How Does Jesus Do Ethics?

“The first thing about Christian morality between man and man is that in this department Christ did not come to preach any kind of brand new morality. The Golden Rule of the New Testament (Do as you would be done by) is a summing up of what every one, at bottom, had always known to be right. Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities: it is quacks and cranks who do that.” -

Frankly, humanity has enough ethical systems already. There are so many rules and principles and laws and precepts and policies that we hardly need more. Jesus’ morality is inventive in the following ways:

-Jesus is giving general principles to apply in a variety of circumstances, not rules or laws that are very specific. Thus, the application of Jesus’ morality is to be worked out among his people, led by the Spirit, and not dictated from the beginning.

-Jesus’ principles of right and wrong have more to do with prioritizing rather than being startlingly new. Jesus is teaching old principles, often directly quoting other authors, but the unique aspect of Jesus’ teaching is how he prioritizes these teachings. That principles of love and mercy get prioritized above all other religious principles.

-Although Jesus’ principles are very conceptual, he expects the applications to be very hands on. Jesus quotes the principles “Mercy is greater than sacrifice” and he applies it to men harvesting heads of grain on the Sabbath and healing when it is illegal.

-Jesus easily does away with certain principles, if they contradict mercy in application. Keeping the Sabbath is good, but insignificant to helping others. Keeping a vow to God is good, but not at the cost of supporting one’s parents when they are old.

-Jesus applies the most basic principles to the smallest possible action. Many mistakenly think Jesus is speaking of judgment of one’s mind, but really Jesus is speaking of one’s gaze or one’s insult. These are still actions, actions that some might consider insignificant. But Jesus is saying that every action shows what we really lust, who we really are.