Jesus Christ​—The Greatest Missionary

“I am a representative from him, and that One sent me forth.”​—JOHN 7:29.

1, 2. What is a missionary, and who can be called the greatest Missionary?

WHAT comes to mind when you hear the word “missionary”? Some think of Christendom’s missionaries, many of whom meddle in the political and economic affairs of the countries where they serve. As one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, however, you likely think of the missionaries sent out by the Governing Body to preach the good news in various lands around the earth. (Matt. 24:14) These missionaries unselfishly devote their time and effort to the noble cause of helping people to draw close to Jehovah God and enjoy a precious relationship with him.​—Jas. 4:8.

² The words “missionary” and “missionaries” do not appear in the main text of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. In its footnote on Ephesians 4:11, however, the Reference Bible suggests that the Greek word translated “evangelizers” can also be rendered “missionaries.” Jehovah is the greatest Evangelizer, but he cannot be called the greatest Missionary, for he was never sent by anyone. Concerning his heavenly Father, though, Jesus Christ said: “I am a representative from him, and that One sent me forth.” (John 7:29) In an expression of great love for the world of mankind, Jehovah sent his only-begotten Son to the earth. (John 3:16) Jesus can be called the greatest Missionary, the ultimate Missionary, because one reason why he was sent to earth was to “bear witness to the truth.” (John 18:37) He was completely successful in proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom, and the benefits of his service are still available to us. For example, we can apply his teaching methods in our ministry, whether we are assigned as missionaries or not.

3. What questions are we going to consider?

³ Jesus’ role as a Kingdom proclaimer raises such questions as these: What did Jesus experience on earth? Why was his teaching effective? And what made his ministry successful?

A Willing Spirit Amid New Surroundings

4-6. What were some changes Jesus faced upon being sent to earth?

⁴ Present-day missionaries and some Christians who move to places where the need for Kingdom preachers is greater may have to become accustomed to conditions below the living standard they have been used to. But we cannot even imagine the contrast between Jesus’ circumstances on earth and those in heaven, where he lived with his Father among angelic creatures who served Jehovah with pure motives. (Job 38:7) How different it was to be among sinful humans in a corrupt world! (Mark 7:20-23) Jesus even had to deal with rivalry among his closest disciples. (Luke 20:46; 22:24) Of course, he dealt perfectly with everything he encountered on earth.

⁵ Jesus did not miraculously start to speak a human language; he began to learn it as a babe. What a change from being in command of the angels in heaven! On earth, Jesus used at least one of “the tongues of men.” It was completely different from ‘the tongues of angels.’ (1 Cor. 13:1) When it came to winsome words, however, no human ever spoke as Jesus did.​—Luke 4:22.

⁶ Consider other ways in which things changed greatly for God’s Son when he came to earth. Although Jesus did not inherit sin from Adam, He did become a human, like those who would later become his “brothers,” or anointed followers. (Read Hebrews 2:17, 18.) On the last night of his earthly life, Jesus refrained from asking his heavenly Father to send “more than twelve legions of angels.” But just think of the angelic creatures over whom he had authority as Michael the Archangel! (Matt. 26:53; Jude 9) Yes, Jesus did perform miracles; yet, what he did while on earth was relatively limited compared with what he would have been able to accomplish in heaven.

7. How did the Jews act as far as the Law was concerned?

⁷ During his prehuman existence as “the Word,” Jesus may have been God’s Spokesman who guided the Israelites through the wilderness. (John 1:1; Ex. 23:20-23) However, they had “received the Law as transmitted by angels but [had] not kept it.” (Acts 7:53; Heb. 2:2, 3) In fact, the first-century Jewish religious leaders failed to discern the intent of the Law. For example, consider the Sabbath law. (Read Mark 3:4-6.) The scribes and Pharisees “disregarded the weightier matters of the Law, namely, justice and mercy and faithfulness.” (Matt. 23:23) Nevertheless, Jesus did not give up and cease to declare the truth.

8. Why can Jesus come to our aid?

⁸ Jesus had a willing spirit. He was moved by love for people and keenly wanted to help them. He never lost the evangelizing spirit. And because of his faithfulness to Jehovah while on earth, Jesus “became responsible for everlasting salvation to all those obeying him.” Moreover, “in that he himself has suffered when being put to the test, he is able to come to the aid of those [like us] who are being put to the test.”​—Heb. 2:18; 5:8, 9.

Well-Trained as a Teacher

9, 10. What kind of training did Jesus receive before being sent to earth?

⁹ Before present-day Christians are sent out as missionaries, the Governing Body arranges for them to be trained. Did Jesus Christ receive training? Yes, but he did not attend the rabbinic schools before being anointed as the Messiah; neither was he taught at the feet of some prominent religious leaders. (John 7:15; compare Acts 22:3.) Why, then, was Jesus so qualified to teach?

¹⁰ Regardless of what Jesus may have learned from his mother, Mary, and his adoptive father, Joseph, he received his principal training for the ministry from the highest Source. Concerning this, Jesus said: “I have not spoken out of my own impulse, but the Father himself who sent me has given me a commandment as to what to tell and what to speak.” (John 12:49) Notice that the Son was given specific instruction about what to teach. Before coming to the earth, Jesus undoubtedly spent much time listening to his Father’s instruction. What better training could he have received?

11. To what extent did Jesus reflect his Father’s attitude toward mankind?

¹¹ From the time he was created, the Son had an intimate relationship with his Father. During his prehuman existence, Jesus discerned God’s attitude toward humans by observing Jehovah’s dealings with them. God’s love for mankind was reflected in the Son to such an extent that as wisdom personified, he could say: “The things I was fond of were with the sons of men.”​—Prov. 8:22, 31.

12, 13. (a) How did Jesus learn by observing his Father’s dealings with the Israelites? (b) How did Jesus use the training he received?

¹² The training that the Son received also included observing how his Father managed adverse circumstances. For example, consider Jehovah’s dealings with the wayward Israelites. Nehemiah 9:28 states: “As soon as they were at rest, they would again do what is bad before you [Jehovah], and you would leave them to the hand of their enemies, who would tread them down. Then they would return and call to you for aid, and you yourself would hear from the very heavens and deliver them in accord with your abundant mercy, time and again.” Working with and observing Jehovah, Jesus cultivated similar compassion for the people in his territory.​—John 5:19.

¹³ Jesus put this training to work as he compassionately dealt with his disciples. On the night before his death, all the apostles he had loved so much “abandoned him and fled.” (Matt. 26:56; John 13:1) The apostle Peter even denied Christ three times! Nevertheless, Jesus left a way open for his apostles to return to him. He told Peter: “I have made supplication for you that your faith may not give out; and you, when once you have returned, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:32) Spiritual Israel has successfully been founded on “the apostles and prophets,” and the foundation stones of the wall of New Jerusalem bear the names of the 12 faithful apostles of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. To this day, anointed Christians along with their dedicated associates, the “other sheep,” flourish as a Kingdom-preaching organization under the mighty hand of God and the leadership of his beloved Son.​—Eph. 2:20; John 10:16; Rev. 21:14.

How Jesus Taught

14, 15. In what ways did Jesus’ teaching contrast with that of the scribes and Pharisees?

¹⁴ How did Jesus put his training into practice in teaching his followers? When we compare Jesus’ instruction with that of the Jewish religious leaders, we clearly see the superiority of Jesus’ way of teaching. The scribes and Pharisees ‘made God’s word invalid because of their tradition.’ In contrast, what Jesus spoke was not of his own originality; he stuck to God’s word, or message. (Matt. 15:6; John 14:10) That is also what we need to do.

¹⁵ Another factor made Jesus totally different from the religious leaders. Regarding the scribes and Pharisees, he said: “All the things they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds, for they say but do not perform.” (Matt. 23:3) Jesus practiced what he taught. Let us consider an example that proves this to be true.

16. Why would you say that Jesus lived in harmony with his words recorded at Matthew 6:19-21?

¹⁶ Jesus urged his disciples to “store up . . . treasures in heaven.” (Read Matthew 6:19-21.) Did Jesus himself live in accord with that admonition? Yes, for he could truthfully say concerning himself: “Foxes have dens and birds of heaven have roosts, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay down his head.” (Luke 9:58) Jesus lived simply. He was primarily occupied with proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom, and he demonstrated what it meant to be free of the anxieties that come from storing up treasures on earth. Jesus pointed out how much better it is to store up treasures in heaven, “where neither moth nor rust consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Are you following Jesus’ admonition to store up treasures in heaven?

Qualities That Endeared Jesus to People

17. What qualities made Jesus an extraordinary evangelizer?

¹⁷ What qualities made Jesus an extraordinary evangelizer? One was his attitude toward the people he helped. Among the fine qualities of Jehovah that Jesus reflected were humility, love, and compassion. Note how these traits drew many to Jesus.

18. Why can it be said that Jesus was humble?

¹⁸ Having accepted the assignment to come to the earth, Jesus “emptied himself and took a slave’s form and came to be in the likeness of men.” (Phil. 2:7) That was an act of humility. Furthermore, Jesus did not look down on people. He did not have the attitude, ‘I came all the way from the heavens, so you should listen to me.’ Unlike self-proclaimed false messiahs, Jesus did not go about trumpeting his role as the true Messiah. Sometimes he told people to refrain from telling others who he was or what he had done. (Matt. 12:15-21) Jesus wanted people to make their decision to follow him based on what they themselves observed. How blessed his disciples were that their Lord did not expect them to be like the perfect angels with whom he had associated in heaven!

19, 20. How did love and compassion move Jesus to help people?

¹⁹ Jesus Christ also expressed love​—a dominant quality of his heavenly Father. (1 John 4:8) Jesus taught his audiences out of love. For instance, consider his feelings for a certain young ruler. (Read Mark 10:17-22.) Jesus “felt love for him” and wanted to help him, but the young ruler did not give up his many possessions in order to become a follower of Christ.

²⁰ Among Jesus’ endearing qualities was his compassion. Like all imperfect humans, those who responded to his teaching were burdened with problems. Aware of this, Jesus taught them with compassion and pity. To illustrate: On one occasion, Jesus and his apostles were so busy that they did not have time even to eat a meal. However, what was Jesus’ reaction when he saw that a crowd had gathered? “He was moved with pity for them, because they were as sheep without a shepherd. And he started to teach them many things.” (Mark 6:34) Jesus noticed the pitiful condition of the people in his territory and expended himself in teaching them and performing miracles for their benefit. Some were attracted by his fine qualities, were moved by his words, and became his disciples.

21. What will we consider in the next article?

²¹ There is much more that we can learn about Jesus’ earthly ministry, as the next article will show. In what further ways can we imitate Jesus Christ, the greatest Missionary?

Imitate the Greatest Missionary

“Become imitators of me, even as I am of Christ.”​—1 COR. 11:1.

1. Why should we imitate Jesus Christ?

THE apostle Paul imitated the greatest Missionary, Jesus Christ. Paul also urged his fellow Christians: “Become imitators of me, even as I am of Christ.” (1 Cor. 11:1) After Jesus gave his apostles an object lesson in humility by humbly washing their feet, he told them: “I set the pattern for you, that, just as I did to you, you should do also.” (John 13:12-15) As present-day Christians, we have an obligation to imitate Jesus Christ in our words and deeds and in the qualities we display.​—1 Pet. 2:21.

2. Even if you have not been appointed by the Governing Body as a missionary, what attitude can you have?

² In the preceding article, we learned that a missionary is one who is sent as an evangelizer​—one who brings good news to others. In this regard, Paul posed some interesting questions. (Read Romans 10:11-15.) Note that the apostle asked: “How . . . will they hear without someone to preach?” He then quoted the words from Isaiah’s prophecy: “How comely are the feet of those who declare good news of good things!” (Isa. 52:7) Even if you have not been appointed and sent forth to serve as a missionary in a foreign assignment, you can have the evangelizing spirit, imitating Jesus as a zealous proclaimer of the good news. Last year, 6,957,854 Kingdom publishers ‘did the work of evangelizers’ in 236 lands.​—2 Tim. 4:5.

“We Have Left All Things and Followed You”

3, 4. What did Jesus leave behind in heaven, and what must we do in order to be his followers?

³ To fulfill his assigned role on the earth, Jesus “emptied himself and took a slave’s form,” leaving behind his heavenly life and glory. (Phil. 2:7) Whatever we do in imitation of Christ cannot be compared with what Jesus did when coming to the earth. But we can remain steadfast as his followers, not longingly looking back at what we had in Satan’s world.​—1 John 5:19.

⁴ On one occasion, the apostle Peter told Jesus: “Look! We have left all things and followed you.” (Matt. 19:27) Peter, Andrew, James, and John quickly abandoned their nets when invited to follow Jesus. They left behind the fishing business and made the ministry their vocation. According to Luke’s Gospel account, Peter said: “Look! We have left our own things and followed you.” (Luke 18:28) Most of us did not have to leave all “our own things” behind so as to follow Jesus. However, we did have to ‘disown ourselves’ to become followers of Christ and wholehearted servants of Jehovah. (Matt. 16:24) Such a course has resulted in rich blessings. (Read Matthew 19:29.) Having an evangelizing spirit in imitation of Christ brings joy to our heart, especially if we have had even a small part in helping someone to draw close to God and his beloved Son.

5. Relate an experience that demonstrates what an immigrant may decide to do upon learning Bible truth.

⁵ Valmir, a Brazilian man living in the interior of Suriname, was a gold miner. He was an alcoholic who led an immoral life. Once when he was in a city, Jehovah’s Witnesses started to study the Bible with him. He studied every day, made many changes, and was soon baptized. When he saw that his work made it difficult to live in harmony with his newfound faith, he sold his lucrative business and moved back to Brazil to help his family find spiritual treasures. Upon learning Bible truth, many immigrants willingly give up jobs in affluent countries and go back to their homeland with the objective of helping their relatives and others spiritually. Such Kingdom publishers display a real evangelizing spirit.

6. What can we do if we cannot move to where the need for Kingdom proclaimers is greater?

⁶ A number of Witnesses have been able to move to areas where the need for Kingdom preachers is greater. Some even serve abroad. Personally, we may not be in a position to make such a move, but we can imitate Jesus by always doing our best in the ministry.

Jehovah Provides Needed Training

7. What schools are available for training those who want to enhance their ability as Kingdom proclaimers?

⁷ Just as Jesus received training from his Father, we can take advantage of the education that Jehovah is now providing. Jesus himself said: “It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by Jehovah.’” (John 6:45; Isa. 54:13) Today, there are schools especially designed to equip us as Kingdom proclaimers. Doubtless, all of us have benefited in some way from the Theocratic Ministry School in our local congregations. Pioneers are privileged to attend the Pioneer Service School. A number of experienced pioneers have had the pleasure of attending the school a second time. Elders and ministerial servants have attended the Kingdom Ministry School to enhance their teaching ability and the service they render to fellow believers. Numerous single elders and ministerial servants have gone through the Ministerial Training School, which equips them to help others in the preaching work. And many of the brothers and sisters who have received foreign missionary assignments have been trained at the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead.

8. How much do some brothers value the training that Jehovah provides?

⁸ Many Witnesses of Jehovah have made adjustments in order to attend these schools. To attend the Ministerial Training School in Canada, Yugu resigned from his secular work because his employer denied his request for a leave. “I don’t regret it,” said Yugu. “In fact, if they had given me a leave of absence as a favor, they might have expected me to stay with the company permanently out of loyalty. But now I am available for whatever assignment I might yet receive from Jehovah.” To take advantage of training provided by God, many have willingly sacrificed what they once valued highly.​—Luke 5:28.

9. Give an example that shows the effectiveness of Scriptural teaching and earnest effort.

⁹ Scriptural teaching and earnest effort are very effective. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17) Consider what happened in the case of Saulo in Guatemala. He was born with a slight mental disability, and one of his teachers told his mother that she should not force the boy to learn to read, as that would only frustrate him. Saulo left school without knowing how to read. However, a Witness taught Saulo to read, using the brochure Apply Yourself to Reading and Writing. Eventually, Saulo advanced to the point of giving talks in the Theocratic Ministry School. Saulo’s mother later met his teacher in the house-to-house ministry. Upon hearing that Saulo had learned to read, the teacher asked her to bring him along the following week. The next week, the teacher asked Saulo, “What are you going to teach me?” Saulo started to read a paragraph from the book What Does the Bible Really Teach? “I cannot believe that you are now teaching me,” said the teacher. Unable to hold back her tears, she embraced Saulo.

Teaching That Moves the Heart

10. What excellent tool is available for our use in teaching Bible truth?

¹⁰ Jesus based his teaching on what Jehovah taught him directly and on instruction found in God’s written Word. (Luke 4:16-21; John 8:28) We imitate Jesus by applying his counsel and adhering to the Scriptures. All of us thus speak and think in agreement, and this contributes to our unity. (1 Cor. 1:10) How grateful we are that “the faithful and discreet slave” provides Bible-based publications to help us maintain unity in our teaching and accomplish our work as evangelizers! (Matt. 24:45; 28:19, 20) One of these publications is the Bible Teach book, now available in 179 languages.

11. How did a sister in Ethiopia overcome opposition by using the Bible Teach book?

¹¹ Studying the Scriptures using the Bible Teach book can even change the heart of opposers. On one occasion Lula, a pioneer sister in Ethiopia, was conducting a Bible study when a relative of the student burst in and said that they need not have such a study. Lula calmly reasoned with the relative, using the illustration about counterfeit money in chapter 15 of the Bible Teach book. The woman calmed down and allowed them to resume the study. In fact, she was there for the next study and requested her own Bible study, even offering to pay for it! She was soon studying three times a week and made fine spiritual progress.

12. Give an example to show how young people can effectively teach Bible truths.

¹² Young people can help others by using the Bible Teach book. When 11-year-old Keanu in Hawaii was reading this book in school, one of his classmates asked him, “Why don’t you celebrate holidays?” Keanu read the answer right from the appendix topic “Should We Celebrate Holidays?” He then turned to the book’s table of contents and asked the boy which subject interested him the most. A Bible study was started. Last service year, Jehovah’s Witnesses conducted 6,561,426 Bible studies, many of which put the Bible Teach book to good use. Are you using this tool on Bible studies?

13. In what way can studying the Bible have a strong influence on people?

¹³ Studying the Scriptures using the Bible Teach book can exert a strong influence on those desiring to do God’s will. A special pioneer couple in Norway started a Bible study with a family from Zambia. The Zambian couple had three daughters and did not want another baby. So when the woman became pregnant, they decided in favor of an abortion. A few days before consulting with a doctor, they studied the chapter entitled “A Godly View of Life.” The picture of an unborn child appearing in that chapter touched the couple so deeply that they decided against the abortion. They continued to make fine spiritual progress and named their newborn son after the study conductor.

14. Illustrate how living in harmony with what we teach can produce good results.

¹⁴ An important aspect of Jesus’ way of teaching was that he lived in harmony with what he taught. Many people come to appreciate the fine conduct of Jehovah’s Witnesses, who imitate Jesus in this regard. A businessman in New Zealand had his car broken into and his briefcase stolen. He reported this to the police, who said: “Your only chance of getting your property back would be if one of Jehovah’s Witnesses was to find it.” A Witness delivering newspapers found the briefcase. Notified of this, the owner came to the sister’s home. He was relieved to find that a document that was invaluable to him was there. The sister told him, “It was only proper that I return the property, especially as I am one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” The businessman was amazed, remembering what the constable had told him that very morning. Clearly, true Christians are living according to the teachings found in the Bible and in imitation of Jesus.​—Heb. 13:18.

Imitate Jesus’ Attitude Toward People

15, 16. How can we attract people to the message we preach?

¹⁵ Jesus’ attitude toward people attracted them to his message. For instance, his love and humility drew lowly ones to him. He expressed compassion for those who came to him and comforted them with kind words, healing many physically. (Read Mark 2:1-5.) We cannot perform miracles, but we can show love, humility, and compassion​—qualities that help to draw people to the truth.

¹⁶ Compassion played a role when a special pioneer named Tariua called at the home of an elderly man named Beere, who lives on one of the more isolated islands of Kiribati in the South Pacific. Though the man indicated that he was unwilling to listen, Tariua noticed that he was partially paralyzed and felt compassion for him. “Have you heard what God promises for people who are sick and elderly?” she asked. Then she read a passage from Isaiah’s prophecy. (Read Isaiah 35:5, 6.) Intrigued, the man said, “I’ve been reading the Bible for years and have been visited by a missionary from my religion for many years, but I’ve never seen that in the Bible.” A Bible study was started with Beere, and he made fine spiritual progress. Yes, he was severely crippled, but he is now baptized, takes the lead in caring for an isolated group, and is able to walk all over the island preaching the good news.

Continue to Imitate Christ

17, 18. (a) How can you become a successful evangelizer? (b) What is in store for those who take their ministry seriously?

¹⁷ As joyful experiences in the ministry repeatedly demonstrate, we can be successful evangelizers if we cultivate and display the qualities manifested by Jesus. How fitting it is, then, that we imitate Christ as zealous evangelizers!

¹⁸ When some became Jesus’ disciples in the first century, Peter asked: “What actually will there be for us?” Jesus replied: “Everyone that has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive many times more and will inherit everlasting life.” (Matt. 19:27-29) That is certain to be our experience if we continue to imitate the greatest Missionary, Jesus Christ.