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A Great Teacher Shows Us the Creator More ClearlyIs There a Creator Who Cares About You?
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A disciple acquainted with the facts concluded that “Jesus is the Christ the Son of God.”b—John 20:31.
Because Jesus had such a close relationship with God, he could explain and reveal what our Creator is like. (Luke 10:22; John 1:18) Jesus testified that his closeness to his Father began in heaven, where he worked with God in bringing into being all other things, animate and inanimate.—John 3:13; 6:38; 8:23, 42; 13:3; Colossians 1:15, 16.
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A Great Teacher Shows Us the Creator More ClearlyIs There a Creator Who Cares About You?
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On the basis of his intimate relationship with and likeness to the Creator, Jesus said: “He that has seen me has seen the Father also.” (John 14:9) He also said: “Who the Father is, no one knows but the Son, and he to whom the Son is willing to reveal him.” (Luke 10:22) Hence, as we learn what Jesus taught and did on earth, we can see the Creator’s personality more clearly. Let us consider this, using the experiences of men and women who had dealings with Jesus.
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A Great Teacher Shows Us the Creator More ClearlyIs There a Creator Who Cares About You?
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This Samaritan woman found her encounter with Jesus very meaningful. Her earlier religious activities centered on worship at Mount Gerizim and were based on just the first five books of the Bible. The Jews shunned Samaritans, many of whom descended from a mix between the ten tribes of Israel and other peoples. How different it was with Jesus! He willingly taught this Samaritan, even though he was commissioned to go to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24) Here Jesus reflected Jehovah’s willingness to accept sincere people of all nations. (1 Kings 8:41-43) Yes, both Jesus and Jehovah are above the narrow-minded religious hostility that permeates the world today. Our knowing this should draw us to the Creator and his Son.
There is another lesson we can draw from Jesus’ willingness to teach this woman. She was then living with a man who was not her husband. (John 4:16-19) Yet, Jesus did not let this prevent him from speaking to her. You can understand that she must have appreciated being treated with dignity. And her experience was not unique. When some Jewish leaders (Pharisees) criticized Jesus for dining with repentant sinners, he said: “Persons in health do not need a physician, but the ailing do. Go, then, and learn what this means, ‘I want mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came to call, not righteous people, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:10-13) Jesus extended assistance to people groaning under the burden of their sins—their violations of God’s laws or standards. How heartwarming it is to learn that God and his Son will help those who have problems that result from their past conduct!—Matthew 11:28-30.c
Let us not overlook that on this occasion in Samaria, Jesus spoke kindly and helpfully to a woman. Why is this significant? Back then Jewish men were taught that in the street they should avoid speaking to women, even to their own wives. Jewish Rabbis did not consider women able to take in deep spiritual instruction but regarded them as “of a light mind.” Some said: “Better that the words of the law should be burned than deliver[ed] to women.” Jesus’ disciples had grown up in such a climate; so when they returned, they “began to wonder because he was speaking with a woman.” (John 4:27) This account—one of many—illustrates that Jesus was in the image of his Father, who created and assigned honor to both male and female.—Genesis 2:18.
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A Great Teacher Shows Us the Creator More ClearlyIs There a Creator Who Cares About You?
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A Fisherman’s View
Now let us take a look at Jesus through the eyes of two intimate associates—Peter and then John. These common fishermen were among his first followers. (Matthew 4:13-22; John 1:35-42) The Pharisees viewed them as “men unlettered and ordinary,” part of the people of the land (ʽam-ha·ʼaʹrets), who were looked down on because they were not schooled as rabbis. (Acts 4:13; John 7:49) Many such people, who were “toiling and loaded down” under the yoke of religious traditionalists, longed for spiritual enlightenment. Professor Charles Guignebert of the Sorbonne commented that “their hearts belonged wholly to Jahweh [Jehovah].” Jesus did not turn his back on those humble ones in favor of the wealthy or influential. Rather, he revealed the Father to them through his teachings and dealings.—Matthew 11:25-28.
Peter experienced Jesus’ caring attitude firsthand. Soon after he joined Jesus in the ministry, Peter’s mother-in-law fell sick with fever. Coming to Peter’s house, Jesus took her by the hand, and the fever left! We may not know the exact process of this cure, just as physicians today cannot fully explain how some cures occur, but the fever left this woman. More important than knowing his method of healing is appreciating that by curing the sick and afflicted, Jesus evidenced his pity for them. He truly wanted to help people, and so does his Father. (Mark 1:29-31, 40-43; 6:34) From his experience with Jesus, Peter could see that the Creator values each person as worthy of care.—1 Peter 5:7.
At a later time, Jesus was in the Court of the Women at Jerusalem’s temple. He observed people putting contributions into the treasury chests. Rich people put in many coins. Paying keen attention, Jesus saw a poor widow drop in two coins of very little value. Jesus told Peter, John, and the others: “Truly I say to you that this poor widow dropped in more than all those dropping money into the treasury chests; for they all dropped in out of their surplus, but she, out of her want, dropped in all of what she had.”—Mark 12:41-44.
You can see that Jesus looked for the good in people and that he appreciated each one’s efforts. What do you think was the effect on Peter and the other apostles? Perceiving from Jesus’ example what Jehovah is like, Peter later quoted a psalm: “The eyes of Jehovah are upon the righteous ones, and his ears are toward their supplication.” (1 Peter 3:12; Psalm 34:15, 16) Are you not attracted to a Creator and his Son who want to find good in you and will listen to your pleas?
After some two years of association with Jesus, Peter was sure that Jesus was the Messiah. Once, Jesus asked his disciples: “Who are men saying that I am?” He got various answers. He then asked them: “You, though, who do you say I am?” Peter confidently replied: “You are the Christ.” You might find strange what Jesus did next. He “strictly charged them not to tell anyone” about that. (Mark 8:27-30; 9:30; Matthew 12:16) Why would he say that? Jesus was available in their midst, so he did not want people to reach conclusions based on mere hearsay. That is logical, is it not? (John 10:24-26) The point is, our Creator likewise wants us to find out about him through our own investigation of solid evidence. He expects us to have convictions based on facts.—Acts 17:27.
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