Life and Teachings of Jesus Part 1, by William Haines

So I just like to introduce myself a little bit because quite a lot of you I know from different workshops I've taught or moments when we met each other over the last 40 years. Some of you came to other workshops I've taught online. I know also there are quite a lot of people I haven't met before, and I'm really grateful and pleased to meet new people. Of course, I'd really prefer if we could all be together in the same room, having coffee together, chatting together, giving each other a hug. But because of the current reality, we can't do that. This crisis opened up this other opportunity to join together across the nations and continents via Zoom. For me, I normally just teach workshops in Europe, and sometimes I go to other places like Russia or America, but this is a great opportunity for me to teach people from all over the place and also not just to teach but to learn. We'll try and have some questions and answers, and I would be more than happy if you want to put questions and comments in the chat. I can't see the comments in the chat while I'm teaching, but I can look at them again at the end.

As I said, I just like to introduce myself a little bit. This is my wife and I, that's when I had a bit more hair, and we were blessed in Madison Square Gardens in 1982. We have four children: our oldest son and his wife, Chrisell, and they have one daughter, and another boy is coming in September. Our second son, Jonathan, and his wife, Reena, live in Singapore now. Our third son, Alexander, and our daughter, Elizabeth, still live with us. This is my own natural family, my parents. Just to give you some idea of where I come from in terms of a spiritual tradition, my parents belong to the Church of England, and so I belonged to the Church of England. I was born, baptized, confirmed, and married in the Church of England. My father, on my father's side, is a long line of priests, so in my immediate lineage, I'm a direct descendant of the last five or six generations of 16 vicars or priests within the Church of England. I have a very traditional Christian upbringing and went to a very Christian school, developing a strong love for Jesus, which also brought me to meet True Parents.

This is my mother's side; that's my mother there. My mother's family is Jewish. This is my grandmother, my great-grandmother, and my great-great-grandmother, along with my great-grandfather. This is a town in Israel called Petah Tikva; it's the first new Jewish settlement in 2,000 years. My great-grandfather was one of the pioneer founders of this town. By birth, I'm Jewish, and by upbringing, I'm Christian. Most of my relatives actually live in Israel, so this may be interesting when I heard the Principle, trying to understand Jesus. Looking at the life and teaching of Jesus is something I've spent a lot of time thinking about for many years. Even though I'm Jewish by birth, I didn't have a Jewish upbringing. When I went to the Church of England, I knew my grandmother was Jewish. Once a year, she used to fast for a day at Yom Kippur, and we didn't see her for a day, but other than that, it never really made much of an impact on my personal life.

It wasn't until I started listening to some talks by someone called Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, who was the Chief Rabbi of Britain and the Commonwealth until recently, that I started to realise he made a lot more sense. Even though I grew up a Christian and went to church, I couldn't understand what was said in the pulpit when people started to explain the life of Jesus. It didn't really make much sense to me. I couldn't really understand it very clearly, and even though I went to church every Sunday and the school I attended went to church every morning, I still loved Jesus and believed in Him, but I couldn't make sense of what I was being taught about Him. When I was 18, I met someone called Magdalena. I don't think she's on the call tonight. Magdalena Stuki or Bandini now stopped me in the street in London and asked if I was concerned about the world's problems. I said I was, and she asked if I wanted to hear some teaching about how to solve the world's problems. I thought she was probably from some weird little group or sect, so I said no thank you; I'm a Christian. But then her response was that through these teachings, she came to love Jesus more. I felt stuck; how could I say I didn't want to learn to love Jesus more?

So I was the easiest person in the world to witness to, and on that basis, I went along. I heard the lectures and went down to a workshop at CLE House. I had lectures from Mark Pomer and then a week later, I went back and heard lectures from John Haines, who is on the call. When I heard the Principle, it changed my life. It wasn't something I had to believe like it was at church; I had to recite the Nicene Creed every Sunday. I believe in God the Father, the maker of heaven and earth. It was something I knew was true because it helped me to make sense of my life. My immediate feeling was that this is what Jesus taught. When I heard the Principle, I felt this is what Jesus taught, and it's that which touched my life and heart. Later on, I heard about the life of Jesus, which made complete sense, and everything else I discovered about the Father as the Messiah. As a Christian, what choice did I have? I had to follow the Messiah, and that's what I've been doing for the last 45 years.

The Principle made much more sense to me than anything I had ever come across. When I started listening to Jonathan Sacks, I realised this is what I believe. I had this experience realising that I'm actually Jewish in a way I didn't expect. The way I think and the way I approach life is very Jewish. I was trying to realise, okay, I'm Jewish by birth, so what does that mean to me? I was trying to make sense of the relationship between Judaism and Christianity, which is very painful. My grandmother lived in London, but she had a sister who lived in France. My grandmother was born in Palestine, and she moved to London. In 1942, my mother's aunts and her family were arrested because they were Jews. They were in the underground resistance movement, and they were deported and perished in Auschwitz. For me, it's always felt like if I had been living in Europe in the 1940s, that's what would have happened to me. So trying to understand and make sense of this relationship between Christianity and Judaism is something that greatly interests me.

I went to Cambridge University some years ago and studied Jewish-Christian relations for a master's degree. This completely helped me to re-evaluate the life of Jesus, the teaching of Jesus, and the relationship between Judaism and Christianity. My lectures are based upon a lot of the things I've been thinking about, praying about, and reading about for nearly 30 years. To understand the life and teaching of Jesus, we need to understand who he was and the reality of the world in which he carried out his mission. The first thing to know about Jesus is that he was a Jew. He was born a Jew; his parents were Jewish. He lived as a Jew, was circumcised, ate kosher food, went to the temple to worship, and was buried as a Jew. He was as Jewish as one could be. Sometimes people think he came from heaven or was some kind of spiritual teacher, but actually, he was Jewish. The reality in which he found himself was that Israel was occupied by the Romans. That was the world in which he found himself; he was born a Jew and lived in Israel occupied by the Romans. We need to understand that to grasp why he did what he did and taught what he taught. He wasn't teaching abstract spiritual truths; he was trying to address the reality he found.

To understand a little bit of Jewish self-understanding, we know that 4,000 years ago, God made a covenant with Abraham. Abraham encountered God, discovered God, and made an agreement with God based on these promises. One of those promises was that God said to Abraham, 'Your descendants will live in the land of Canaan forever.' There is a very strong connection then that the Jewish people have to the land of Canaan because that was the land that God promised Abraham and his descendants. This is the land of Canaan, where modern-day Israel and Palestine are. You might wonder why there. This is the general self-understanding that it is the point which links Europe, Asia, and Africa. This area is all desert, so if you want to travel between Europe, Africa, and Asia, this is the main trade route. In that sense, it seemed to be the centre of the world. The Jewish understanding or self-understanding is that the temple, where the Jewish temple was, is the focal point of creation; it's like the centre of the world, the foundation stone for the world where Adam came into being. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob served God, and the temples that were built there.

Because of what happened with Abraham and his offerings, his descendants went into slavery in Egypt. For many hundreds of years, they were slaves in Egypt. After about 400 years, God raised up Moses. God called Moses, and Moses led the people out of slavery in Egypt into Canaan, into the promised land. On the way there, they made a covenant, and God said to the people, not just to Moses, but to the whole people, 'If you listen to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine, and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' This is the Jewish self-understanding that they were called by God as a people to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. It says there, 'Kingdom of priests.' Normally, within one village, there's one priest who is the pastor for the whole village. But here, God is calling them to be a kingdom of priests; in other words, they should all be priests. To whom should they be pastors? To the rest of humanity. Their self-understanding is that they are a people chosen by God to spread the knowledge of God, ethics, and morality to the rest of humanity.

When we talk about a chosen nation, it doesn't mean they think of themselves as better than anybody else. They don't think of themselves as masters who should rule the world or govern the world, but just chosen by God entirely to serve the world by spreading knowledge of God and ethics. That's why they're so often involved in education and these kinds of matters and the law. The people of Israel are defined by a covenant, by this relationship with God. That's the basis of their self-understanding and their identity. They were chosen people, and their self-understanding was that God was to be their King. The great thing about God is that God is invisible. How does God rule the people? Well, that was through their conscience, and that's why they need to live a spiritual life, a religious life, so they can form their own personal relationship, their own personal connection with God. God would guide them and rule them as a nation through their conscience, which meant they had to cooperate and work together.

They left Egypt, crossed over, met God at Mount Sinai, and then ended up going to where they made the covenant. These are some of the laws; this is like the basic laws: 'I am the Lord your God.' This then establishes our identity; they are the children of God, the people of God. It's our relationship with God that establishes our identity. 'You shall have no other gods before me; you shall not make any idols; you shall not take God's name in vain.' This sets up a sort of holy community. Also, 'Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.' Work for six days, and on the seventh day, you are not to work. This is the first commandment actually given to the Israelites when they left Egypt: 'Work for six days, and on the seventh day, you are not to gather manna; that's a day of rest.' You might wonder why that is the first commandment given. God wanted to create, we might say, god-centered families. We can only create a god-centered family when the family is living in the same place or spends time in the same place at the same time. By not working on the Sabbath, the family would be all together; they'd spend time together, pray together, worship together, read together, study together, play games together, sing songs together, play instruments together, and have fun together. So it's one day dedicated to God, where God would be present. For Jews, they say that Jews kept the Sabbath, and the Sabbath kept the Jews. The tradition then got passed on through the family from generation to generation because they all celebrated the Sabbath.

Do not commit murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, and do not covet. These are the basic laws that establish the framework for creating a good society. After the Israelites came out of Egypt, they settled in Canaan, dividing the land among themselves as a loose confederation of twelve tribes ruled by God and the law. Political philosopher John Acton described their government as a federation held together not by political authority, but by the unity of race and faith, founded on a voluntary covenant. Self-government was carried out not only in each tribe but also in every group of at least 120 families, with neither privilege of rank nor inequality before the law. Monarchy was so alien to the primitive spirit of the community that it was resisted by Samuel.

This bottom-up approach involved 120 families forming a community together, with representatives attending tribal conferences. Heads of the tribes would also meet, ensuring that there was no monarchy and that everyone was equal before the law. The system relied on voluntary cooperation, which, while idealistic, faced challenges over time. Initially, the tribes cooperated well, especially when attacked by Canaanite tribes, but as judges came along, fewer tribes worked together to form a united army. Eventually, disunity crept in, leading to idol worship and even instances of child sacrifice. The rape and murder of a concubine in Gibeah nearly led to the destruction of the Tribe of Benjamin, prompting the other tribes to unite against them.

The situation highlighted the need for a king, as stated in Judges: 'There was no king in Israel, and every man did what was right in his own eyes.' Without a central authority, justice became elusive. Individuals took revenge, leading to feuds, or sought retribution, but without a state, there was nothing to prevent a descent into depravity and civil war. The Israelites realised they needed a king, so they asked Samuel, the last judge, to appoint one. They desired a king to lead them into battle, just like other nations. God responded to Samuel, saying that it was not him they rejected, but God as their king. Until then, their self-understanding was that God was their king, but they felt they could not manage with an invisible deity.

God instructed Samuel to warn the people about the consequences of having a king, including the potential for heavy taxation and the risk of becoming slaves to the king. Moses had previously explained the role of a king, which included defending the country and upholding justice, but with limitations. The king was not above the law; he was subject to the same laws as everyone else and had no religious authority. This separation of church and state was established early on, with the king expected to be a servant rather than a tyrant. Moses emphasised that the king should not accumulate wealth or power, must study the Torah daily, and should remain humble.

The first king, Saul, did not work out well, but Samuel later anointed David, who became a great king despite his mistakes. David's greatness lay in his ability to repent and seek forgiveness from God. Solomon, the third king, expanded the kingdom and built the Temple, but upon his death, the kingdom split between his son and another leader of the ten tribes. This division weakened Israel, making it vulnerable to the Assyrian Empire, which invaded and defeated the northern kingdom, leading to the deportation of the ten tribes. The Assyrians' policy was to resettle conquered peoples, which resulted in the loss of the tribes' identity.

After the fall of the northern kingdom, the remaining kingdom of Judah continued for a while until the Babylonian Empire conquered the Assyrians and captured Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Solomon's Temple and took 10,000 Jews into captivity in Babylon. The Jewish people were among the most educated in the ancient world due to their religious practices, which required literacy to study the Torah. This made them valuable administrators for the Babylonian Empire. However, the destruction of the Temple and their deportation led to a crisis of faith. They could no longer worship God in the same way, and many faced the temptation to assimilate into Babylonian culture.

Instead of giving up, the Jewish people decided to reform their faith. They recognised that they could not worship God through the Temple or sacrifices, but they felt compelled to keep the laws given to them by God. They reimagined their faith, understanding the world itself as a temple. They established new practices, such as saying prayers upon waking and using a bowl of water for ritual washing. They shifted their focus to studying the Torah as a form of worship, which became the foundation of their spiritual community. This adaptation allowed them to maintain their identity and connection to God despite their circumstances.

Seventy years after their captivity, the Persian Empire rose to power under King Cyrus, who announced respect for the traditions and religions of the nations within his empire. He declared that everyone was free to choose their religion and live according to their customs, provided they did not violate others' rights. This proclamation reflects a surprisingly modern understanding of religious freedom and tolerance, demonstrating that ancient societies could possess advanced ideas about governance and human rights. Cyrus's policies allowed the Jewish people to return to their homeland and rebuild their community, marking a significant turning point in their history.

As a result of their traditions and customs, many thousands of Jews returned from Babylon to Jerusalem. They rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem and constructed the Second Temple, which, while not as grand as the first, was significant in its own right. Following this period, another empire arose: the Empire of Alexander the Great. He united the Greek city-states and invaded the territories previously occupied by the Persian Empire, achieving this in a remarkably short time before dying young. His conquests included Israel, marking not just a military takeover but also a cultural one, as Greek culture spread throughout the Middle East.

The Greeks had their own myths, similar to the biblical stories of creation and figures like Adam and Eve. They worshipped many gods who resided on Mount Olympus, and their myths often depicted human beings as mere playthings of the gods. Greek literature, including profound plays and epic novels like Homer's 'The Odyssey' and 'The Iliad', contributed significantly to the European cultural tradition. These works embodied a worldview that emphasised fate, suggesting that human beings lacked free will and were subject to the whims of the gods. Greek philosophy, with thinkers like Socrates and Aristotle, laid the groundwork for Western thought, while their advancements in science and technology were notable as well.

When the Greek armies occupied Israel, a cultural clash ensued, often oversimplified as a conflict between Hebraism and Hellenism. The Jewish culture in Israel was deeply spiritual, while Greek culture was more materialistic, celebrated through art, architecture, and philosophy. The Jewish people adhered to numerous laws that defined their way of life, including dietary restrictions and observance of the Sabbath, which were unique to them. In contrast, the Greeks viewed their culture as superior and universal, leading to a widespread embrace of Greek customs across the empire, while the Jews maintained a distinct identity.

The Jewish tradition emphasised listening to the word of God and one's conscience, contrasting sharply with the Greek focus on external appearances and visual representation. Modern culture, with its emphasis on social media and appearances, reflects this Greek influence. The biblical tradition promotes the idea of free will, as seen in the story of Adam and Eve, while the Greek perspective leans towards fate, where individuals are not in control of their destinies. This fundamental difference highlights the contrasting worldviews of the two cultures, with Jews being theistic and God-centred, while Greeks were more humanistic and focused on the human experience.

The Jews, having received divine laws at Mount Sinai, viewed their community as a worshipping one, rooted in their covenant with God. In contrast, the Greeks identified more with their political communities, such as citizenship in Athens. This divergence extended to their lifestyles; Jews dressed modestly and adhered to strict sexual morals, while Greeks were more liberal, even accepting practices like pederasty. This cultural clash was intense, akin to a modern scenario where a Western tourist might face severe backlash for dressing inappropriately in a conservative society.

As the Greek armies occupied Israel, many Jews, particularly those in urban areas like Jerusalem, began to adopt Hellenistic culture, viewing it as modern and progressive. Some abandoned their traditions, even going so far as to alter their bodies to hide their circumcision. Conversely, Jews in rural areas, especially in Galilee, rejected Hellenism entirely, retreating into a form of religious fundamentalism that condemned Greek and Roman influences as evil. This internal conflict mirrored challenges faced by religious communities throughout history, including contemporary Muslim societies grappling with modernity.

In Alexandria, a significant Jewish community sought a middle ground, advocating for a synthesis of Hellenistic and Hebraic traditions. This internal disunity among Jews led to tensions, particularly regarding leadership and the high priesthood. Following Alexander's death, his empire fragmented, and Israel fell under the control of various factions, including the Ptolemaic and Seleucid empires. The struggle for power intensified, especially when Antiochus Epiphanes attempted to impose Hellenism on the Jewish people, leading to a violent backlash against traditional practices.

Antiochus's efforts to eradicate Judaism included banning circumcision and other rituals, which provoked a fierce response from the Jews. The Maccabean Revolt in 167 BCE was a significant uprising against Greek rule, culminating in the Jews' victory and the celebration of Hanukkah, commemorating their struggle for religious freedom. Following the Greek Empire, the Roman Empire emerged, further complicating the cultural landscape of Israel. The Romans, with their militaristic and expansionist ethos, contrasted sharply with the Jewish values of community and spirituality, setting the stage for further conflicts and cultural exchanges.

Italy was a territory of the Roman Empire, which extracted wealth back to Rome to build up the city. This was a very greedy and exploitative Empire, characterised by incredibly high levels of taxation. The idea of entertainment during this time included Gladiators fighting each other to the death, with people betting on who would kill whom. It was a coarse and brutal culture, where even Christians were fed to wild beasts or burnt alive for entertainment. While the Romans did some good things, such as building roads and establishing peace within the Empire, this peace was often enforced through harsh measures and heavy taxation. They also allowed a degree of religious toleration, provided that people acknowledged and worshipped the Emperor as a god.

When the Romans occupied Israel, the general leading the invasion entered the temple's holy of holies, expecting to find an idol but found it empty. This led to the Jews being mocked as atheists because they did not worship statues like other cultures. The Romans controlled the high priesthood, appointing their own leaders, and imposed numerous taxes on the people, including land tax, income tax, and various other levies. Those who resisted faced severe punishment, and there were instances where entire towns were sold into slavery to pay their taxes. The Romans invaded Egypt to exploit its resources, particularly grain, to feed the populace of Rome, showcasing their parasitic nature.

The Romans built a fortress next to the temple in Jerusalem to exert control over the Jewish people, who were deeply unhappy about this intrusion into their spiritual and cultural life. This led to several uprisings, including those led by figures like Simon of Perea and Judas of Galilee, both of which were brutally suppressed. After Jesus' death, another revolt led by someone called Theudas was also crushed. The reality of Roman occupation was harsh, and the Jews, who had a strong religious and national identity, revolted more than any other people against Roman rule. They believed their long history and culture were superior to that of the Romans, who looked down on them with contempt.

The Jews were waiting for a Messiah, a political figure who would restore their nation and uphold justice. The term 'Messiah' is a Hebrew word meaning 'the anointed one', and it was expected that God would send another leader like David or Saul. The angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary about the birth of Jesus highlights this expectation, as he was to be called the Son of the Most High and would reign over the house of Jacob forever. This indicates a political expectation of a Messiah who would defend Israel from its enemies and establish peace and justice, values central to the Hebrew Bible.

Mary, understood in Christian tradition to be the mother of Jesus, was dedicated to God's service from birth. After the Annunciation, she visited her relative Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist. Jesus grew up in Nazareth, and during a Passover festival, his parents lost track of him. After three days of searching, they found him in the temple, engaging with teachers. Jesus expressed surprise that they did not know he would be in his Father's house, indicating a complex relationship with his parents, who did not fully understand his mission or identity.

This incident illustrates Jesus' desire to study and engage with the word of God, as well as his commitment to worship. The dynamics between Jesus and his parents suggest a disconnect; they spent three days searching for him before considering the temple as a possible location. The depiction of this moment, with Jesus appearing somewhat unhappy and engaged in a disagreement with Mary, reflects the tension in their relationship. Joseph's supportive yet concerned posture indicates his understanding of Jesus' adventurous spirit, but also highlights the challenges of parenting a child destined for a unique role.

Jesus's parents should have left him in the temple. He needed to get a good education, to study in the temple school, and to learn the Torah and all the prophets. Additionally, he needed to get to know the religious leaders and the other leaders in Jerusalem, which was the political capital. Given his nature, it is likely that, within a very short time, the teachers would have realised that this young man understood God more deeply than they did. They might have concluded that he was the Messiah they were waiting for. Consequently, Jesus would have gained the respect and admiration of the priests, high priests, chief priests, and political leaders, allowing him to guide them on how to navigate the intense political reality of Roman occupation and the Jewish people. He could have been a peacemaker, advising them on how to bring reconciliation before tensions escalated.

Some secular individuals question whether Jesus really existed, suggesting that everything in the Gospels might be fabricated by the Christian church. However, we can find several contemporary figures who were not Christians and were even hostile to Christianity, yet they recognised Jesus as a historical figure. For instance, Tacitus, a prominent Roman historian who lived shortly after Jesus, had experience dealing with Christians and wrote about them in his historical accounts. He mentioned that the founder of the name 'Christ' was executed during the reign of Tiberius by the procurator Pontius Pilate. Tacitus, despite his disdain for Christians, acknowledged Jesus's existence as a historical figure.

Another notable historian, Josephus, a Jewish priest and commander of the Jewish army, also wrote about Jesus shortly after his time. In his works, he referenced Jesus as a historical figure, using him to identify James, the brother of Jesus, who was stoned to death. Josephus's writings provide further evidence of Jesus's existence. Although some of his accounts may have been altered by Christian editors, the core recognition of Jesus as a wise man who performed surprising deeds remains. This indicates that no writers from the ancient world, whether Roman, Greek, or Jewish, doubted Jesus's existence. The scepticism that arose during the European Enlightenment does not reflect the views of those who lived closer to Jesus's time.

John the Baptist emerged on the scene as a significant figure, the son of Zachariah and Elizabeth, who were relatives of Mary. He preached in the wilderness of Judea, calling people to repentance as they awaited the Messiah. His charismatic presence led many to question whether he was the Christ. However, John clarified that he was not the Messiah but a forerunner, stating that someone mightier than he would come after him. Despite his role, John did not follow Jesus directly, which raises questions about his expectations of the Messiah. Perhaps John envisioned a kingly figure, while Jesus presented himself as humble, a carpenter.

When Jesus approached John for baptism, John recognised him as the Lamb of God and testified that he was the Son of God. However, John himself did not appear to follow Jesus, possibly due to his preconceived notions of the Messiah. This disconnect is evident when John later sent disciples to inquire if Jesus was indeed the one to come. Initially, John received a revelation that Jesus was the Messiah, but he did not act on this inspiration, leading to doubt later on. This serves as a lesson about the importance of acting on inspiration to make it substantial.

After his baptism, Jesus went into the desert and fasted for forty days, during which he faced temptations from Satan. The first temptation involved turning stones into bread, to which Jesus responded that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. This response connects to the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, where Eve succumbed to her physical desires. Jesus, however, demonstrated that he would not give in to physical temptation, thereby restoring the concept of Mind-Body Unity. Even after fasting, he remained steadfast in his commitment to God's word.

The devil approached Jesus at the temple and tempted him, saying, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus responded, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" This temptation mirrors the one faced by Eve in the Garden of Eden, where the serpent questioned God's command. Eve replied that they could eat from the trees in the garden, but not from the tree in the middle, or they would die. The serpent countered, "You will not die," leading her to eat the forbidden fruit. Similarly, the devil tempted Jesus to jump from the temple, suggesting he could defy the laws of nature without consequence. Both temptations involve the idea of violating moral law without facing repercussions, whether it be eating the fruit or jumping from the temple. Jesus, as the second Adam, faced this temptation and overcame it.

The third temptation involved the devil taking Jesus to a high mountain and showing him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. The devil promised, "All this I will give you if you will bow down and worship me." Jesus replied, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'" This temptation relates to the restoration of the blessing God gave to Adam and Eve, where they were granted dominion over creation. It highlights the temptation for wealth and ownership, which is prevalent in the world today. People often face pressure to compromise their morals for promotions or rewards, engaging in unethical behaviour to gain power or wealth. Jesus faced this temptation and rejected it, demonstrating that these are common struggles everyone encounters.

After the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he departed until an opportune time. Following this, Jesus began his ministry, filled with the power of the Spirit, and returned to Galilee. Reports about him spread throughout the surrounding region, and he began teaching in their synagogues, receiving praise from everyone. The synagogues served as community centres for education and worship, distinct from the temple where sacrifices were made. Jesus taught the good news, echoing John the Baptist's message: "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." He preached about the Kingdom of God, using parables to illustrate its nature, such as comparing it to good seed, a mustard seed, or yeast. His teachings carried a political message, resonating with the Israelites' desire for a God-centred kingdom of peace and justice.

Throughout Galilee, Jesus taught in synagogues, preached the gospel of the kingdom, and healed every disease and infirmity among the people. He was incredibly well received, with great crowds following him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. The Decapolis consisted of ten independent towns on both sides of the Jordan River. The crowds were astonished at Jesus' teaching, recognising his authority, which set him apart from the scribes. Jesus was charismatic, and when he spoke, people felt as though God was speaking through him. He declared, "I am the way, the truth, and the life," embodying the truth itself. His words pierced the hearts of those who listened, contrasting with the mere book knowledge of the scribes. The Sermon on the Mount, including the Beatitudes, encapsulated his teachings on spiritual growth and development. I will stop here, as the next part will cover a different topic altogether.