What are some of the most famous sayings of Jesus?
Though the words Jesus spoke while on this earth are only a fraction of God's words recorded in the Bible, they are arguably the ones that have had the greatest impact on humanity. Some of Jesus' sayings have become ingrained into the fabric of culture. Others invoke an outcry, standing in stark contrast to the ways of the world. Regardless of how certain sayings of Jesus are accepted, the words of Jesus are unlike those of any other man.
It would be impossible to give an exhaustive overview of the most famous sayings of Jesus. However, many of His statements can be categorized into the following topics: Jesus is the Son of God and our Savior, the greatest commandment is love, believers are set apart from the world, Jesus calls us to follow Him and be a light in the world. Some of the famous sayings of Jesus are expounded upon below.
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).
Jesus is the Son of God and our Savior (John 3:16–18; Acts 4:12). He is fully human and fully God (Philippians 2:5–11). He experienced the same suffering and temptations of humanity and yet did not sin (Hebrews 4:14–16). Jesus died on the cross, an innocent and perfect sacrifice, to atone for the sins of the world. He rose to life on the third day, victorious over sin and death and proving He is who He claims to be. It is only through faith in Him that we are forgiven for our sins and gifted eternal salvation. See also John 4:13–14 and John 10:10–11, 27–30.
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37–39).
The greatest commandment is love. Our first priority in life is to love God. He alone is worthy of our worship and everything we do should be to glorify Him. Second only to God, we are to love others as ourselves. Through loving them we demonstrate the love of Christ and point them in His direction. See also Luke 6:31 and Matthew 5:44.
"But many who are first will be last, and the last first" (Matthew 19:30).
Believers are set apart from the world. They are continually being made new as their character becomes more like Christ's. They are encouraged to be humble, to serve others, to love their enemies, and to forgive. The truth of the gospel will often contradict the perspective of the world and offend people living in sin. However, those who obey the Lord will receive great reward in heaven. See also Matthew 5.
"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it" (Mark 8:34–35).
Jesus calls us to follow Him. Just as He called the disciples to leave their fishing nets and follow Him, He calls us to leave behind the ways of this world and put our trust in Him. He warns the journey will not be easy, but that the reward of following Him is far greater than any riches this world can offer. See also Matthew 4:19, Matthew 7:7, and John 8:12.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19–20).
Jesus commissioned His followers to share His truth and be a light in the world. We are to actively live out our faith and guide others to Christ. Believers are tasked with spreading the good news of the gospel to the ends of the earth. We are to help others follow Jesus. See also Matthew 5:14–16.
Be encouraged by the words of Jesus. Turn to them for wisdom and comfort. However, be wary of those who twist His words to deceive. Test what you hear against the entirety of God's Word and you will be able to discern the truth.
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