G.K. Chesterton recently drew my attention again to what an uncommon and masterful teacher Jesus was. Jesus combined apparent opposites in his life and teaching, meekness and authority, humility and kingship, mercy and judgment. He held together “furious opposites,” love for enemies, elevating the “poor in spirit” and commending a childlike faith while speaking with authority and clarity. He spoke with parables and stories that confront, surprise and may transform the listener, across cultures and generations. He powerfully used beautiful a fortiori arguments and images. If God so loves the birds of the air and the flowers of the field, how much more does God care about you. Chesterton saw the intelligence and the power of Jesus teaching as an argument itself for his divine authority. He was more than a teacher.
It shouldn’t surprise us that the disciples realized they needed some help in understanding and interpreting some of the parables. And they asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, even though there were countless examples of prayers in the Scriptures already. The result was the gift of the Lord’s Prayer, an extraordinary teaching prayer that contains seven critical elements for prayer from perspective to gratitude as well as a movement from seeking alignment to using our life in a way that honors God and our life’s purpose. It teaches us what is most important in our relationship with God, with others, and even with ourselves.
While Jesus was an extraordinary teacher, he also called his disciples his friends (John 15:15).
It reframes the relationship from one of a divine authority and obedience to one of closeness, trust, and shared life. A friend is someone who knows you deeply and remains present, and this is how Jesus describes his relationship with those who follow him. Jesus walked with them, talked with them, ate with them, shared life with them. To understand Jesus as a friend is not to see faith as belief, but as relationship and trust.
Our society is marked by what is often described as a crisis of friendship. Even in a world of digital connection, there is often a deep sense of relational distance. Political polarities can exacerbate distance-keeping and foster superficial relationships.
Aristotle described three elements of friendship: the desire to spend time together, the willingness to make sacrifices for one another, and shared values. J.R.R. Tolkien suggested in Lord of the Rings that friendship is a critical weapon against evil. In a fragmented age, the act of being a faithful friend becomes countercultural and transformative.
