Jesus' Pedagogy of Encounter
Yim, Tae Soo [1]

In this Fourth Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS IV) we gather to find new pedagogies of encounter for building Asian communities. I am going to highlight the core spirit and method of Jesus' pedagogy of encounter. First, I want to examine the characteristics of Jesus' messianic movement.

Characteristics of Jesus' Messianic Movement

Popular messianic movements were active in Jesus' time. Popular messiahs aimed to build a new community just as Jesus did. But Jesus had fundamentally different characteristics from other popular messiahs. We can find his pedagogy from these characteristics.

(1) Non-violent Method

The main difference between popular messianic movements in the 1^st century C.E. and Jesus' messianic movement is in the use of violence. While popular messianic movements took advantage of weapons to reach their goal, Jesus emphasized non-violent struggle. A quote from the Sermon on the Mount shows how Jesus stressed on non-violence:

You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for an eye, and tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you, 'Do not resist an evil person with evil. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you� (Mt. 5:38-42).

Such a speech did not only oppose and overcome the talion law (Ex. 21:24, Lev. 24:20, Deut. 19:21) but also tacitly criticized the popular messianic movements of their violent actions. Violence only yields violence, but it is unable to break the vicious cycle and put an end to violence.

When a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people came to capture Jesus, one of Jesus' companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Jesus says: "Put your sword back in its place for all who draw the sword will die by the sword" (Mt. 26:52).

Luke 22:36 seems to differ from this: "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one." How can this be in direct contradiction to Matthew 26:52? Scholars consider this figurative. Considering Jesus' teachings, this cannot be interpreted literally as to fight and kill with a knife. Jesus did not have his own troops like the other popular messiahs. He only had twelve disciples, most of them fishermen from Galilee. He could have annihilated his enemies with twelve legions of angels (Mt. 26:53), but he did not choose to do so because his goal was different from the other popular messiahs in his time.

(2)     Forgiveness and Love for Enemies

Jesus did not only teach non-violence but also love for enemy: "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:43-44). He did not only teach it, but he also practiced it. Jesus did not only abandon the use of violence, but he also loved the Roman soldiers who killed him and were the enemy of the Jews. Jesus prayed for forgiveness for the Roman soldiers who crucified him: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34). Forgiving the Roman soldiers is equivalent to forgiving the Roman Empire. Loving his own enemies was a unique characteristic of Jesus, which could not be found in the other popular messiahs.

(3)     Suffering Servant

Jesus was not a heroic political messiah, as the Jews expected, but a Suffering Servant as Isaiah prophesied:

He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again (Mark 8:31).

Living and dying as a Suffering Servant, Jesus was not only unpopular among the people but also a disappointment to his disciples. Thousands of people gathered after seeing Jesus' miracle, but they scattered soon. When Jesus was captured by the Roman soldiers, the disciples ran away. What the disciples expected from Jesus was not a Suffering Servant, but someone to reconstruct the kingdom of David as a political messiah, and therefore someone worthy of praise by the whole nation.

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. 'Teacher,' they said, 'we want you to do for us whatever we ask.' 'What do you want me to do for you?' he asked. They replied, 'Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory' (Mark 10:35-37).

The figure of a suffering servant originated from Isaiah. "This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 'He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases'" (Mt. 8:17 as quoted from Isaiah 53:4).

(4) Atonement of Jesus for Humankind

Jesus did not die a simple death, but he died for the atonement of all humankind, including the enemies who killed him.

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed (1 Peter 2:24, quoted from Isaiah 53:5).

Jesus was not a messiah who killed his enemies, but who bore his enemy's sins and died as an atonement, scapegoat, and sacrifice all for humankind.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!' (John 1:29).

Jesus was "the Lamb of God, who takes the sin of the world". He did not shift responsibility on others but undertook others' sins. This was a new figure of messiah, which could not be found in the other messiahs in the 1^st century C. E.

(5)     Call to Repentance

While the other popular messiahs were concentrating on external results in politics, economy, religion, and society, Jesus treated the more fundamental cause that brought about those results: the sinfulness of every individual. Thus, the first word Jesus uttered in his public ministry was 'Repent'. "The time has come," he said. "The Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" (Mark 1:15)

Sinfulness was not the sole possession of the Romans who were then ruling the Jews. The Jews also could not be free from sin. Jesus saw through the fact that the problem of evil would never be solved if sinfulness remains in human beings. Therefore, he urged everyone to repent to solve the more fundamental problem before the external problems. Jesus was the messiah who presented the solution for this fundamental problem of sin. Repentance is the task of the whole humankind, which is to be done not only by the ruling class but also by the ruled. Jesus kept raising the issue of sin throughout his public ministry.

You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell (Mt. 5:21-22).

You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Mt. 5:27-28).

Jesus urged to solve the root cause of the problem knowing that the other problems could not be solved even if the Roman Empire shall have collapsed.

(6)     Establishment of the Reign of God

Jesus' goal was not the liberation of the Jews from the Roman Empire and reconstructing the Kingdom of Israel on earth. This is what distinguishes him from the other popular messiahs. Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place" (John 18:36). His goal was not the construction of the Kingdom on earth but the Kingdom of God.

"Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" (Mt. 19:24). "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:27). "But the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the Kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing" (Luke 9:11).

The reign of God is not restricted to the land of Palestine and to the Jewish people. The reign of God is for the whole humankind. "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit'" (Mt. 28:18-19).

Jesus' Pedagogy of Encounter

With such principles, Jesus practised his pedagogy of encounter to build a new community. We may summarize his pedagogy of encounter in seven points. This pedagogy may be a good example for Asian people to build communities.

There are two meanings of "encounter". One is 'meeting' someone in a positive sense; the other is 'confrontation' with others in a negative sense. There are two meanings in Jesus' pedagogy of encounter, too. One is meeting with others in a positive sense, and the other is confrontation with others in a negative sense.

(1) Encountering People through Visits

Jesus never sat still and waited for people. Even in choosing disciples, he did not wait until they came to him. Jesus went and sought his disciples, Peter, Andrew, James, John (Mt. 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20), Matthew (Mt. 9:9-10), Philip and Nathanael (John 1:43-51). When he wanted to meet people, he did not wait for them. He met people on the streets and villages. His way is so different from that of pastors today. Pastors should not wait for people but should go to people in the villages and streets to encounter them. Jesus usually worked outdoors. Occasionally, he preached and healed sick persons in houses and synagogues. But most of his activities were done outdoors. Today's pastors should examine themselves whether much of their work is indoor or outdoor.

(2) Healing the Sick

Jesus devoted his public life to healing sick persons. First half of the gospels are filled with his healing stories. Jesus cured the sickness of the people. Today, our pastors should examine themselves whether they are devoting to healing of the sick or not.

(3) Giving Food to the Hungry

Jesus gave food to the hungry. Jesus fed 4000 hungry people (Mt. 14:13-21; Luke 9:10-17) and 5000 hungry people (Mt. 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-10). While the first priority of the church is giving spiritual food to the people, it should not be unconcerned about the starving people. Is not the church wasting its money on unnecessary work? Is not the church neglecting the starving people who must be looked after appropriately?

(4)     Counseling

Jesus met Nicodemus and gave a good counseling about the way of being born again (John 3:1-21). He also met with a Samaritan woman with a keen insight into her problems and helped her to start a new life (John 4:1-42). People today have a lot of problems, too. The church should provide help to those people so they can help themselves find a way to a new life.

(5)     Emphasis of Praxis

Jesus was not satisfied with preaching his message to the people; he emphasized putting it to practice. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven"" (Mt. 7:21). It means that without deeds no one can come into the kingdom of heaven. It is wrong for Christians to believe that "we can be saved by faith alone" and show indifference in deeds (Cf. James 2:14, 24).

(6)     Practicing what He Preached

Jesus did not only preach but he also practiced what he preached. He washed the feet of his disciples (John 13:1-20), and even forgave Roman soldiers who were going to kill him (Luke 23:34). He gave food to the hungry and healed the sick, etc.

(7)     Criticizing Pharisees and Sadducees

Jesus criticized the hypocrisy and errors of the people who conducted evil things and committed unjust works, such as the Pharisees, teachers of the law, experts in the law, Sadducees, King Herod, etc. For this, he incurred their hatred and was crucified. The Church is called to be the light and salt of the world. The Church should not neglect the work of lightening up the darkness in the world and correcting the injustices. Jesus' pedagogy of encounter is a good example and may contribute to Asian people's dream of building communities.

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