12∞ · Part 2 of 12

Part 2: Jesus Beyond the Religious Construct

Re-examining Jesus before deciding what must be discarded, retained, or expanded.

Gate 2.1: Birth, Identity, and Setting

What kind of world was Jesus born into? · 2.1.1
Do I have to believe the virgin birth literally? · 2.1.2
Why does it matter whether Jesus came from Bethlehem or Nazareth? · 2.1.3
Why do Matthew and Luke give Jesus different family trees? · 2.1.4
What does “Son of God” actually mean? · 2.1.5
Why did Jesus call himself the “Son of Man”? · 2.1.6
Was Jesus the Messiah people were expecting? · 2.1.7
Was Jesus a rabbi? · 2.1.8
How Jewish was Jesus? · 2.1.9
How did Roman occupation shape what Jesus taught? · 2.1.10
Who was John the Baptist, and why did Jesus go to him? · 2.1.11
What really happened in the wilderness temptation? · 2.1.12

Gate 2.2: The Kingdom of God

What did Jesus mean by the Kingdom of God? · 2.2.1
If the Kingdom is within me, why can’t I feel it? · 2.2.2
What did Jesus mean when he said “repent”? · 2.2.3
What are the Beatitudes really saying? · 2.2.4
Why did Jesus spend so much time with the poor and the outcast? · 2.2.5
Was Jesus against wealth? · 2.2.6
How did Jesus hold justice and mercy together? · 2.2.7
What does it mean to receive the Kingdom like a child? · 2.2.8
What is the parable of the mustard seed about? · 2.2.9
Why did Jesus compare the Kingdom to yeast? · 2.2.10
What is the treasure hidden in the field? · 2.2.11
Is the Kingdom here now, or still to come? · 2.2.12

Gate 2.3: The Ethic of Love

What did Jesus say is the most important commandment? · 2.3.1
Did Jesus really expect us to love our enemies? · 2.3.2
What did Jesus teach about forgiveness? · 2.3.3
Is the Golden Rule unique to Jesus? · 2.3.4
What did Jesus mean by “judge not”? · 2.3.5
Why was Jesus so hard on hypocrisy? · 2.3.6
Why did Jesus say that lust in the heart is already adultery? · 2.3.7
What did Jesus actually say about divorce? · 2.3.8
How did Jesus say we should treat strangers? · 2.3.9
Why did Jesus keep making Samaritans the heroes of his stories? · 2.3.10
How did Jesus treat women? · 2.3.11
What did Jesus teach about children? · 2.3.12

Gate 2.4: Prayer, Faith, and the Inner Life

What is the Lord’s Prayer really teaching? · 2.4.1
Why did Jesus tell people to pray in secret? · 2.4.2
Does fasting still have a place? · 2.4.3
What did Jesus mean by faith? · 2.4.4
Is doubt the opposite of faith? · 2.4.5
Did Jesus promise that I will get whatever I ask for? · 2.4.6
What does it mean to “abide” in Christ? · 2.4.7
What did Jesus say about the Holy Spirit? · 2.4.8
What does it mean to worship “in spirit and in truth”? · 2.4.9
What did Jesus teach about being “clean” before God? · 2.4.10
How did Jesus tell people to deal with anxiety? · 2.4.11
Why did Jesus keep withdrawing to lonely places? · 2.4.12

Gate 2.5: The Parables

What is the point of the Good Samaritan? · 2.5.1
What does the Prodigal Son reveal about God? · 2.5.2
What is the parable of the Sower about? · 2.5.3
Why does the farmer let the weeds grow with the wheat? · 2.5.4
What is the parable of the talents asking of me? · 2.5.5
What does the parable of the ten bridesmaids mean? · 2.5.6
Is the story of the rich man and Lazarus a description of hell? · 2.5.7
What does the unforgiving servant teach? · 2.5.8
Why do the vineyard workers all get the same pay? · 2.5.9
What does the lost sheep tell me about how God sees me? · 2.5.10
Why is the tax collector praised over the Pharisee? · 2.5.11
What is the wedding banquet parable about? · 2.5.12

Gate 2.6: Healings, Signs, and Wonders

Did Jesus really heal people? · 2.6.1
How should I understand the exorcisms? · 2.6.2
Did Jesus literally walk on water? · 2.6.3
What happened at the feeding of the five thousand? · 2.6.4
Why was turning water into wine the first sign? · 2.6.5
What is the meaning of the raising of Lazarus? · 2.6.6
Why did Jesus heal on the Sabbath when he knew it would cause trouble? · 2.6.7
If I am not healed, does that mean I lack faith? · 2.6.8
Why are there so many stories about blindness? · 2.6.9
What was the significance of Jesus touching lepers? · 2.6.10
What does the calming of the storm mean for me? · 2.6.11
Why does John’s Gospel call the miracles “signs”? · 2.6.12

Gate 2.7: Jesus and Religious Authority

Were the Pharisees really the villains? · 2.7.1
Who were the scribes? · 2.7.2
What were the Sabbath arguments really about? · 2.7.3
Why did Jesus overturn the tables in the Temple? · 2.7.4
What did Jesus do when tradition and compassion collided? · 2.7.5
What is legalism, and why did Jesus resist it? · 2.7.6
Why did Jesus pronounce “woes” on religious leaders? · 2.7.7
What did “render unto Caesar” mean? · 2.7.8
Where did Jesus’ authority come from? · 2.7.9
Why did Jesus disregard purity laws? · 2.7.10
How do I guard against religious hypocrisy in myself? · 2.7.11
Why did Jesus predict the destruction of the Temple? · 2.7.12

Gate 2.8: The "I Am" Sayings

What did Jesus mean by “I and my Father are one”? · 2.8.1
What is the meaning of “before Abraham was, I am”? · 2.8.2
If Jesus said “I am the way,” how can other paths be valid? · 2.8.3
What does the image of the vine and the branches teach? · 2.8.4
Why did Jesus say both “I am the light of the world” and “you are the light of the world”? · 2.8.5
What did Jesus mean by calling himself the bread of life? · 2.8.6
What is the “living water” Jesus offered? · 2.8.7
Why did Jesus quote “ye are gods”? · 2.8.8
Should I take “greater works than these” literally? · 2.8.9
Is Christ something Jesus has that I don’t? · 2.8.10
What happened at the Transfiguration? · 2.8.11
What did Jesus mean by “glory”? · 2.8.12

Gate 2.9: Disciples and Discipleship

What was Jesus asking for when he said “follow me”? · 2.9.1
What does it mean to take up my cross? · 2.9.2
Why did Jesus warn people to count the cost? · 2.9.3
Why is service so central to Jesus’ way? · 2.9.4
Why did Jesus wash his disciples’ feet? · 2.9.5
What did Jesus mean by “the greatest among you shall be your servant”? · 2.9.6
What can I learn from how Jesus sent out his disciples? · 2.9.7
Are spiritual gifts real, and are they for today? · 2.9.8
Why did Jesus build so much on Peter, who kept failing? · 2.9.9
Who was Mary Magdalene, really? · 2.9.10
How should I think about Judas? · 2.9.11
What kind of disciple was Thomas? · 2.9.12

Gate 2.10: The Passion and the Cross

Why didn’t Jesus resist arrest? · 2.10.1
What does Gethsemane show about Jesus? · 2.10.2
Who was responsible for Jesus’ death? · 2.10.3
What kind of man was Pontius Pilate? · 2.10.4
What was crucifixion, and why does it matter that Jesus died that way? · 2.10.5
What does “Father, forgive them” teach me? · 2.10.6
Did God abandon Jesus on the cross? · 2.10.7
What are the different ways Christians have explained the atonement? · 2.10.8
Was Jesus’ death a sacrifice? · 2.10.9
Was Jesus killed for political reasons? · 2.10.10
Why do the Gospels bother to describe the burial? · 2.10.11
What does the cross mean for someone on an awakening path? · 2.10.12

Gate 2.11: Resurrection and What Follows

What do we actually know about the empty tomb? · 2.11.1
What were the resurrection appearances like? · 2.11.2
What kind of body did the risen Jesus have? · 2.11.3
What does the encounter with Thomas say about evidence and belief? · 2.11.4
How should I understand the Great Commission today? · 2.11.5
What was the ascension of Jesus? · 2.11.6
What did Jesus mean by “eternal life”? · 2.11.7
What did Jesus teach about judgment? · 2.11.8
What did Jesus say about heaven? · 2.11.9
Where did the idea of hell come from, if not from Jesus? · 2.11.10
Will Christ return? · 2.11.11
What is the “new creation” the New Testament talks about? · 2.11.12

Gate 2.12: Jesus in a Larger Light

Did Jesus teach that all is one? · 2.12.1
Why did Jesus put love above everything else? · 2.12.2
Did Jesus respect free will? · 2.12.3
Was Jesus teaching about consciousness? · 2.12.4
Is “Christ consciousness” a faithful way to speak about Jesus? · 2.12.5
What is mystical Christianity? · 2.12.6
How does Jesus relate to other religions? · 2.12.7
What should I make of channeled teachings that claim to come from Jesus or to speak about him? · 2.12.8
Should I be afraid of what historians say about Jesus? · 2.12.9
Did Jesus take the scriptures literally? · 2.12.10
What tools for discernment did Jesus himself give? · 2.12.11
After everything is re-examined, what remains central about Jesus? · 2.12.12

The 12 Parts

Last updated 2026-10-12

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