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The Moral Teachings of Jesus: Radical Instruction in the Will of God
The growing movement of post-evangelicalism highlights an opportunity to elevate and center the moral teachings of Jesus. So many of those who identify as Christian intuitively know that their old version of faith is no longer working, and they feel a theological vacuum. David P. Gushee has been a leader in recent years for those ready to move on to a more examined and robust faith. Now, in The Moral Teachings of Jesus, Gushee examines forty teachings of Jesus, drawn from all four New Testament Gospels, to clarify exactly what Jesus said about the moral life.
218 pages, Paperback
Published September 10, 2024
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October 15, 2024
A Challenging Look at Jesus's Moral Lessons
At this point in his long career, Dr. David Gushee has earned the description "America's leading Christian ethicist." There's evidence for that claim in the support of his his academic peers, who elected him a few years ago to head a couple of the nation's leading scholarly organizations: the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Christian Ethics. Further evidence is the nearly 2,000 very positive reviews of his landmark book, Changing Our Mind, spread across Goodreads and Amazon. And he literally "wrote the book" on Introducing Christian Ethics, based on his decades of lectures for thousands of Mercer students.
So, when Dr. Gushee announced that he was publishing a relatively short (roughly 200 pages) book about The Moral Teachings of Jesus, I suspect that many of his long-time readers may have wondered if they needed this additional Gushee title on their library shelves. After all, to be clear, this book does not break any new ground—except that it was written and released to coincide with the rise of "Christian nationalism" in America. That's been a deep concern for Gushee—and for many of his colleagues—in recent years.
They see Christian nationalists trying to hijack Jesus's message for political gains. So, Dr. Gushee reasoned, it's time to put out a concise volume clarifying what Jesus had to say about a series of moral issues.
And, just to be clear, Gushee subtitled the book, Radical Instruction in the Will of God. In interviews, he's made the point of stressing, "I don't think many Christians realize how radical Jesus was."
In one recent podcast about this new book, Gushee said:
“I feel like many Christians have very little familiarity with the actual teachings of Jesus about the moral life." When we do carefully consider what Jesus taught, we may be upset to discover that Jesus was quite demanding of our compassion, love and generosity toward our neighbors. And, why are we likely to resist that challenge from Jesus? “Because we don’t want Jesus to set the agenda for our lives. … Jesus is very radical and very challenging—which is the reason that we’d rather focus on the story that Jesus came as a baby and he died on the cross for our sins and he rose from the dead so we can go to heaven when we die.”
In a nutshell, that's how Gushee has been summarizing the book in interviews and public talks.
I appreciate the way he has organized this book—as a walk through the four Gospels, starting with Mark's concise version of Jesus's life, then Matthew's Gospel, then Luke's and John's. He makes it easy for clergy and active lay people who lead Sunday school classes or discussion groups to line up his analysis with the ways our congregations often walk through the Bible in the course of a lectionary year. (There's a final section of the book just on "Passion Week.")
I describe this book as aimed at readers who already are active in their congregations, because this text is written for folks who are familiar with Bible study and perhaps have a convenient shelf of other reference books they can consult. For example, in the middle of the book as he is analyzing the meaning of the Lord's Prayer—as it is presented in two ways in two Gospels—he refers readers for further study to passages in his other book, Kingdom Ethics. In that section, the footnotes at the bottom of those pages are as fascinating to read as the main text. One of them references Amy Jill-Levine's warning of problems with the stress on "father language" for many people.
So, this book is a serious dive into contemporary analysis of the moral issues in these Gospels—citing both Gushee's own longstanding work and that of others.
I think it's a terrific one-volume overview of these themes that, for many, will be a fascinating review of issues we already know are core themes in the Gospels. For other readers, this may be quite challenging and you could find yourself arguing with Gushee about some of his conclusions. But, knowing Gushee's work over the years, I'm sure he welcomes that wrestling with the text.
So, yes, I am ultimately arguing that, even if you have a few Gushee books on your shelf, you should add this one to your collection. I'm giving it 5 stars and space in own library.
At this point in his long career, Dr. David Gushee has earned the description "America's leading Christian ethicist." There's evidence for that claim in the support of his his academic peers, who elected him a few years ago to head a couple of the nation's leading scholarly organizations: the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Christian Ethics. Further evidence is the nearly 2,000 very positive reviews of his landmark book, Changing Our Mind, spread across Goodreads and Amazon. And he literally "wrote the book" on Introducing Christian Ethics, based on his decades of lectures for thousands of Mercer students.
So, when Dr. Gushee announced that he was publishing a relatively short (roughly 200 pages) book about The Moral Teachings of Jesus, I suspect that many of his long-time readers may have wondered if they needed this additional Gushee title on their library shelves. After all, to be clear, this book does not break any new ground—except that it was written and released to coincide with the rise of "Christian nationalism" in America. That's been a deep concern for Gushee—and for many of his colleagues—in recent years.
They see Christian nationalists trying to hijack Jesus's message for political gains. So, Dr. Gushee reasoned, it's time to put out a concise volume clarifying what Jesus had to say about a series of moral issues.
And, just to be clear, Gushee subtitled the book, Radical Instruction in the Will of God. In interviews, he's made the point of stressing, "I don't think many Christians realize how radical Jesus was."
In one recent podcast about this new book, Gushee said:
“I feel like many Christians have very little familiarity with the actual teachings of Jesus about the moral life." When we do carefully consider what Jesus taught, we may be upset to discover that Jesus was quite demanding of our compassion, love and generosity toward our neighbors. And, why are we likely to resist that challenge from Jesus? “Because we don’t want Jesus to set the agenda for our lives. … Jesus is very radical and very challenging—which is the reason that we’d rather focus on the story that Jesus came as a baby and he died on the cross for our sins and he rose from the dead so we can go to heaven when we die.”
In a nutshell, that's how Gushee has been summarizing the book in interviews and public talks.
I appreciate the way he has organized this book—as a walk through the four Gospels, starting with Mark's concise version of Jesus's life, then Matthew's Gospel, then Luke's and John's. He makes it easy for clergy and active lay people who lead Sunday school classes or discussion groups to line up his analysis with the ways our congregations often walk through the Bible in the course of a lectionary year. (There's a final section of the book just on "Passion Week.")
I describe this book as aimed at readers who already are active in their congregations, because this text is written for folks who are familiar with Bible study and perhaps have a convenient shelf of other reference books they can consult. For example, in the middle of the book as he is analyzing the meaning of the Lord's Prayer—as it is presented in two ways in two Gospels—he refers readers for further study to passages in his other book, Kingdom Ethics. In that section, the footnotes at the bottom of those pages are as fascinating to read as the main text. One of them references Amy Jill-Levine's warning of problems with the stress on "father language" for many people.
So, this book is a serious dive into contemporary analysis of the moral issues in these Gospels—citing both Gushee's own longstanding work and that of others.
I think it's a terrific one-volume overview of these themes that, for many, will be a fascinating review of issues we already know are core themes in the Gospels. For other readers, this may be quite challenging and you could find yourself arguing with Gushee about some of his conclusions. But, knowing Gushee's work over the years, I'm sure he welcomes that wrestling with the text.
So, yes, I am ultimately arguing that, even if you have a few Gushee books on your shelf, you should add this one to your collection. I'm giving it 5 stars and space in own library.
September 20, 2024
A Christian is (or should be) by definition a follower of Jesus Christ. That should mean Christians follow the teachings of Jesus. While that should not be surprising, in practice, many Christians disregard Jesus' teachings. Instead, many Christians believe that as long as they affirm Jesus to be the savior based on Jesus' death on the cross, then that's all that is required of them. As for Jesus' moral teachings, they sound good but aren't applicable. At least that's the way it often appears as we watch and listen to Christians navigate life.
David Gushee, a leading Christian ethicist, offers a very different take on the role Jesus plays in defining what it means to be a Christian. Gushee is the distinguished university professor of Christian Ethics at Mercer University and holds a chair in Christian social ethics at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, as well as the author of several books on Christian ethics. In "The Moral Teachings of Jesus" Gushee takes us on a journey through the Gospels, beginning with Mark and ending with several passages connected with the Passion Week, that reveal Jesus' moral teachings, which reveal a radical understanding of God's will.
Gushee wrote this book, which covers forty different expressions of Jesus' moral teachings, with a specific group in mind. He has become a leading figure within the post-evangelical movement. He writes this book to help this particular group come to grips with Jesus and his message for today. His purpose in writing this book is to call the church back to first principles so that the readers might better understand what Jesus has to say about how his followers live their lives. He speaks of two primary presuppositions at work in the book. The first presupposition is that "Jesus' moral teachings were circulated as sayings for decades before being edited and integrated into the narratives offered by the Gospel writers." The second presupposition is that Mark offers the first complete Gospel. Therefore, that is where he starts (p. xii).
The book is divided into five parts. He begins with the Gospel of Mark and looks at nine passages or pericopes, beginning with the declaration by Mark that the kingdom of God has drawn near. From Mark (and parallel passages), he turns to Matthew. There he begins with the Beatitudes and works through fifteen total pericopes. Then, it's on to Luke, where we encounter nine more passages, including the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man and the revelation of the Greatest Commandment. After that we turn to four passages in the Gospel of John, beginning with the Woman at the Well and finishing with Jesus' prayer that his disciples would be one. Regarding John, Gushee notes that his Gospel contains the fewest direct moral teachings, but it still offers an important witness. The book ends with three scenes from the Passion Week. These include Jesus' act of cleansing (occupying) the Temple, the question of paying taxes to Caesar, and finally the message of Matthew 25 regarding the judgment on the sheep and goats.
I can't do justice to Gushee's discussion of the forty passages he has selected by trying to summarize each of them. What I can say is that he draws upon leading biblical scholars, including Amy-Jill Levine, an important Jewish New Testament scholar. He listens closely to their analysis of the text and then draws on his own expertise in Christian ethics to make an application to our times.
Each of these forty chapters is about fifteen hundred words or so, which makes them manageable reading and discussion starters. Preachers will benefit from his analysis of the passages because he connects strong exegesis with the practical implications of Jesus' teachings. Most importantly, Gushee reminds us that Jesus' message was quite radical. At the same time, he is very careful not to suggest that Jesus took anti-Jewish views and warns against modern readers of the Gospels taking anti-Jewish perspectives on moral issues. As such, Gushee writes that he believes "that the teachings of Jesus offer the best ethical instruction, the best account of the will of God, that the world has ever heard." Therefore, to be a Christian is to obey those teachings. (p. 198).
At a time when many people are wondering whether Christianity is viable, especially institutionally, in large part due to the behavior of Christians, Gushee offers an important response. Again he directs his message to those who may be questioning the Christian message inviting them to consider what Jesus has to say. As he demonstrates, Jesus was rather radical, for his time, and ours.
David Gushee, a leading Christian ethicist, offers a very different take on the role Jesus plays in defining what it means to be a Christian. Gushee is the distinguished university professor of Christian Ethics at Mercer University and holds a chair in Christian social ethics at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, as well as the author of several books on Christian ethics. In "The Moral Teachings of Jesus" Gushee takes us on a journey through the Gospels, beginning with Mark and ending with several passages connected with the Passion Week, that reveal Jesus' moral teachings, which reveal a radical understanding of God's will.
Gushee wrote this book, which covers forty different expressions of Jesus' moral teachings, with a specific group in mind. He has become a leading figure within the post-evangelical movement. He writes this book to help this particular group come to grips with Jesus and his message for today. His purpose in writing this book is to call the church back to first principles so that the readers might better understand what Jesus has to say about how his followers live their lives. He speaks of two primary presuppositions at work in the book. The first presupposition is that "Jesus' moral teachings were circulated as sayings for decades before being edited and integrated into the narratives offered by the Gospel writers." The second presupposition is that Mark offers the first complete Gospel. Therefore, that is where he starts (p. xii).
The book is divided into five parts. He begins with the Gospel of Mark and looks at nine passages or pericopes, beginning with the declaration by Mark that the kingdom of God has drawn near. From Mark (and parallel passages), he turns to Matthew. There he begins with the Beatitudes and works through fifteen total pericopes. Then, it's on to Luke, where we encounter nine more passages, including the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man and the revelation of the Greatest Commandment. After that we turn to four passages in the Gospel of John, beginning with the Woman at the Well and finishing with Jesus' prayer that his disciples would be one. Regarding John, Gushee notes that his Gospel contains the fewest direct moral teachings, but it still offers an important witness. The book ends with three scenes from the Passion Week. These include Jesus' act of cleansing (occupying) the Temple, the question of paying taxes to Caesar, and finally the message of Matthew 25 regarding the judgment on the sheep and goats.
I can't do justice to Gushee's discussion of the forty passages he has selected by trying to summarize each of them. What I can say is that he draws upon leading biblical scholars, including Amy-Jill Levine, an important Jewish New Testament scholar. He listens closely to their analysis of the text and then draws on his own expertise in Christian ethics to make an application to our times.
Each of these forty chapters is about fifteen hundred words or so, which makes them manageable reading and discussion starters. Preachers will benefit from his analysis of the passages because he connects strong exegesis with the practical implications of Jesus' teachings. Most importantly, Gushee reminds us that Jesus' message was quite radical. At the same time, he is very careful not to suggest that Jesus took anti-Jewish views and warns against modern readers of the Gospels taking anti-Jewish perspectives on moral issues. As such, Gushee writes that he believes "that the teachings of Jesus offer the best ethical instruction, the best account of the will of God, that the world has ever heard." Therefore, to be a Christian is to obey those teachings. (p. 198).
At a time when many people are wondering whether Christianity is viable, especially institutionally, in large part due to the behavior of Christians, Gushee offers an important response. Again he directs his message to those who may be questioning the Christian message inviting them to consider what Jesus has to say. As he demonstrates, Jesus was rather radical, for his time, and ours.
September 21, 2024
I’m a huge fan of Gushee, in general. I love his perspective of scripture and humans and God, and know I’ll be returning to these essayettes when it comes to sermon prep.
November 13, 2024
Gushee discusses Jesus' moral teaching in 40 short chapters. Each is informed by a variety of scholarship, discusses a range of possible readings of Jesus' teachings, and encourages serious engagement with Jesus' vision for just, wholesome life on earth for all people and all creation. Gushee is humble and undogmatic and insightful. He writes clearly, with economy of language, so that his chapters are both rigorous and easy to read, while short enough for a quick read.
Gushee avoids common Christian readings which are either anti-semitic or dismiss the value of Jesus' wisdom for radically renewed ways of being in this life. Ironically, he shows that to respect Jesus as a great moral teacher doesn't diminish his timeless value and authority but honors it.
"God wants a radically reoriented humanity... This kingdom of God has moral dimensions that can be practiced right now.... But this Way is about retraining. It is a retraining into practices Jesus taught, like peacemaking, forgiveness, economic simplicity, mercy, and generosity, turning the other cheek, enemy-love, covenant fidelity, truth telling nonjudgmentalism, Good Samaritanism, standing with the vulnerable, valuing all people the same, leading by serving while not seeking human honor - it's a lovely way of life once you are in it, but it takes some training. The church is supposed to be where we get that training." (197)
Gushee avoids common Christian readings which are either anti-semitic or dismiss the value of Jesus' wisdom for radically renewed ways of being in this life. Ironically, he shows that to respect Jesus as a great moral teacher doesn't diminish his timeless value and authority but honors it.
"God wants a radically reoriented humanity... This kingdom of God has moral dimensions that can be practiced right now.... But this Way is about retraining. It is a retraining into practices Jesus taught, like peacemaking, forgiveness, economic simplicity, mercy, and generosity, turning the other cheek, enemy-love, covenant fidelity, truth telling nonjudgmentalism, Good Samaritanism, standing with the vulnerable, valuing all people the same, leading by serving while not seeking human honor - it's a lovely way of life once you are in it, but it takes some training. The church is supposed to be where we get that training." (197)
June 29, 2025
Pretty Awesome Stuff
Jesus gave us the great commands, Love God and Love your neighbor. He gave us the new command to love one another as he loved us. But what does that really mean? Gushee identifies the component pieces that make up these overwhelming summary statements from Jesus. I read this over several months, meditating first on the several Bible texts that were referenced at the beginning of each chapter, and then read Gushee’s commentary. I believe that I am a different man, at least I want to be a different man. I am asking God to work these principle into my life. The book is sweetly reasonable, but does not pull any punches. He does not attempt to explain away the hard stuff, but gladly steps into it, helping us consider how we might really change, how we might become more conformed to Christ’s picture of the godly life. Depending on your church tradition, you may find yourself tweaked by some comment or lack of comment in Gushee’s writing, I urge you to suspend judgment and not to throw out the baby with the bathwater. Stay open and embrace the good that is here. There is a lot here that is good.
Jesus gave us the great commands, Love God and Love your neighbor. He gave us the new command to love one another as he loved us. But what does that really mean? Gushee identifies the component pieces that make up these overwhelming summary statements from Jesus. I read this over several months, meditating first on the several Bible texts that were referenced at the beginning of each chapter, and then read Gushee’s commentary. I believe that I am a different man, at least I want to be a different man. I am asking God to work these principle into my life. The book is sweetly reasonable, but does not pull any punches. He does not attempt to explain away the hard stuff, but gladly steps into it, helping us consider how we might really change, how we might become more conformed to Christ’s picture of the godly life. Depending on your church tradition, you may find yourself tweaked by some comment or lack of comment in Gushee’s writing, I urge you to suspend judgment and not to throw out the baby with the bathwater. Stay open and embrace the good that is here. There is a lot here that is good.
January 18, 2025
This latest book by David Gushee is a really good summary of Jesus' teachings.
Starting with Matthew's Gospel and finishing with John's Gospel & the passion week, Gushee walks you through 40-ish pericopes where Jesus is engaged in some form of teaching and then unpacks and explains them, drawing from a range of Biblical scholarship. The book is both thorough and yet concise, not a dense academic work.
I really appreciate how, in his conclusion, Gushee offers a grand, overarching narrative of Jesus's mission; tying together everything you just read.
I think this book ought to be a must-read for all Christians. We need to understand the author & perfector of our faith and exactly what he taught us and expects of us.
PS. I often say my aim as a Christian is not to be "biblical"; it is to be Christlike, and people usually ask what I mean by that. Well, it means following the way of Jesus, and this book does an excellent job of explaining what that looks like.
Starting with Matthew's Gospel and finishing with John's Gospel & the passion week, Gushee walks you through 40-ish pericopes where Jesus is engaged in some form of teaching and then unpacks and explains them, drawing from a range of Biblical scholarship. The book is both thorough and yet concise, not a dense academic work.
I really appreciate how, in his conclusion, Gushee offers a grand, overarching narrative of Jesus's mission; tying together everything you just read.
I think this book ought to be a must-read for all Christians. We need to understand the author & perfector of our faith and exactly what he taught us and expects of us.
PS. I often say my aim as a Christian is not to be "biblical"; it is to be Christlike, and people usually ask what I mean by that. Well, it means following the way of Jesus, and this book does an excellent job of explaining what that looks like.
June 3, 2025
I took Dr. Gushee’s Moral Teachings of Jesus class at McAfee (thanks Dr. Gushee for the shout out in the acknowledgements!). Very cool to read a compiled book of all the teachings we discussed in class. Glad to see the topics I wrote on (Woman and the Well, Temptation) make it into the book and was honored to see Dr. Gushee affirming some of the takes I made in my exegetical papers. Just very very awesome to have been a small part of this book. Literally my favorite class in seminary and I speak highly of it all the time. Fabulous 5/5
February 16, 2025
Gushee gathers 40 of Jesus’ teachings from the Gospels and offers commentary and culturally transcendent application for us. His conclusion chapter is an excellent summary of Jesus’ message, and profoundly moving to me. It’s why I would say I am a Christ follower at a time when the term “Christian” has come to mean the opposite of what it was meant for.
October 12, 2024
Foundational Glimpses
The moral teachings in this book sure seem like foundation items for following Christ. This is not an in-depth textbook, and I have to admit I would have liked more than the essay size of the chapters because Gushee has many facets to share.
The moral teachings in this book sure seem like foundation items for following Christ. This is not an in-depth textbook, and I have to admit I would have liked more than the essay size of the chapters because Gushee has many facets to share.
April 9, 2025
I like this book a lot! I like how it is split into the different Gospels. Hopefully I can go back and read it more carefully when I have more time.
November 30, 2025
Loved it! The author had a great style and our book study group was well attended with great discussion. There are 40 chapters so would be a good choice for Lent.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews