JESUS 365

Introduction

In 1990 whilst working in a religious bookshop, I started to read one of the many ‘Through the year with… (some famous Christian author)’ publications. I found that book enriching, but after a while realised I was looking at life through that person’s eyes. How powerful, I thought, for the would-be Christian disciple, if there was a similar style volume of the teaching of the founder himself. Just the words of Jesus and nothing else. All the excess matter removed, not even an ‘He said’. Just him, bold and blunt.

So I sat down one morning in front of a blank pad of paper, and selected the references in their acknowledged historical order. For 1st January, I chose the first recorded comment of Jesus aged 12 in the Temple. I decided to isolate sometimes just a one-liner for meditation, such as from the Beatitudes (Matthew chapter 5), or to keep a longer thematic speech or a complete parable intact. As I worked through, getting closer to 31st December, I realised that some kind of miracle was taking place. At this first attempt, the text of all of Christ’s gospel words (and a tiny portion from the beginning of the book of Acts) fitted like a hand in a glove perfectly into 365 portions. Over the next weeks I wrote the text by hand into a small file. Then a few years later I transferred the file onto a computer, this time working the synoptic texts (parallel accounts of the same incidents from the first three gospels) together as unified passages.

Now let the enigmatic master speak for himself! His original listeners would have heard him without academic comment or expert opinion, but with just the pregnant pause left by a rhetorical question hanging in the air. In a world that is growing tired of the shenanigans of organised religion, there is a renewed need to come face to face with the unadulterated force upon which Christianity was cobbled together. That initial bright vision that the shrine has too often obscured.

Robin Stapleford

Upper Wensum Rectory, 2008

Recommendations

The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails - given by one shepherd. The Philosopher - Ecclesiastes 12:11 (NIV)

His mother kept all these sayings in her heart. St. Mary - Luke 2:51(b) (AV)

Look, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! St. John the Baptist - John 1:29 (NIV)

Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. St. Peter - John 6:68 (NIV)

We know that his testimony is true. His name is the word of God. St. John - John 21:24 & Revelation 19:13 (NIV)

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. St. Paul - Romans 10:17 & Colossians 3:16 (NIV)

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. A writer to Jewish Christians - Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)

How different the one who devotes himself to the study of the Most High! He seeks out all the wisdom of the ancients, and is concerned with prophecies; he preserves the sayings of the famous and penetrates the subtleties of parables; he seeks out the hidden meaning of proverbs and is at home with the obscurities of parables. He... learns what is good and evil in the human lot. He sets his heart to rise early to seek the Lord who made him, and to petition the Most High; he opens his mouth in prayer and asks forgiveness for his sins. If the great Lord is willing, he will be filled with the spirit of understanding... The Lord will direct his counsel and knowledge, as he meditates on his mysteries. He will show the wisdom of what he has learned, and will glory in the law of the Lord's covenant. Jesus Ben Sirach (c. 200 BC) - Ecclesiasticus 39 1-8 - The Apocrypha (NRSV)

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Jesus Christ - Matthew 24:35 / Mark 13:31 / Luke 21:33 (NIV)

This is my Son, whom I love and have chosen; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him! A voice from heaven - Matthew 17:5 / Mark 9:7 / Luke 9:35 (NIV)

JESUS 365

All the teachings of Jesus Christ as daily readings throughout the year

Key

Mt = St. Matthew's gospel Mk = St. Mark's gospel L = St. Luke's gospel J = St. John's gospel

Old Testament references added in brackets where applicable.

m - Jesus addresses the general masses d - Jesus addresses his inner core of disciples h - Jesus addresses religious hypocrites

Where there is no notation, Jesus addresses other specific people.