love
Grace
Freedom
2. What Christ Taught (pp. 368–371)
Elevation and Reorientation of the Old Law
Dimensions of the New Law
Explanation
Love
The New Law lets us act out of love
rather than fear.
Grace
Through faith and the sacraments the
New Law gives us grace to act.
Freedom
The New Law sets us free from the
ritual and juridical observances of the
Old Law.
It inclines us to act spontaneously by
the promptings of charity.
It lets us pass from the condition of
servitude to that of friend or even son
and heir.
2. What Christ Taught (pp. 368–371)
GUIDED EXERCISE
A class discussion using the following question:
Why can wealth be an obstacle to entry into the Kingdom of God?
2. What Christ Taught (pp. 368–371)
CLOSURE
Free write for five minutes about the Spirit of the New Law of Love.
2. What Christ Taught (pp. 368–371)
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT
Study Questions 9–12 (p. 377)
Practical Exercises 3–4 (p. 378)
Workbook Questions 7–10
Read “Love Your Enemies” through “Jesus Is the Bread of Life” (pp.
372–375)
2. What Christ Taught (pp. 368–371)
ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT
Read the Beatitudes (Mt 5:3–12) and then write a short parable
illustrating one of those teachings.
Briefly share results.
3. What Christ Taught (continued) (pp. 372–375)
ANTICIPATORY SET
Opening Prayer on Christ’s teaching about the love of enemies (cf. Mt 5:38–
48).
3. What Christ Taught (continued) (pp. 372–375)
BASIC QUESTIONS
What does the New Law command with respect to enemies and those who
offend?
What is the relationship between justice and grace in the New Law?
How are people to pray in the New Covenant?
What is the most important teaching of the New Law?
KEY IDEAS
Christ’s New Law commands love of enemies and unconditional forgiveness of
those who offend, which is an imitation of God’s love.
God gives grace—even though no one deserves it—because he loves as a Father
loves his children; people must go beyond strict justice to practice mercy toward
others.
People are to pray without ceasing, confident God will hear them; the Lord’s
Prayer is the model of prayer.
Christ is the Bread of Life; in the Eucharist, the People of God receive the true
Body and Blood of Christ.
3. What Christ Taught (continued) (pp. 372–375)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is the hardest of Christ’s teachings to practice?
Loving enemies is the hardest teaching to practice.
What examples did Christ offer to demonstrate love of enemy?
When struck on one cheek, turn the other cheek to be struck also.
How did Christ reverse Lamech’s ethic of revenge?
Lamech claimed the right to unlimited revenge for the smallest slight;
Christ demands unlimited forgiveness.
3. What Christ Taught (continued) (pp. 372–375)
GUIDED EXERCISE
A think / pair / share to list ways people can show love to their enemies.
GUIDED EXERCISE
A class discussion using the following questions:
Why should you love your enemies?
How can you love your enemies?
Does loving enemies have reasonable limits as to what you let them do to
you or what you should do for them?
3. What Christ Taught (continued) (pp. 372–375)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, what did the younger brother do?
He took his share of his father’s wealth, went to a Gentile land, and squandered it on
wild living.
Why did the younger brother return home?
He was without money and hungry and reasoned, if he could work as a servant in his
father’s house, he would be better off than he was.
How did their father respond to the younger son’s return?
He was overjoyed, accepted his son back, and prepared a celebration.
3. What Christ Taught (continued) (pp. 372–375)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
How did the older brother respond to their father’s forgiveness?
He resented it. He complained he had been a faithful son yet his father had never given
him a feast with his friends.
Why is it wrong not to want others to receive God’s blessings?
God goes beyond strict justice to give his grace and extend his mercy to all people.
Every person is wholly undeserving of divine grace and mercy.
What does the Parable of the Prodigal Son reveal about how God loves?
God loves every person the way a good father loves his children, even when they do the
exact opposite of what they ought.
3. What Christ Taught (continued) (pp. 372–375)
GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
Complete the following table according to the Catechism, no. 1983, on the
New Law.
Dimensions
Grace
Faith
Charity
Sermon on the Mount
The Sacraments
The New Law
The Significance of This Dimension of the
New Law Grace
3. What Christ Taught (continued) (pp. 372–375)
Dimensions
Grace
Faith
Charity
Sermon on the Mount
The Sacraments
The New Law
The Significance of This Dimension of the
New Law Grace
The New Law is the grace of the Holy
Spirit. This means it is not a set of
regulations but a power given to us by God.
We receive the New Law by having faith in
Jesus Christ. We get this grace by believing
what he has revealed and trusting in him to
take care of us.
The New Law operates or works through
charity. This means we see it in action
when we sincerely love our neighbor.
We can find an expression or picture of the
New Law in the Sermon on the Mount.
The Sacraments are the primary means
through which the People of God receive
grace.
3. What Christ Taught (continued) (pp. 372–375)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Why does God hear and answer people’s prayers?
He is merciful without limit.
How is the Lord’s Prayer a model for all prayer?
In the Lord’s Prayer, a simple, humble prayer, Christ bids his followers to
give glory to God, request his will be carried out in all circumstances, and
then ask for what they need.
Why can everyone be confident God will answer his or her prayer?
Even a friend or neighbor will eventually give what is requested when
pestered, and God is much more generous than any friend or neighbor.
3. What Christ Taught (continued) (pp. 372–375)
GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
Complete the following table to paraphrase each petition of the Lord’s
Prayer.
The Our Father or Lord’s Prayer
Petitions
Our father in heaven, hallowed be your
name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done on
earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses as we also
have forgiven those who trespass against
us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil.
Paraphrase
3. What Christ Taught (continued) (pp. 372–375)
The Our Father or Lord’s Prayer
Petitions
Our father in heaven, hallowed be your
name.
Paraphrase
Heavenly father, may everyone deeply
respect you.
Your kingdom come, your will be done on
earth as it is in heaven.
May men do what you want done here.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Grant us all we need to live today.
And forgive us our trespasses as we also
have forgiven those who trespass against
us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil.
Because we forgive those who wrong us,
please forgive us the wrong we do to you.
Do not let us be tested beyond ou r strength
and save us from the tempter.
3. What Christ Taught (continued) (pp. 372–375)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What did Christ teach about the Bread of Life?
Jesus said he himself is the Bread of Life.
What did Christ tell his followers they must do to have eternal life?
They must eat his Body and drink his Blood.
What is the reward for having eaten his Body and drunk his
Blood?
The reward is eternal life, resurrection from the dead, and abiding in
Christ.
3. What Christ Taught (continued) (pp. 372–375)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
How did people respond to Christ’s teaching about the Bread of
Life?
All but a few rejected him. Though his closest followers believed him, they
did not understand what he meant until the Last Supper.
What did Christ do at the Last Supper, which was his final Passover
meal?
He instituted the Eucharist by changing the bread and wine into his Body
and Blood.
What is the Eucharist?
It is the Sacrament in which Christ offers his Body and Blood as true,
spiritual food and drink. The bread and wine truly become the Body and
Blood of Christ, the Blood of the New Covenant.
3. What Christ Taught (continued) (pp. 372–375)
CLOSURE
Free write for five minutes about what you consider the most important
point in this lesson.
3. What Christ Taught (continued) (pp. 372–375)
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT
Study Questions 13–17 (p. 377)
Workbook Questions 11–36
Read Matthew 5: 1—7: 29
3. What Christ Taught (continued) (pp. 372–375)
ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT
Work with a partner to list objections to the doctrine of the Eucharist,
and then lead a class discussion to formulate answers to those objections
based on Christ’s words.
The End