Jesus' Philosophy

Jesus is famous for his ethical and moral teachings. He encouraged his disciples to live morally sound lifestyles, which was to be the hallmark for those associated with Jesus.

In this article, we will take a look at what Jesus’ philosophy for living actually was. We will examine his views on materialism, love, forgiveness, humility, non-violence and not worrying. Each section will conclude with a consideration of how we can apply these lessons to our own lives.

Anti-Materialism

Jesus often warned people about the dangers of materialism and the temptation to store up wealth during our lifetimes. Jesus, instead, promoted storing up spiritual wealth within our hearts that will be of eternal benefit.

This is even more relevant today as materialism has largely replaced religious and spiritual practice. This seems to have had a detrimental effect on people’s mental health, as we tend to define people’s prosperity on how much material wealth they have; so a situation has been created whereby people feel like they have to have what everyone else has in order to feel like they are succeeding in life. Possessions, however, never provide lasting happiness, and instead become an obsession. The next purchase is almost like a hit from a drug; the effects soon disappear, and you begin looking for your next purchase. Ultimately, this way of living provides little satisfaction and peace in our lives, and can leave an emptiness in our hearts that a more spiritual approach can fill.

Jesus explained this concept in the following way:

Matthew 6:19-21 ~ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Here, Jesus emphasises the frailty of material wealth compared with spiritual wealth which, once gained, cannot be destroyed or stolen.

In Mark’s record, Jesus challenges a wealthy man, who wanted to know the key to eternal life:

Mark 10:17-22 ~ “As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honour your father and mother.”

“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.”

On various occasions Jesus emphasises the point that your heart cannot be in two places. In the following passage, Jesus uses a comparison to help his followers realise that they had to make a choice between material wealth and the kingdom of God:

Matthew 19:24 ~ “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

Practical Application For Us:

Now, i’m not suggesting we have to necessarily sell all of our possessions and live like a hermit in a cave somewhere. However, taking a more minimalist approach to our lives would certainly be beneficial. If you have fewer possessions you have more time to spend in meditation, prayer, reading, helping others and actually talking to your loved ones. This is perhaps even more challenging in the 21st Century, as most people have disposable income, goods are generally quite cheap, we’re constantly hounded with advertisements, and you don’t even have to leave your house to buy something.

So, the challenge is to only buy what is necessary and spend more time building spiritual wealth.

Love One Another

Love is certainly an integral part of Jesus’ philosophy; and is a force that he believed could overcome all obstacles and adversity. Jesus gave his disciples some very difficult lessons to apply regarding love. He told us that we should even love our enemies and pray for them; we should return their negative actions with positive actions. The gospel of Matthew records this as follows:

Matthew 5:43-47 ~ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?”

Jesus also emphasised this message when responding to a question about the greatest commandments:

Mark 12:28-31 ~ “One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Practical Application For Us:

The lesson is simple really: replace hate and negativity with a loving attitude! We will deal with arrogant, dishonest, ungrateful, hateful and jealous people throughout life, but we have to learn to act with love towards them. In doing so, you might cause a person to re-evaluate their attitudes. Whereas, if you respond with hate it will potentially cause the situation to spiral out of control and nothing positive will be achieved.

Non-Violence

Violence of any sort was abhorrent to Jesus. His approach was a peaceful one; and not just in terms of instigating violence, but even in retaliation or self-defence. Non-violence was a method that Jesus taught to achieve harmony.

Some might say that applying these lessons make you come across as weak, but when applied properly, Jesus’ approach can elevate you to a greater level of existence.

Matthew records Jesus’ thoughts on this subject in the following passage:

Matthew 5:38-42 ~ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”

Practical Application For Us:

Reacting to conflict with violence seems like an almost childish and primal way of dealing with difficult situations; yet it seems to come natural to us humans. However, violence solves very little. The approach we should take is to respond to conflict with kindness, reasonable words, love and understanding. This is a massive challenge but it’s an approach that can completely turn a difficult and confrontational situation around.

Gandhi once said “an eye for an eye ends up making the whole world blind”. And it’s true. There has to be someone who breaks the chain of violence and who takes a more reasonable approach. We should strive to be that person.

Forgiveness, Condemnation and the Art of Letting Go

It seems much more natural for us to hold a grudge in life, even over relatively petty things. It just seems easier to hold onto that little thing someone said or did to you that was annoying. But this practice was something that Jesus was adverse to. He believed it was damaging to individuals who live like this. Instead, Jesus taught that we must forgive, and move on; we should let go of wrongs that are done to us, no matter how bad they are. In doing so, we will find peace with God, who will in turn will forgive us in the same manner. Matthew and Luke both record this concept in their gospel accounts in the following verses:

Matthew 6:14-15 ~ “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Luke 6:37 ~ “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

Jesus also brings out this concept in a story recorded by the apostle John in Chapter 8. The religious leaders were ready to condemn and stone a woman to death who had committed adultery. Jesus, however, answering their incessant demands to stone her said:

“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her,

“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Though Jesus expected a high level of moral and ethical living, he was not quick to judge and condemn those who did not meet these standards. Instead, he was quick to forgive and encouraged people to make positive changes.

Practical Application For Us:

We must learn to let go of our grudges against others. Holding onto these things only builds up an element of bitterness within us, and can make us resentful in life. Letting go, forgiving and moving on can free us of negativity, and we can begin to walk with more peace and freedom in our lives.

Humility

Jesus always emphasised the importance of humility. This was not just something he preached; he practiced it too, which we see in this interaction with his disciples:

John 13:12-15 ~ “When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”

In Matthew’s record Jesus warns his disciples not to do good things just to be seen to be doing good things; good acts are to be from the heart and with real purpose, not for the adulation of those around us.

Matthew 6:1-4 ~ “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Practical Application For Us:

When we go about our daily living we should avoid being boastful and proud; even when we achieve great things and help a lot of people, we should go about our business in a humble manner. The moment you begin to become boastful and proud about your actions you lose sight of the real reason you are doing them in the first place.

Do Not Worry

Another focus in Jesus’ teachings was that we should not worry. We shouldn’t worry about things that are out of our control. We shouldn’t be worrying about what will happen tomorrow; rather, we should be in the present moment, focusing on the task that lies directly ahead. Jesus articulated this point in the following way:

Matthew 6:25-34 ~ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Practical Application For Us:

Anxiety and depression generally stem from a build-up of constant worrying. It’s easy to let your mind spiral out of control by worrying about the future or dwelling on the past, and it seems very difficult to live in the present moment at times. But this was what Jesus taught his disciples. He emphasises the fact that worrying will not even ‘add a single hour to your life’. We should live each day as though it were our last, giving our full attention, focus and determination to do good works.

Closing Thoughts

Jesus’ philosophy is just as relevant now as it was two thousand years ago. If we apply all of the lessons above and make them a philosophy for our life, we can lead a more fulfilling, peaceful and positive existence. If we lead by example, as Jesus did, we can also have a positive impact on those around us and help to elevate people’s level of consciousness.