What Jesus taught through his preaching made an unforgettable impression upon his disciples. But it was the many succinctly formulated sayings of Jesus that stood out from the start because of their clear structure and vividness. In The Most Important Words of Jesus, renowned scholar Gerhard Lohfink focuses on the power, beauty, and seriousness of these seventy central sayings of the Lord. When the Church confesses that Jesus is not only truly human but also truly God, that means he is the perfect image of God, God’s definitive word. It rests on the majestic claim that revealed itself, modestly, discreetly, and yet clearly, in every one of the seventy “sayings” or logia of Jesus. In this book, Lohfink helps us to understand what Jesus is talking about in these sharply defined words.

Join me as we look at the words and life of Christ while He walked here upon the earth and through His Revelation in Chronological order. As a disciple of Christ you will enjoy walking with Him and His disciples as they confront life with an eternal purpose. Pastors will enjoy seeds to build expository messages around the time and life of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1856.

Matthew describes the beginning of Jesus's ministry with the summary words, ""μετανοεῖτε (repent/turn), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand"" (3:2; 4:17). Why does Matthew use this command, μετανοεῖτε, at the beginning of his ministry, and how does it relate to the rest of the Gospel? What do μετανοέω and μετάνοια mean? Scholars have stated that μετανοέω in 4:17 has critical value for understanding Matthew because the verse functions as a summary statement (or key phrase) of Jesus's public ministry and teaching. This book argues the thematic significance of μετάνοια (turning/repentance) in the Gospel of Matthew. The lexical idea of μετανοέω and μετάνοια involves a turning of mind (or heart, will, thinking) and behavior, and so in turn of one's whole being and life. This opening commandment of turning (μετανοέω), especially the concept, the essence, and the contents is fully revealed throughout the body of Matthew in various ways. Discipleship, the language of righteousness, doing the will of God, changing one's heart and mind, the Great Commission, and Matthean soteriological theme convey the essence of μετάνοια and the contents of the fruit worthy of μετάνοια(3:2, 8; 4:17). The five major teaching blocks (5-7; 10; 13; 18; 23-25) teach the theme and the content of μετάνοια.

A Christian attorney argues that Bonhoeffer was correct when he said we have developed a "Christianity without Christ" and exchanged Jesus' gospel of costly grace for one of "cheap grace." Del Tondo reviews all the major salvation statements and parables by Jesus. He then compares them to the prevalent doctrines of 'faith alone' which Bonhoeffer called 'cheap grace.' Del Tondo demonstrates that Jesus' doctrines on salvation insisted upon repentance from sin and obedience to His principles, thereby falsifying faith alone doctrine.