Help to understand Jesus

[jr001]

Hi

I am new to Christianity and am trying to undertand the teachings of Jesus, but I find the Bible heavy going at times, and wondered is anyone had any recommendations of websites or books (I'm in the UK but as long as I can get them online it should be okay). I just want to understand what Jesus was preaching so I can live my life according to Him, but I just struggle to get my head around the text in the Bible at times.

Any suggetions welcome

 

[Episcoboi]

Hi

I am new to Christianity and am trying to undertand the teachings of Jesus, but I find the Bible heavy going at times, and wondered is anyone had any recommendations of websites or books (I'm in the UK but as long as I can get them online it should be okay). I just want to understand what Jesus was preaching so I can live my life according to Him, but I just struggle to get my head around the text in the Bible at times.

Any suggetions welcome

Welcome! I highly recommend the Books WHAT JESUS MEANT, WHAT THE GOSPELS MEANT, and WHAT PAUL MEANT by Garry Wills. He is a historian and Christian who wrote the books to explain the teachings of the New Testament in a way that is easy to follow and written for non-specialists. I honestly would recommend them to anyone just starting out in the New Testament. Excellent books.

 

[mjb72384]

Read Matthew 5 - 7. The sermon on the mount encapsulates the teachings of Christ.

 

[Forge3]

Make sure to build upon a personal relationship with Jesus. He is great at understanding your suffering and you can even joke around with Him. Speak to Him in your own words from your heart and pray over scripture. Jesus is the key to understanding all scripture. Read a verse and bring it to Him. He will always teach those who are eager to know whether he reveals his words to you through a child or TV. I of all people should know this.

 

[hedrick]

How intellectual are you and how much do you want to read? We spend years with kids who grow up in the Church. Reading the Gospels is the right starting point, and you can surely got a lot out of just reading them on your own in a decent modern translation. But knowing something about the historical context and the conceptual background can help a lot in understanding him.

To recommend a book it would be useful to know more about you. I accept critical scholarship, but many readers here do not,and would not like anything I would recommend. However as someone from the UK you're not as likely to be influenced by fundamentalism. So I feel fairly safe in recommending N T Wright. He's an author from the UK, who represents a moderate English position. He has written some nice introductory works that still reflect current scholarship. "Simply Jesus" is a reasonable introduction to Jesus, which seems to be what you're asking for, though if you want to read through one of the Gospels, he has a book on each of them that will give you a section by section guided tour. (Actually he has two series. You want the more recent.)

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Hi

I am new to Christianity and am trying to undertand the teachings of Jesus, but I find the Bible heavy going at times, and wondered is anyone had any recommendations of websites or books (I'm in the UK but as long as I can get them online it should be okay). I just want to understand what Jesus was preaching so I can live my life according to Him, but I just struggle to get my head around the text in the Bible at times.

Any suggetions welcome

Hi jr001. I'm glad to hear that you have begun your journey in faith. I agree, sometimes the Bible is "heavy going." I can recommend some books, but it would help for me to know what aspects of the Bible are specifically giving you trouble. I assume from what you've said that you are reading in the New Testament. Is there a particular teaching of Jesus that is challenging, or is it rather the overall context and meaning of the New Testament?

Sincerely,

2PhiloVoid

 

[Aravis85]

I recommend that you don't try to read the whole Bible, cover to cover, as a starting-point to your life in faith. This is a book which, as a Christian, you are going to be reading for the rest of your life, with God's help - you don't have to rush through it and it's probably not a good idea to do so. I would read at least one of the Gospels from start to finish every couple of weeks, and also maybe consider starting a Bible-reading plan that will take you through the Bible over a year or so (youversion.com allows you to pick one of a number of different Bible plans and sends you a few verses every day).

Beyond that, I personally have found the following books really helpful in different ways: C S Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms; N T Wright, Simply Jesus; and Rowan Williams, Christ on Trial: How the Gospel Unsettles Our Judgment. Archbishop Rowan also has 2 sets of lectures, one on the Gospel of Mark and one on the Letters of St Paul, which, while sometimes a bit scholarly, also point out the immediate implications for our own lives of what Jesus is saying and doing through these writers. The mp3 versions are available at archbishopofcanterbury.org, though they are a bit buried: the Mark ones are from Holy Week 2010 and the St Paul ones are from Holy Week 2011 and you should be able to dig them up if you do an advanced search.

 

[aiki]

Hi

I am new to Christianity and am trying to undertand the teachings of Jesus, but I find the Bible heavy going at times, and wondered is anyone had any recommendations of websites or books (I'm in the UK but as long as I can get them online it should be okay). I just want to understand what Jesus was preaching so I can live my life according to Him, but I just struggle to get my head around the text in the Bible at times.

Any suggetions welcome

I would urge you not to get your spiritual food - which is what the truth of God's Word, the Bible, is - "prechewed." It is helpful at times to seek out the opinions and thoughts of other mature, righteous, proven people of God about what you may encounter in Scripture, but the majority of your knowledge of the Word of God should come through your own direct study of it. Nothing of any value comes without cost. In the case of the eternal and life-transforming Word of God, it should not be a surprise to discover that God gives His precious and deep truths only to those who are willing to assiduously exert themselves in digging for them. If you struggle to understand God's Word simply ask Him to teach you and be prepared to have to work to understand.

John 16:13
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

James 1:5
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Being a Christian is about knowing Christ himself. Following his teachings comes as a natural consequence of knowing and trusting him as your Saviour and your Lord. Don't confuse the former pursuit with the latter; they are not the same thing.

Selah.

 

[Forge3]

I am his little messanger. I know that sounds vain but I am not vain at this moment. I share in the fellowship of God with His communion of saints and angels. He has appointed me a sinner to deliver His message. Be steadfast in your faith and when you feel weak lean on Him. He will carry you gladly. I guess the odd thing is that the King of Kings gladly becomes our servant. So we need to understand this. We are called to service of our brethren without judgment. This is the Word of the Lord. Those that have ears to hear will hear this message. Be kind to yourself and not just to others. Honour the love of God for you. He is a most powerful warrior against darkness but also a true friend on your faith journey. Do not judge yourselves or others leave that up to God and His mercy. I am annointed to deliver this message. I am your servant and His.

 

[Nextstep]

Hi

I am new to Christianity and am trying to undertand the teachings of Jesus, but I find the Bible heavy going at times, and wondered is anyone had any recommendations of websites or books (I'm in the UK but as long as I can get them online it should be okay). I just want to understand what Jesus was preaching so I can live my life according to Him, but I just struggle to get my head around the text in the Bible at times.

Any suggetions welcome

Hi there. You need the Holy Spirit of God in order to understand and applyJesus' teaching. Pls read the following from 1 Corinthians 2:

"And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power. We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God's wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written:
"What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived"--
the things God has prepared for those who love him-- these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for,
"Who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?"
But we have the mind of Christ. "

(1 Corinthians 2:1-16 NIV)

 

[Nextstep]

For website you may want to try John Piper's "Desiring God" http://www.desiringgod.org and
Chuck Swindoll's http://www.insight.org/.

 

[Forge3]

I am only one of His saints. Question me. And don't be shy. I am the living Word of God for His broken people.

 

[cantool]

Hi Brother. I will agree that you are a Spoken Word sent by the Father, but there is an issue that you need some revelation on.
The Blood of Jesus is very powerful indeed. So powerful, in fact, that when He purchased you, you became a NEW CREATION! You are no longer numbered among the unbelievers of the world (sinners). He gave you the power to become a son of God! He clothe you in Righteousness, put a ring of dominion and authority on your finger, and gave you His own Spirit to comfort you.
You are no longer a sinner. Apologize to your Father. And to your Lord too.

Love ya

 

[jr001]

Welcome! I highly recommend the Books WHAT JESUS MEANT, WHAT THE GOSPELS MEANT, and WHAT PAUL MEANT by Garry Wills. He is a historian and Christian who wrote the books to explain the teachings of the New Testament in a way that is easy to follow and written for non-specialists. I honestly would recommend them to anyone just starting out in the New Testament. Excellent books.

Brilliant, will have a look at those books, thanks

 

[jr001]

How intellectual are you and how much do you want to read? We spend years with kids who grow up in the Church. Reading the Gospels is the right starting point, and you can surely got a lot out of just reading them on your own in a decent modern translation. But knowing something about the historical context and the conceptual background can help a lot in understanding him.

To recommend a book it would be useful to know more about you. I accept critical scholarship, but many readers here do not,and would not like anything I would recommend. However as someone from the UK you're not as likely to be influenced by fundamentalism. So I feel fairly safe in recommending N T Wright. He's an author from the UK, who represents a moderate English position. He has written some nice introductory works that still reflect current scholarship. "Simply Jesus" is a reasonable introduction to Jesus, which seems to be what you're asking for, though if you want to read through one of the Gospels, he has a book on each of them that will give you a section by section guided tour. (Actually he has two series. You want the more recent.)

Hi, I am a literature graduate and a writer so have no problems with reading a vast amount. There is so much literature out there though that it is hard to know where to begin. I come from an atheist family, and until Jesus found me I was a pagan, so to suddenly start reading the Bible and take lessons from the NT is really hard for me to do. I guess I'm after a book which explains what Jesus was saying, the historical context, and how to apply it in my own life. I will have a look at N T Wright, thanks, and I will have a look at his books on the Gospels.

 

[jr001]

Hi jr001. I'm glad to hear that you have begun your journey in faith. I agree, sometimes the Bible is "heavy going." I can recommend some books, but it would help for me to know what aspects of the Bible are specifically giving you trouble. I assume from what you've said that you are reading in the New Testament. Is there a particular teaching of Jesus that is challenging, or is it rather the overall context and meaning of the New Testament?

Sincerely,

2PhiloVoid

Thanks for your reply. There isn't anything in particular, I just feel sometimes I am reading the Bible (at the moment am reading Jesus' preachings in Matthew), and after I have read a section I have absolutely no idea what I have read, or how to apply it in my own life. I guess it is just this is all so new to me and I'm feeling really daunted by it all and want a stepping stone to begin my journey into Christianity. If that makes any sense at all...

 

[jr001]

I recommend that you don't try to read the whole Bible, cover to cover, as a starting-point to your life in faith. This is a book which, as a Christian, you are going to be reading for the rest of your life, with God's help - you don't have to rush through it and it's probably not a good idea to do so. I would read at least one of the Gospels from start to finish every couple of weeks, and also maybe consider starting a Bible-reading plan that will take you through the Bible over a year or so (youversion.com allows you to pick one of a number of different Bible plans and sends you a few verses every day).

Beyond that, I personally have found the following books really helpful in different ways: C S Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms; N T Wright, Simply Jesus; and Rowan Williams, Christ on Trial: How the Gospel Unsettles Our Judgment. Archbishop Rowan also has 2 sets of lectures, one on the Gospel of Mark and one on the Letters of St Paul, which, while sometimes a bit scholarly, also point out the immediate implications for our own lives of what Jesus is saying and doing through these writers. The mp3 versions are available at archbishopofcanterbury.org, though they are a bit buried: the Mark ones are from Holy Week 2010 and the St Paul ones are from Holy Week 2011 and you should be able to dig them up if you do an advanced search.

Thanks for your reply, yes I might have a look at a Bible reading plan, as when you are new to the Bible it is hard to know where to begin! And I will definately have a look for those mp3s you mentioned, and the N T Wright book. Thanks a lot

 

[jr001]

For website you may want to try John Piper's "Desiring God" Home - Desiring God and
Chuck Swindoll's Insight for Living: Chuck Swindoll's Bible-teaching via articles, books, videos, streaming, and audio products.

Brilliant, I will have a look at those sites, thanks

 

[Emmy]

Dear jr001. You had some good advice, here is one more. Jesus told us in Matthew 22, verses 35-40: The first and great Commandment is: " Love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. The second is
like it: Love your neighbour as yourself." Then Jesus makes this statesment:
" On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
God is Love, and God wants loving children/sons and daughters.
What do we have to do? Treat all we know and all we meet, as we would love
to be treated: kindly and with friendly words, helping hands (if needed) and being a good neighbour. God will see our sincere efforts to love and care, and God will approve and bless us. This will also show God that we love God and follow His Commandments.
Jesus will give us His Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will empower us with His Love, also. Then we thank God, and share all Love and Joy with all around us. Jesus told us to: "Ask and ye receive," then we thank God and share all Love and Joy with all around us.( Matthew 7, verses 7-8)
We might stumble and forget, then we ask God to forgive us, and carry on loving and sharing with our neighbour. To love and obey, jr001, is still the very best way. I say this with love. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Thanks for your reply. There isn't anything in particular, I just feel sometimes I am reading the Bible (at the moment am reading Jesus' preachings in Matthew), and after I have read a section I have absolutely no idea what I have read, or how to apply it in my own life. I guess it is just this is all so new to me and I'm feeling really daunted by it all and want a stepping stone to begin my journey into Christianity. If that makes any sense at all...

jr001,

Yes, what you've said makes a lot of sense. I can understand wanting a stepping stone. If I remember right, when I first became a Christian and the Bible was a "new" book for me, I wanted help in interpreting the pages I was reading. I didn't really know where to go for help.

If you are feeling "daunted" by it all, take some reassurance that in many ways, many, if not most, of us Christians have similar feelings.

I would recommend that you just read the New Testament at your own pace, but you may want to begin with reading one of the Gospels (i.e. Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John), then follow that immediately with the book of Acts. This will at least allow you to understand some of the historical framework with which Christianity began and introduce you to the backgrounds of some of the writers of the various books and letters in the rest of the New Testament (Peter, James, John, Paul).

This way there is nothing to have to buy or to look up.

Do you think this might help, or would you still like for me to recommend a book?

2PhiloVoid