Jesus's "Difficult" Teachings: Exploring the Sayings That Challenge Our Understanding
What did Jesus mean by "hate your family" or "give up everything"? This post explores these and other difficult sayings, offering context and deeper understanding.
BIBLE INSIGHTS
We all know those moments in the Gospels when Jesus says something that just stops you in your tracks. It's not always comfortable. It's not always what we expect. Sometimes, it even sounds downright harsh. These are the “difficult” teachings of Jesus, the ones that challenge our comfortable assumptions and force us to dig deeper into the meaning of faith. Let's explore a few.
Love Your Enemies? Seriously?
One of the most challenging teachings, hands down, is found in Matthew 5:44: “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Loving your enemies? In a world built on retaliation and self-preservation, this seems almost impossible. Our natural instinct is to defend ourselves, to strike back. But Jesus calls us to something higher.
Think about it: Loving your enemies isn't about condoning their actions. It's about recognizing their humanity, understanding that they, too, are children of God, even if they're lost and misguided. It's about choosing compassion over resentment, a difficult but transformative choice.
Source: Google Image
Hate Your Family? What?!
Another passage that often raises eyebrows is Luke 14:26: “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” Taken literally, this seems to contradict the very core of family values. But Jesus isn't advocating for literal hatred.
The word "hate" here is used in a comparative sense. It's about prioritizing God above all else, even the closest relationships in our lives. It's about recognizing that our ultimate loyalty belongs to Him. As Matthew 10:37 puts it, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” It's a matter of placing God first, not a call to despise our families.
Give Up Everything? That's Extreme!
Jesus frequently talks about the cost of discipleship, and sometimes that cost sounds incredibly high. In Mark 10:21, he tells the rich young ruler, “Go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.” This isn't a blanket command for everyone to sell all their possessions.
Source: Google Image
Instead, it speaks to the danger of material possessions controlling us. The rich young ruler’s wealth was an idol, preventing him from fully committing to Jesus. The message here is about detachment, about being willing to let go of anything that stands between us and God. It's about recognizing that true treasure lies not in earthly possessions, but in a relationship with Him.
The Mustard Seed and the Mountain: Faith, Not Magic
In Matthew 17:20, Jesus says, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” This isn't a promise of magical powers granted through faith. It's about the power of unwavering belief in God's ability to work in our lives.
The mustard seed is tiny, but it grows into a large plant. This illustrates that even a small amount of genuine faith can produce extraordinary results, not through our own power, but through God's. It's not about moving literal mountains, but about overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles through trust in Him.
A Call to Deeper Understanding
These “difficult” teachings aren't meant to discourage us or make us feel inadequate. They are invitations to deeper reflection, to wrestle with the complexities of faith, and to seek a more profound understanding of God's will. They challenge us to move beyond surface-level interpretations and embrace the transformative power of Jesus's words. They remind us that following Jesus is not always easy, but it is always worth it.
Frequently asked questions
What are "difficult teachings" of Jesus?
These are sayings of Jesus in the Gospels that can be hard to understand or seem to contradict common sense or traditional values, requiring deeper reflection and interpretation.
Is Jesus telling everyone to sell all their possessions?
No, the message is about detachment from material possessions and recognizing that they shouldn't control us or come between us and God. It's about avoiding idolatry of wealth.
What does Jesus mean by "love your enemies"?
It doesn't mean condoning their actions but recognizing their humanity and choosing compassion over resentment, reflecting God's love even towards those who oppose us.
What is the overall purpose of these "difficult" teachings?
They are invitations to deeper reflection, challenging us to move beyond surface-level understanding of faith and embrace the transformative power of Jesus's words, leading to spiritual growth and a closer relationship with God.
Why does Jesus say we should "hate" our family?
The word "hate" is used comparatively. It means prioritizing God above all else, even our closest relationships, not literal hatred of family members. It's about ultimate loyalty to God.
What does Jesus mean by "faith as a grain of mustard seed"?
It illustrates that even a small amount of genuine faith in God can produce extraordinary results, not through our own power, but through God's working in our lives. It's about trusting in God's ability to overcome obstacles.