The Master’s Manner of Teaching

“Never has another man spoken like this.”—John 7:46.

1. Who is the greatest teacher that has ever been on earth? What things should we learn from him, and with what result?

WHEN he was on earth nineteen hundred years ago they used to call him Master, Lord, Teacher and Instructor. (Matt. 8:19, 21, margin; Luke 5:5; 8:24, 45) This one was Jesus, whose birth at Bethlehem the angels of heaven announced and whom God his heavenly Father sent and anointed with his spirit to preach and teach among men. (Luke 2:4-14; 3:21-23; 4:16-22) Never has there been a greater teacher on earth than Jesus! No imperfect man can surpass his effectiveness in the ministry. As Jesus himself said: “A pupil is not above his teacher, but,” he added, “everyone that is perfectly instructed will be like his teacher.” Jesus the Master Teacher directed his disciples to preach as he preached, and he instructed them to teach as he taught. When we copy Jesus by speaking the word of God and not ideas of our own originality, we show that we are following him. When we employ the same methods of teaching that Jesus did, then we are becoming ‘like our teacher.’ It will then be recognized about us, as it was of the apostles, that we have learned from Jesus.—Luke 6:40; Acts 4:13.

2. (a) What message did Jesus announce, and why appropriately so? (b) What good news is to be preached in our day, and how?

² The message that Jesus announced was: “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.” When he sent out his twelve disciples he told them: “As you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.’” Yes, the kingdom had drawn near in the person of the anointed King himself. Concerning the time of the end, in which we now live, he said: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for the purpose of a witness.” Again it is the message of the Kingdom that Jesus’ followers are to preach, but this time it is the good news that God’s heavenly kingdom is established, that “now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ.” Jesus made the Kingdom live in the minds of his listeners, and we should learn to do the same. He also knew that there were stumbling blocks that kept some from embracing the good news, and he helped to clear them out of the way. By listening to Jesus we can learn from him how to be effective ministers.—Matt. 4:17; 10:7; 24:14; Rev. 12:10.

3. Why is Jesus’ manner of teaching, though centuries old, of special interest to us today, and what is required if our ministry is to be fruitful?

³ The manner of teaching that Jesus employed is as effective now as it was in the first century. People today are as they were in those days, inquisitive, curious, and they wanted to know why? how? where? Even though times change and world conditions may vary, the basic nature of people remains the same. As it was then, so it is now; people have the same weaknesses, desires and worries, so there is the same need for mercy, comfort, hope and security. We do not have to be able to perform miracles in order to convince others of the truth, but we must have accurate knowledge and the spirit of God in order to bear fruit that is an honor to his name. We must stay close to God and to his organization. Jesus illustrated it in this way: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the cultivator. . . . Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains in the vine, in the same way neither can you, unless you remain in union with me.” We must stay close to the Word of God and copy carefully the example of Jesus to be effective in the ministry.—John 15:1, 4.

4, 5. What showed his insight in dealing with people?

⁴ Jesus knew how people would react under various circumstances, and he used that knowledge in selecting pointed illustrations. Showing why he went to the sinners, those who had been as lost sheep, to teach them, he said: “What woman with ten drachma coins, if she loses one drachma coin, does not light a lamp and sweep her house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it she calls the women who are her friends and neighbors together, saying: ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the drachma coin that I lost.’” She searched the whole house to find the one lost coin. Even though she still had nine, she wanted the lost one, and when she found it she rejoiced more over that one than over the nine that she already had, because the lost coin was one of a special set of ten. This set may have been sewed to her marriage headpiece as part of her wedding dowry. So, because of its connections, that lost coin was irreplaceable. Its absence from her headgear because of loss would also arouse suspicion as to her virtue as a married woman. Or, if the set of ten coins was an heirloom, then it would be specially precious, and every coin in the set would be of special value. The set would not be complete without each coin. The loss of even one coin might cast suspicion on any visitor in the house before the loss was discovered. Hence visitors to the house would be concerned over the loss of the coin and would be glad to be proved innocent of theft of any part of the heirloom. So, when the loser of the coin would ransack her house and discover it there and she discharged her obligation to all her visitors of joyfully announcing the find, all her friends and neighbors would rejoice with her, both because of being cleared of suspicion of theft, and because the valued heirloom was restored complete.

⁵ Is that not true of people today? Let a person lose an original piece of a priceless set that has a lot of sentiment connected with it, or even family virtue and honor, and he is not happy until he finds it and can, with the joy of relief, announce the successful find to his concerned friends and neighbors. So, too, “the Son of man came to seek and to save what was lost.” How clearly Jesus illustrated the point! He understood people, and this showed in the way he spoke.—Luke 15:8, 9; 19:10.

6. Why were his illustrations so effective?

⁶ His use of illustrations became characteristic of his teaching. Instead of making complicated comparisons, he used everyday matters. He made use of little things to explain the big things, and easy things to make plain the hard things. What woman could not instantly appreciate the illustration of sewing a new patch on an old garment? What man in that agricultural country would not see and identify himself with the story of the man who went out to sow seed that fell on different types of soil? Those were things in everyday life, and when spiritual truths were tied to such events the truths could be visualized and more easily remembered.—Matt. 9:16; 13:3-9, 18-23.

7. (a) Why do illustrations make it easier for people to accept new ideas? (b) How did Jesus make his denunciation of greed and unmercifulness forceful?

⁷ These illustrations drove home the points so forcefully that no one could argue back. Most people believe what they see more readily than they believe things that they have simply heard. If you use an illustration, it is easier for them to accept what you are teaching, because they can see, or visualize, the truth that is involved. For example, when Jesus spoke against greed and lack of mercy he did not merely say, “It is not nice to be greedy.” No; he told of a man who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. One slave owed him ten thousand talents but could not pay. “Therefore the slave fell down and began to do obeisance to him, saying: ‘Be patient with me and I will pay back everything to you.’ Moved to pity at this, the master of that slave let him off and canceled his debt. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves that was owing him a hundred denarii; and, grabbing him, he began to choke him, saying: ‘Pay back whatever you owe.’ Therefore his fellow slave fell down and began to entreat him, saying: ‘Be patient with me and I will pay you back.’ However, he was not willing, but went off and had him thrown into prison.” Can you imagine it? A man forgiven a debt of over ten million dollars turned around and jailed another for failing to pay him seventeen dollars! How could anyone possibly defend such greed and lack of mercy? Jesus made greed and failure to forgive so repugnant that his disciples would sincerely try to root them out of their lives.—Matt. 18:23-35.

8, 9. What kind of person was Jesus, as shown by his speech, and how can we benefit by his example?

⁸ Jesus was uncompromisingly for the truth; he was dynamic as he attacked pride, self-righteousness and oppressive traditions. A man’s style of speech reveals what kind of person he is, and Jesus’ speech was vigorous. His descriptions were vivid. His listeners heard as Jesus painted word pictures of men with rafters in their eyes trying to pick straws from the eyes of others, herdsmen offering pearls to swine, houses on sand crashing in the storm while those on rock stood, men cutting off hands and plucking out eyes to escape destruction, offenders with huge millstones around their necks being hurled into the sea, camels squeezing through the eyes of sewing needles, and men straining out gnats and swallowing camels. Now just imagine swallowing a camel! Only a dynamic person would ever think of such verbal imagery, because a man talks according to his personality. Christ Jesus was the Lion of the tribe of Judah, he was filled with the spirit of God, and he spoke like it. Those who want to be his followers should learn his manner of teaching and follow his example as vigorous, enthusiastic advocates of the Bible truth.

⁹ His speech reveals him as one who was not shyly restrained or timid, but plain-spoken and effective. Jesus’ thoughts soared above and beyond the power of vocabulary, and at times only highly pictorial language could convey his intensity of feeling to those who listened. The crowds were astonished at his teaching and at the authority of his speech. With conviction he spoke the truth to them in the name of his Father, who had sent him. “And the great crowd was listening to him with pleasure,” we are told.—Mark 12:37.

10. What enabled Jesus to speak to people according to their individual needs?

¹⁰ He also had other qualities, softer ones. He was at ease with all kinds of people—young or old, male or female, rich or poor, upright or sinners—and he spoke to each one on a personal basis, in the way that that individual needed to be spoken to. This insight into the needs of others was one of his outstanding characteristics and it greatly influenced his teaching. As stated in John 2:25: “He was in no need to have anyone bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.”

11, 12. Why did he give the counsel he did to the rich young ruler, but who acted according to such counsel?

¹¹ Appreciating the need of each one, he spoke to them with insight. For example, a rich young ruler came to Jesus asking what he had to do to gain life, and Jesus said to keep the commandments of the Mosaic law. “All these I have kept from youth on,” the ruler answered. But had he? Could any imperfect man keep that perfect law? No. Yet Jesus did not waste time contesting that, but said: “There is yet one thing wanting about you: Sell all the things you have and distribute to poor people, and you will have treasure in the heavens; and come be my follower.” The man went away sad. (Luke 18:18-23) He was not happy like Simon Peter, who said for himself and his fellow apostles: “Look! we have left all things and followed you.” (Matt. 19:27) He was not like the wealthy tax collector Zacchaeus, who joyfully received Jesus into his house and entertained him and listened to Jesus’ teaching and then said: “Look! the half of my belongings, Master, I am giving to the poor.”

¹² But why did the Master not tell Zacchaeus to give all his belongings to the poor in order to become a disciple and follow Jesus? The reason why not was that Zacchaeus wanted to render justice with the other half of his belongings and thereby show he was a real follower of Jesus. Zacchaeus did not retain the other half of his belongings materialistically but, in the interest of justice, in order to discharge his righteous obligations. Zacchaeus said concerning the use of the other half not distributed to the poor: “And whatever I extorted from anyone by false accusation I am restoring fourfold.” The Mosaic law required a thief who had disposed of a stolen sheep to make compensation with four sheep; but if the stolen property was still alive in his hand, he had to make only double compensation. (Ex. 22:1, 4) Zacchaeus thus showed repentance and not only love for the poor but also justice toward oppressed ones as the fruitage of his repentance. Jesus was pleased with such a disposition of the belongings of Zacchaeus as a natural descendant of faithful Abraham, for Jesus said: “This day salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save what was lost.”—Luke 19:1-10.

13. (a) Why did he tell Martha that she was unwisely “anxious and disturbed about many things,” and is that counsel appropriate for others? (b) How can we develop this quality of teaching that Jesus used so effectively?

¹³ When Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha he was teaching the truth to Mary while Martha prepared an elaborate meal. Finally Martha complained: “Master, does it not matter to you that my sister has left me alone to attend to things? Tell her, therefore, to join in helping me.” “Martha, Martha,” Jesus said, “you are anxious and disturbed about many things. A few things, though, are needed, or just one. For her part, Mary chose the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42) While a very simple meal would have sufficed, Martha spent too much time on elaborate preparations for her guest, to the neglect of the more important spiritual things, and Jesus made that plain. But he did not go throughout Palestine telling women not to prepare large meals for their guests. Martha’s concern over the details of her work in the home was her personal stumbling stone. Jesus’ counsel fit her need, as well as that of all who are inclined to be like Martha. In other instances of his teaching it is evident that Jesus showed similar insight by making the individual’s personal obstacle stand out and then alerting the person to it. We too should be observant, noting the inclinations and reactions of those we teach, and then taking those things into consideration as we continue to help them.

HE ROUTED COMPLACENCY

14, 15. How did Jesus open his sermon on the mount, and with what effect?

¹⁴ Jesus’ famous sermon on the mount would not take more than twenty minutes to give as recorded in Matthew 5:1 to 7:27, but it has lasted for nineteen centuries and has been equaled by no sermon since! He was near Capernaum and the crowds were following him, so he went up into the mountain and sat down to teach those that followed him. What did he say? Was it what the majority would readily accept? Did he say that it is the rich who have no need, or the happy who need no comfort? Did he commend those who are well liked by men? No! Rather, he said startling things:

¹⁵ “Happy are you poor, because yours is the kingdom of God. Happy are you who hunger now, because you will be filled. Happy are you who weep now, because you will laugh. Happy are you whenever men hate you, and whenever they exclude you and reproach you and cast your name out as wicked for the sake of the Son of man. Rejoice in that day and leap, for, look! your reward is great in heaven, for those are the same things their forefathers used to do to the prophets.” It was the spiritually hungry, thirsty, reproached, persecuted, needy and mourning ones he pronounced happy.—Luke 6:20-23.

16. What high standards did he set forth, and what effect would these teachings have on his hearers?

¹⁶ Jesus continued: “You heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You must not murder; but whoever commits a murder will be accountable to the court of justice.’ However, I say to you that everyone who continues angry with his brother will be accountable to the court of justice.” (Matt. 5:21, 22) Many people can say, “I have never committed murder. I have kept that law.” But how many can say, “I have never been angry with my brother”? Then Jesus said: “You heard that it was said, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone that keeps on looking at a woman so as to have a passion for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matt. 5:27, 28) Many in his audience might be able to say, “I have never committed adultery,” but how many of them could honestly say that they had never had a thought of lust in their life? Jesus also said: “You heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ However, I say to you: Do not resist him that is wicked; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other also to him.” Many men can say they do not go around starting fights, but if someone comes up and provocatively slaps first, how many can hold their temper and their hands and avoid a fight?—Matt. 5:38, 39.

17. Whom should we love, and why? And how may hate be conquered?

¹⁷ “You heard that it was said: ‘You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ However, I say to you: Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those persecuting you. For if you love those loving you, what reward do you have?” (Matt. 5:43, 44, 46) It is easy to love those who love you, but it is extremely difficult to love those who hate and persecute you. Jehovah is able to love his enemies, and we must copy him if we are to be his children. Why let your conduct be governed by the bad behavior of others? Why hate just because others do? Why get into the vicious cycle of rendering evil for evil? Why lower yourself to the base standards of your enemies? Meeting hate with hate brings trouble, while meeting it with love may end the difficulty. What a blessing it would be if you by your right conduct could win over even your enemy! “Return evil for evil to no one,” Paul said. “But keep conquering the evil with the good.”—Rom. 12:17, 21.

18. In his teaching how did Jesus get right to the bottom of the problem, and how do Christians react to his counsel?

¹⁸ In his teaching Jesus got right to the bottom of the problem, routing one’s feeling of self-righteous complacency. He showed that more is involved than merely refraining from deeds of violence and immorality. He pointed out the thoughts that would lead to those wrong acts, and urged other thoughts to cultivate godly desires so that their right deeds would be motivated by love. In that way they would avoid falling into the deadly cycle later described by James when he said: “Each one is tried by being drawn out and enticed by his own desire. Then the desire, when it has become fertile, gives birth to sin; in turn, sin, when it has been accomplished, brings forth death.” (Jas. 1:14, 15) Christians take Jesus’ counsel to heart and earnestly endeavor to apply it, but what sinful man can honestly say that he fully measures up to that perfect standard? Who can say that he does not need the long-suffering of Jehovah God and His provision of the Messiah? In Jesus’ day such truths that drew attention to human shortcomings greatly disturbed the religious traditionalists, whose self-righteousness was in the outward keeping of rules and regulations. (Matt. 23:23) Jesus hit hard at complacency in order to bring honest ones to their senses and save them from the snare of pride and self-righteousness.

JESUS PREACHED ACTIVITY

19. What anxieties did Jesus know of, but where did he teach us to fix our attention?

¹⁹ His sermon continued: “Stop being anxious about your souls as to what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your bodies as to what you will wear. Does not the soul mean more than food and the body than clothing?” Then, picking illustrations at hand on the hillside, he told them to observe the birds that ate without sowing and the lilies of the field that were so beautifully clothed without spinning. Man too should learn to look to God and thank Him for the things He provides. “If, now, God thus clothes the vegetation of the field which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much rather clothe you, you with little faith?” Jesus stressed putting spiritual things, the Kingdom and God’s righteousness, first, rather than spending so much time and anxiety on material things.—Matt. 6:25-34.

20. (a) What things did Jesus emphasize, and what evidence can you give? (b) Does that affect our teaching? How?

²⁰ Jesus taught his disciples that activity was important. He placed emphasis more on doing good things than on not doing bad things. If you are doing what is right you cannot be doing what is wrong at the same time. “Every good tree produces fine fruit, but every rotten tree produces bad fruit; a good tree cannot bear bad fruit, neither can a rotten tree produce fine fruit. Not everyone saying to me, ‘Master, Master,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will.” Merely claiming to be Christian and refraining from wicked deeds is not enough. Instead of laying down a long list of things that his disciples were not to do, Jesus urged them to do the will of God. In the main he dealt with positive action, not negative goodness. He more often condemned people for failure to do good than for the committing of bad. For example, there were the priest and the Levite who went on the other side of the street and left the victim of robbers helpless, the goatlike ones who refrained from doing good to the King’s brothers, and the rich man who did nothing for Lazarus the beggar. Jesus warned his disciples against the wrong way, but he emphasized God’s way. He left the pattern for Christian teachers to follow.—Matt. 7:17, 18, 21.

21. What was the effect of his sermon on his hearers, and what will add illumination to Bible incidents involving him?

²¹ “Now when Jesus finished these sayings, the effect was that the crowds were astounded at his way of teaching; for he was teaching them as a person having authority, and not as their scribes.” How were the scribes teaching? Who were they? What other religious groups functioned in Palestine when Jesus taught there? Knowing something about the religious situation in Palestine at the time of Jesus’ preaching will help us better to understand many incidents recorded in the Bible. (Matt. 7:28, 29) We shall also appreciate more why the listening crowds were astounded at the difference in the Master Jesus’ manner of teaching.

Religious Attitudes When the Master Preached

1. What did the Essenes believe and practice?

APART from the zealous activity of John the Baptist, there were a number of Jewish groups that were molding religious attitudes in Palestine when Jesus began his ministry. One of these groups was the Essenes, who are not mentioned in the inspired writings of Jesus’ apostles and disciples. They believed that godliness required them to punish the body, to fast and to live austerely, so they looked down on anything that was a pleasure to the flesh. They isolated themselves in little communities. The Essenes were not a major religious group confronting Jesus in his preaching, although they have recently been brought into prominence because of the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls of books of the Bible.

2. What were the Zealots interested in, and on what occasion does their influence seem apparent?

² Then there was the group of Zealots or Nationalists. They wanted a Jew to arise to lead them in a revolt against Rome and break the yoke of Rome from off their necks. Galilee was a hotbed of seditions, and that was where Jesus had grown up. One of Jesus’ disciples was called “the zealous one” or “the Zealot,” and may have been a member of the Zealot party. However, he did not stir up the nationalistic or home-rule spirit immediately after Jesus had miraculously fed five thousand men. “Hence when the men saw the signs he performed they began to say: This is for a certainty the prophet that was to come into the world.’ Therefore Jesus, realizing they were about to come and seize him to make him king, withdrew again into the mountain all alone.” These nationalistic ones wanted to set him up as king, consequently in opposition to the rule by Rome. They wanted to draft Jesus, with his miraculous powers, for their own selfish purposes. But Jesus steadfastly refused to be sidetracked from the work that his heavenly Father had sent him to do. As he testified before Pilate: “For this purpose I have been born and for this purpose I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.”—John 6:14, 15; 18:37; Luke 6:15, margin; Acts 1:13.

3. Who were the Sadducees, and how did they view Rome, the Hebrew Scriptures and tradition?

³ A third group were the Sadducees, who included scribes and members of the Sanhedrin and even the two chief priests among their number. (John 11:47; Acts 5:17; 22:30; 23:6) They were not concerned about the coming of a Messiah but were interested in maintaining the status quo. They had a working agreement with Rome. They were to handle the affairs of the temple, the priestly services, the collection of the tithes, the contributions made at the temple, the sale of sacrificial animals in the Court of the Gentiles, and the money-changing business operated there. The Sadducees did not accept either all the inspired Hebrew Scriptures or the traditions of the Pharisees; in fact, they believed only in the Law of Moses.

4. How did Jesus answer the Sadducees on resurrection, and why?

⁴ Hence it was the Sadducees that came to Jesus to object about the resurrection, because they thought the Law of Moses gave no basis for such a teaching. Jesus met them on their own ground, quoting from the writings of Moses: “Concerning the dead, that they are raised up, did you not read in the book of Moses, in the account about the thornbush, how God said to him: ‘I am the God of Abraham and God of Isaac and God of Jacob’? He is a God, not of the dead, but of the living. You are much mistaken.” (Mark 12:18-27) This meant that those men who were dead would live again by resurrection. Just as some who were living alienated from God were spoken of as dead from God’s standpoint, so these dead approved ones were considered to be living from his standpoint.—Eph. 2:1; 1 Tim. 5:6; Luke 20:38.

5. What knowledge about the Sadducees would identify them as the ones who would cry out, “We have no king but Caesar”?

⁵ Because of the working agreement that they had with Rome, the Sadducees did not want anyone stirring up trouble that might bring in Roman legions to impose restrictions. They wanted to get rid of Jesus. Pilate himself knew that, and said to Jesus: “Your own nation and the chief priests [Sadducees] delivered you up to me.” Very logically they would be the ones to make his case an issue of loyalty to Caesar: “If you release this man, you are not a friend of Caesar. Every man making himself a king speaks against Caesar.” And when Pilate asked whether he should impale their king, it was the chief priests, or Sadducees, that shouted: “We have no king but Caesar.”—John 18:35; 19:12-16.

SCRIBES AND PHARISEES

6. Who were the scribes?

⁶ Some of the scribes were Sadducees, but most of them were Pharisees, and that is no doubt why Jesus spoke of scribes and Pharisees together so frequently in the twenty-third chapter of Matthew. The priestly scribes read, copied, taught and interpreted the law. They showed how it was to be applied in daily living.—Matt. 23:2, 13, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29.

7. What did the Pharisees believe?

⁷ The Pharisees, who were the religious traditionalists, thought salvation was only through keeping the traditions or so-called oral law. They looked forward to the coming of the Messiah in their own way. They accepted all the Hebrew Scriptures, but to these they added oral traditions. They wanted to stay separate from the Romans because they thought it was a contamination to have anything to do with them. It was also contaminating in their mind to have anything to do with the common people who did not keep the oral traditions.

8. Why were the Pharisees the ones that complained about Jesus’ disciples’ not washing their hands before they ate?

⁸ Since the Pharisees were tradition-lovers, we are not surprised that they were the ones who complained to Jesus about his disciples: “They do not wash their hands when about to eat a meal.” The complaint was not lodged on sanitary grounds, but in defense of the traditions, which Jesus said “made the word of God invalid.” (Matt. 15:1-6; Mark 7:1-8) The tradition of hand-washing developed with time. First it was a ritual washing before meals. Then the washing took place before and after meals, and later the more rigorous worshipers washed between the courses of the meal. For some food hands had to be immersed completely, and for other types the hands were to have special water poured over them, running down over the wrists. This water was now considered to be dirty, so if any ran back onto the hands, they had to be washed again to take off the dirty water. The Talmud sets out the penalty for failure: “He who lightly esteems hand-washing will perish from the earth.” They were busy washing their hands, but they never got around to cleansing their heart!

9. Why did the Pharisees complain about Jesus’ disciples’ plucking grain on the sabbath, and what were some of their sabbath regulations?

⁹ Who would complain about plucking grain and eating it on the sabbath? Matthew 12:2 answers: “At seeing this the Pharisees said to him: ‘Look! your disciples are doing what it is not lawful to do on the sabbath.’” It was their sabbath traditions that moved them to object. The sabbath was a touchy subject, and in the Talmud there are two large volumes on sabbath regulations. For example, you could not bite your fingernails on the sabbath. A woman could not look into a mirror, as she might see a gray hair and pull it out, and that would be work. You could not wear false teeth, because they might fall out, and to pick them up would be bearing a burden on the sabbath. A plaster might be worn on a wound if it only prevented it from getting worse; if it improved the wound, that would be unlawful work. A fractured bone could not be treated on the sabbath, unless the person’s very life was at stake. You could not eat the egg a hen laid on the sabbath. The exception was if the hen was not being kept as a layer, but was being fattened up to eat, then her egg could be eaten, for it was to be viewed merely as a piece of the hen that had fallen off!

THE “PEOPLE OF THE EARTH”

10. Who were the am ha-arets, and how were they viewed by religious Jews?

¹⁰ The Hebrew expression am ha-arets means “people of the earth [or, land].” (Jer. 1:18, marginal footnote) These people were treated like dirt under the feet of the Pharisees, and, of course, the Sadducees had nothing to do with them, because they looked down on everyone. The am ha-arets were poor laborers who did not know the Law or the traditions or did not keep them. They did not recite the formal prayers, have ritual fringes on their garments or wear phylacteries at devotions, nor did they train their sons in the traditions as did the scrupulous Jews. They were hated and outlawed from the community by the rabbis. One rabbi denied them all hope of a resurrection, and Rabbi Hillel said: “No am ha-arets is truly religious.” A good Jew would not let his daughter marry one. Their view was: “Let not a man associate with sinners even to bring them near to the Torah.” When the religionists objected to Jesus’ associating with sinners, they doubtless included this class.

11. How did Jesus feel about the am ha-arets?

¹¹ Jesus showed consideration for the am ha-arets class of sinners. “I came to call, not righteous people, but sinners,” Jesus said when the self-righteous Pharisees objected to his associating with these lowly ones. Jesus was drawn to them: “On seeing the crowds he felt tender affection for them, because they were skinned and knocked about like sheep without a shepherd.” These long-ignored people responded to the preaching of Jesus; they were not indifferent to Jehovah’s law. It was the impossible traditions of the elders that these working people could not keep.—Matt. 9:13, 36.

12. How does this knowledge make clearer the situation recorded at Luke 15:1-10?

¹² With this knowledge of the situation we can better understand the account at Luke 15:1-10. “The sinners kept drawing near to him to hear him. Consequently, both the Pharisees and the scribes kept muttering, saying: ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’” In response to this Jesus told of a man with a hundred sheep; when one sheep strays he leaves the ninety-nine to find the one that is lost and rejoices greatly over its recovery. Then Jesus said pointedly: “I tell you that thus there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner that repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who have no need of repentance.” He took the Pharisees’ own viewpoint, that they were righteous and were safe in the fold of God. So he would seek the lost ones, the sinners, and he said that there would be more rejoicing over the recovery of one sinner than over ninety-nine self-righteous men that thought they did not need saving. To make the same point doubly strong he added the illustration of the woman with ten coins, who lost one and diligently searched till she found it and rejoiced greatly over this one that made her set of coins complete. It was the lost coin, the lost sheep, including the am ha-arets class that are lost and know it and seek salvation that interested Jesus and brought joy to Jehovah when recovered. God was not interested in the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees, who did not repent over the consciousness of sins.

13. What absurd views did the Pharisees have about their traditions and God’s Word?

¹³ Why should Jehovah and Jesus find joy in the traditionalists? The traditions of the scribes and Pharisees made void God’s word, yet they thought so highly of these traditions that they became ridiculous. They said that the written law was like water, but the traditions were like wine. They said that God spent all day studying the written word and all night studying the oral traditions. Can you imagine it?

DENUNCIATION OF HYPOCRITES

14. How did the scribes and Pharisees bind heavy loads on men’s shoulders, and in what way did they hinder people from entering the Kingdom?

¹⁴ Is it any wonder that Jesus spoke the scathing words recorded in the twenty-third chapter of Matthew? “They bind up heavy loads and put them upon the shoulders of mankind, but they themselves are not willing to budge them with their finger.” These loads were the oral traditions that were so burdensome to keep, and they would not so much as lift one little regulation to make it easier. They had set themselves up as teachers of the people, but instead of directing the people’s attention to the kingdom of God, they were discouraging them by insistence on burdensome traditions. Then when Jesus did what they were failing to do, they became enraged and sought to turn the people against him. Rightly Jesus said: “You shut up the kingdom of the heavens before mankind; for you yourselves do not go in, neither do you permit those on their way in to go in.”—Matt. 23:4, 13.

15. What shows that the Pharisees and scribes were interested only in the outward appearance of things?

¹⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you give the tenth of the mint and the dill and the cummin, but you have disregarded the weightier matters of the Law, namely, judgment and mercy and faithfulness. These things it was binding to do, yet not to disregard the other things. Blind guides, who strain out the gnat but gulp down the camel!” They were so occupied with small things that they never got around to the weightier matters of true worship. Although they kept up outward appearances, they failed in performance. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of plunder and immoderateness. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the dish, that the outside of it also may become clean.” They were interested in surface appearances, but God looked on the heart. While there was much outward piety, justice and mercy and faithfulness were woefully lacking.—Matt. 23:23-26.

16. What illustrations contrast those appearing good outwardly and those actually good inwardly?

¹⁶ A precious stone may look dull, but it is good inside. When you rub it and grind it, it begins to shine. Even if the rough unpolished outside looks common, its value extends beneath the surface. On the other hand, though a whitewashing job may help the appearance of an old frame house, it takes very little rubbing before the old boards beneath begin to show. So it is with people. Jehovah is not interested in those who look pious outwardly. When rubbed the wrong way, when they do not get their own way, or when they have to change, then you see what is inside of them. You see how irritable they can be, and the real person inside comes out. When Jehovah gathers the precious things out of all nations he is interested in persons who are like precious stones. The more Christians who have the right heart are rubbed around, persecuted, reproached and oppressed, the more their integrity shines, the more brilliantly they reflect the glory of Jehovah and the more dazzling becomes their disproof of Satan’s lie that men will not hold their faith under test.—Hag. 2:7, AS.

17. What shows the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees regarding Jehovah’s prophets?

¹⁷ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you build the graves of the prophets and decorate the memorial tombs of the righteous ones, and you say: ‘If we had been in the days of our forefathers, we would not have been sharers with them in the blood of the prophets.’” But it was these very hypocrites who killed the greatest prophet of all, Jesus Christ! They were glad to build tombs for the prophets and decorate them to draw attention to their own deeds of charity, but woe to the living prophet who would dare to expose their hypocrisy!—Matt. 23:29, 30.

RELIGIOUS ATTITUDES TODAY

18. What shows these same religious types exist today?

¹⁸ The same types of people exist now as did in the first century. Some isolate themselves in religious buildings, fast and mistreat the body, thinking such asceticism to be godliness, as did the Essenes. Some are superpatriots, who look to human rulers and nations as God’s instruments and want to take matters in their own hands and bring in peace in their own way, as did the Zealots. The Sadducees took only part of the Hebrew Scriptures, setting aside the rest, and religious modernists today do the same. Like the Sadducees, they want to be in favor with the governments of men. But if you are going to walk with God you cannot be a part of the old world, as the modernists are. Also, like the Pharisees, there are today the traditionalists. Some hold to religious traditions brought in from ancient paganism, and others have built up their own traditions in addition to what has been borrowed from paganism. Religious fundamentalists of today fall into that category. Their traditions about trinity, immortality of the soul, torment for sinners, use of idols, and many others, make void the simple truths of the Bible, just as did the traditions of the scribes and Pharisees.

19. (a) What class compares with the am ha-arets, and how do religious leaders react? (b) What do these formerly neglected ones experience when they associate with the New World society?

¹⁹ There are also present today those like the am ha-arets or “people of the earth [or, land].” They are sincere people who have not been properly taught by the religious systems of Christendom, yet they hunger and thirst after righteousness. It is mainly to these that Jehovah’s witnesses go in love, and they find many hearing ears. Just as the Pharisees scoffed at those who listened to Jesus and said: “You have not been misled also, have you? Not one of the rulers or of the Pharisees has put faith in him, has he? But this crowd that does not know the law are accursed people,” so religious leaders today scoff about listening to Jehovah’s witnesses. They say it is only the lowly, uneducated ones that listen. They are wrong, just as the Pharisees were wrong, for some of the rulers and Pharisees did listen to Jesus and follow him. (John 3:1, 2; Acts 4:36, 37; 6:7) The majority who listen are of this neglected class, but when they begin to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and associate with the New World society they are no longer neglected. They are lovingly helped to get an accurate knowledge of God’s Word; if necessary, they are even taught how to read so they can study the Bible. They note that Jehovah’s witnesses, like Jesus, preach differently. They rely on the authority of the Bible, unlike the modern Pharisees and Sadducees with their tradition and modernism.—John 7:47-49.

20. (a) What course should we wisely follow today, but what should we shun? (b) How can we share in a work of spiritual healing?

²⁰ If we are true followers of Jesus, we must walk in his footsteps, shunning hypocrisy and God-dishonoring tradition and faithfully directing the attention of men conscious of their spiritual need to God’s kingdom. Never may we become like the false religionists of Jesus’ day who were interested in doing things only their own way and who did not carry on worship that was acceptable to Jehovah God. Of course, we cannot duplicate Jesus’ miracles of healing and raising the dead, but we can share in a work of spiritual healing. We can put Bible truth in the mind and impress it on the heart of the receptive one, and the transformed mind will direct that one’s feet in God’s service, feet once lame as far as walking with God is concerned. Eyes once blind to his truth will perceive, ears once deaf to his message will hear, bodies once leprous with spiritual sickness will become clean; and those dead in trespasses and sins can be raised to spiritual life and activity, gaining a faith no longer dead but proved alive by activity and works in Jehovah’s service.

21. How should we strive to follow closely the model set by Jesus?

²¹ Jesus left “a model for you to follow his steps closely.” (1 Pet. 2:21) Just as a builder carefully examines his blueprints for all details, so we must study Jesus’ ministry in order to copy it closely. We should strive to understand the people to whom we witness, see their need, make the message forceful and clear with appropriate illustrations, and show deep love for the sheep as Jesus did. We should be fearless in speaking the truth to all persons, and we should patiently assist the lowly ones. If we pay constant attention to both ourselves and our teaching, it will result in salvation for ourselves and those who listen to us.—1 Tim. 4:16.

Pursuing My Purpose in Life

As told by Jack D. Powers

MY FIRST contact with Jehovah’s witnesses was on July 4, 1939, on Market Street in San Francisco watching their information walkers, and my second was months later in a bar in Sacramento where I read the magazine Consolation, now called Awake! Both contacts knocked down my old world. I was angered by what I thought to be Fascist propaganda and, at the same time, hurt by the deep stab wound made by the sword of the spirit that exposed my former church as the principal part of Satan’s system. Only after spending a sleepless night thinking about my childhood altar-boy days in St. Victor’s Catholic church in the Cripple Creek gold mining district of Colorado, my student days at the Abbey School for Catholic Boys in Canon City and the time spent as a member of the Catholic Newman club was I finally convinced that Jehovah’s witnesses published truth. I also reflected on the Good Friday my knees were burned while kneeling before one of the stations of the cross and on how the parish priest refused to answer my questions as to why we worshiped such idols.

Yes, all these memories confirmed that my church was more devilish than godly. I had already seen the worthlessness of the Protestant religion while on a vacation trip with an Episcopalian minister. When we visited an old classmate of his who had become an Episcopalian bishop we were shocked by his talk about real estate and drinking cocktails. What a surprise it was years later to learn that my old friend had turned in his frock and was earning a living as a baker! He now admits that Jehovah’s witnesses speak the truth.

A few months passed after my first two contacts with the Witnesses, and I continued to pursue what I thought to be my purpose in life—an assayer and chemist of gold and silver. While in a northern California Feather River mine in 1940, I came to the point of almost doubting the existence of God as I observed the spiritual vacuum among the miners. I felt as Lot must have felt in the days of corrupt Sodom and Gomorrah. I then decided to change my purpose in life, so I turned in my resignation. I did not know where I was going, but I headed south to leave it all. When I stopped to rest up in Los Angeles, a man of good will who had not as yet become one of Jehovah’s witnesses began to build up my faith and to replace what had been torn down.

From then on things moved fast. That same day I purchased a Bible, and the following Sunday I attended a Watchtower study accompanied by the man of good