Jesus's core sayings describe an inner transformation

“Historical Jesus research has come to the conclusion that the historical person cannot be grasped, but narratives about him can be located within the Jewish traditions and contexts of his time, leading to important insights. A similar conclusion can be assumed concerning the group who are supposed to represent his key opponents.”

“The only two events subject to "almost universal assent" are that Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist and was crucified by the order of the Roman PrefectPontius Pilate.”

“New Testament scholars are virtually unified in thinking that the Gospels of the New Testament began to appear after 70 CE. The major exceptions are conservative evangelicals who often date them earlier.”

“There is no form of early Christianity known to us that does not affirm that after Jesus' shameful death God raised him to life again. That affirmation is, in particular, the constant response of earlier Christianity to one of the four key questions about Jesus that must be raised by all serious historians of the first century.”

“I wanted to give an overview of the evidence for the physical death and resurrection of Jesus.”

““The fact that Jesus existed, that he was crucified under Pontius Pilate (for whatever reason) and that he had a band of followers who continued to support his cause, seems to be part of the bedrock of historical tradition. If nothing else, the non-Christian evidence can provide us with certainty on that score.” —CHRISTOPHER TUCKETT.”

“Therefore I can only present the balance of probabilities as it seems to me, and I want to do so in the form of seven propositions: that he was real, that he was human, that he was Jewish, that he was a faith-healer, that he was a preacher, that he was a prophet, and that he was a would-be messiah.”

“Each of these references confirms three central facts: that there was a leader of a movement called Jesus (or Christ), that Jesus was executed, and that the movement that Jesus was part of survived his death. Jesus, however, is variously portrayed in these writings as a troublemaker (Tacitus), a teacher (Josephus), a sorcerer or magician (Talmud), and a wise king (Serapion).”

“In Luke 17:20-21, Jesus states that the Kingdom of God is not something that can be observed externally; rather, it is within or among those who follow Him. This internal aspect emphasizes that the Kingdom is not confined to a future hope but is actively at work in the hearts and lives of believers. Through faith, individuals can experience the fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—manifesting the reality of God's Kingdom in their daily lives.”

“His is typical of the reaction I have had in some quarters to the thesis I proposed in Jesus and the Victory of God, chapter 13”

“It is often hard to re-create the trauma that some of Jesus's stories would have caused his original audiences. At times, they seem to conceal truth at least as much as they reveal it (Mark 4:11–12). Parables tended to polarize crowds, drawing some people closer to Jesus while driving others away.”

“Rather, he stayed close to the ground of wisdom: the transformation of human consciousness. He asked those timeless and deeply personal questions: What does it mean to die before you die? How do you go about losing your little life to find the bigger one? Is it possible to live on this planet with a generosity, abundance, fearlessness, and beauty that mirror Divine Being itself? These are the wisdom questions, and they are the entire field of Jesus' concern.”

“Are they encouragements under pressure, or commendations of virtue? More to the point, are they realistic, or are they (wishful thinking)?”

“By studying the background and comparing the text of the synoptic gospels, we can be confident of their authenticity. Many of the accounts in the Gospels appear in multiple Gospels and are confirmed by separate witnesses. Details in the narratives and parables are consistent with the culture and common practices of the time in that region.”

“The Pharisees (Hebrew: פְּרוּשִׁים, romanized:Pərūšīm, lit.'separated ones') were a Jewish social movement and school of thought in the Levant during the time of Second Temple Judaism. A specifically religious point of conflict involved different interpretations of the Torah and how to apply it to Jewish life: Sadducees recognized only the Written Torah... rejecting [Prophets], [Writings], and doctrines such as the [Oral Torah] and the [resurrection of the dead].”

“In this fallen world, it’s the wealthy, the charming, and the strong who are exalted. But Jesus shows us that God’s heart—full of steadfast love and faithfulness—extends to the weak, the vulnerable, and the awkward. Therefore, “blessed” is the tangible gift of God’s loving embrace, an identity in Christ that experiences life as it ought to be—“as in heaven.””

“This is because at different times throughout his ministry, Jesus speaks of the kingdom as something that is both present already and as something that is coming. For example, Jesus says things like: "The kingdom of God is at hand." "The kingdom of God has come upon you." "The kingdom of God is among you." But then he also says, "Our Father in heaven... your kingdom come."”

“We must avoid making these into burdensome ethical demands on those who are members of the kingdom. There are no imperatives here, except to “rejoice” when one experiences the blessing of God in the middle of persecution (5:12).”

“The record of John the Baptist and his baptism of Jesus occurs not only in Matthew 3:13–17, but in Mark 1:9–11 and Luke 3:21–22. In addition, John 1:29–34 overlaps with these passages. It describes the descent of the Spirit on Jesus (verse 33), which took place when Jesus was baptized. But it does not directly describe the baptism itself.”

“There is allure and terror in mystical portrayals of nothingness: Meister Eckhart's niht, lohn of the Cross's nada, the Taoist wu, the Buddhist sunyata. Despite appearances, these terms do not express an identical meaning, since each mystic names the nameless from within a discursive realm shaped by his own training, outlook, and language.”

“These terms do not necessarily express an identical meaning, since each mystic is uniquely shaped by his own culture, training, outlook and language.”

“The earliest resurrection report (Paul's creed in 1 Corinthians 15) uses only 'was seen / appeared' language, names no empty tomb and no women, and puts Paul's own light-and-voice vision on the same footing as Peter's. The touch-me, eat-fish, and footprint proofs cluster in later sources and read as rebuttals to people already reading the appearances as visions. Luke 24 preserves both sides in one chapter.”

“There are many reasons for pursuing the question of the precise words, known in Latin as the ipissima verba, of Jesus. For one thing, some of Jesus’s sayings seem contradictory. For example, Jesus teaches that one must follow the Ten Commandments (Matthew 19:17) and honor one’s father and mother (Mark 10:19). Yet he also says that one must hate one’s parents in order to follow him (Luke 14:26).”

“Jesus himself largely avoided the designation because it had developed misleading connotations. During his lifetime Jesus re-educated his followers so that they would have a more accurate appreciation of how the concept of Anointed/Christ/Messiah should be understood in the light of Old Testament teaching. While his contemporaries looked for a king who would exercise political and military control from Jerusalem, Jesus taught that his kingdom would not be defined by political boundaries but would embrace people from every nation.”

“Luke 9:23 is a fairly well known verse. "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Well known, but not well liked — at least for me. It laid down conditions for being a follower of Jesus that were not very attractive. Deny myself. Take up my cross.”

“Because we tend to study parables as if they were allegories, we tend to miss Jesus' point. In this parable, Jesus was not giving a lesson about salvation being equal -- He was warning Peter not to elevate himself. God will choose how He graciously gives blessings to people, and God does not have to explain Himself.”

“Self-denial for the Christian means renouncing oneself as the center of existence (which goes against the natural inclination of the human will) and recognizing Jesus Christ as one's new and true center. It means acknowledging that the old self is dead and the new life is now hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3–5).”

“The Sermon on the Mount (translated from Vulgate Latin section title Sermo in monte) is a collection of sayings spoken by Jesus of Nazareth found in chapters 5, 6, and 7 of the Gospel of Matthew that summarizes his moral teachings. It is the first of five discourses in the Gospel and has been one of the most widely quoted sections of the Gospels. It also contains what many consider to be the central tenets of Christian discipleship.”

“There are too many historical scholars to simply count their opinions, so I suggest the best way to test this proposition is by considering what the leading, or most respected scholars, say.”