Page 124 - laten-08-06-2020

Jesus of Nazareth

It is Jesus of Nazareth from the region of Galilee. I don’t
dare to report about Jesus of Nazareth but I only choose to
understand him that some Pharisees couldn’t bear with him at all.
The memory of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels present him as
a young man with a poetic and philosophical words full of grace
and love. His Hebraic orientation did not create any antagonism
in him. Instead, it enabled him to be flexible enough to appreciate
the beauty in other traditions as well. His conversations and
teachings on love for God and love for the fellow human beings
agrees with the Greek tradition that says piety towards God and
justice towards fellow men are regarded as the most important
virtues. His approach to love fellow human beings demonstrate
strength to include everybody by negating every attempt that
portray neighbour as an enemy, impostor, useless. For God
makes his sun shine on good and evil alike. Seneca of Rome
writes similarly: If you want to imitate the gods, show kindness
even to the ungrateful, for the sun also rises on criminals and the
seas are open to pirates. Similarly, on human aggression against
fellow human beings, Jesus of Nazareth taught that not only the
very act of killing makes a person guilty, but even someone who
hates another person. It recalls the teachings of the philosopher
Cleanthes who says that someone who intends to steal and kill
is a robber. Evil begins with intent. I do hear voices from India
finding similarity between the teachings of Buddha and Jesus of
Nazareth on universal common good that leaves no room for
antagonism.

I am sure Pharisees can’t be angry on Jesus for his
teachings and conversations on greater common good. What
kind of reporting about Jesus is at the root of developing hatred
against Jesus?

The plot to burry Jesus for ever, wiping away his
memories from the face of earth is a conspiracy of three power
centres as mentioned in the text- Pharisees, Chief priests and
Pilate. Pharisees are said to be very progressive within the
Judaism but they are in nexus with the Chief priests and Pilate
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Lenten Meditations Re - Imaging People