The Sayings of Jesus: As Recorded in the Gospels According to St. Matthew and St. Luke

The author begins by identifying four primary motives for the collecting of Jesus' sayings in the Gospels: first, the pastoral care of young Churches which grew out of missionary efforts; second, the disciples' personal interest in Jesus the teacher; third, the apologetic value of such teaching amid the competing philosophies of the Gentile world; and fourth, the need for the Palestinian community to defend itself against the charge of holding doctrines subversive to the faith of Judaism. He then discusses the sources of the Gospels, the forms in which Jesus' teaching has come down to us, and its meaning and permanent value. The main part of the book consists of those texts from the first three Gospels which record Jesus' sayings, along with the author's commentary. In the end, writes the author, the sayings of Jesus are explained only in connection with his ministry. The life and work of Jesus -- his teaching, the cross, and the resurrection -- are all of one piece for Jesus, the teaching is an essential part of his life work, but it is not the whole. The book concludes with a helpful epilogue, which summarizes Jesus' teaching and its relation to the Kingdom of God. [Back cover].