Though he preached a number of sermons to large groups—most notably the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-7:29)—Jesus's primary focus was on his twelve disciples, whom he chose early in his ministry. Just as Jesus seemed an unlikely Messiah, they seemed unlikely religious motivators. Several, including Peter and John, were fishermen; Matthew was a hated tax collector; and Judas Iscariot belonged to a group of anti-Roman political revolutionaries. Perhaps Judas hoped Christ would lead that revolution. If so, he was in for a disappointment. Jesus repeatedly said that his was a spiritual message rather than a political one.
Jesus taught a message of love, both for God and for one's fellow man. He lived out his message by befriending the lowest of the low. He spent time with prostitutes and other sinners, teaching that God's grace was for them as well. When people asked him to explain his teachings, he used little stories, or parables. Thus, when someone asked “Who is my neighbor?” he told the story of the Good Samaritan. This parable no doubt raised some eyebrows, since Jews hated Samaritans.
Just because Jesus taught about love did not mean he never lost his temper. He often spoke in sharp, harsh, language that did not seem calculated to win friends and influence people. No one inspired more wrath from Jesus, or responded to him in turn with more anger, than a group of religious teachers known as the Pharisees. Jesus himself, of course, was a Jew, known as a rabbi, or teacher. He did not attempt to remove the Old Testament, but to build on it. He angered the Pharisees by telling them that he was the promised Messiah. He seemed to be challenging their control over Israel, and they saw in him a threat.
World History
