JESUS’ PUBLIC MINISTRY TO THE JEWS AND GENTILES: A MODEL FOR EMULATION IN THE NIGERIAN PLURALISTIC SOCIETY

Abstract

The Nigerian nation is a pluralistic society comprising people from diverse socio-cultural, religious and political backgrounds. However, since the end of the Nigerian civil war in 1970, the peaceful co-existence and harmonious living among Nigerians, irrespective of their religious affiliations within the Nigerian geo-political zones, has never been cordial. Consequently, ethno-religious conflicts, killings, displacement of people and destruction of properties worth millions of dollars are now commonplace. Also, several violent attacks and agitations calling for restructuring and separation of the Nigerian nation have been increasing without the incumbent government's proactive or active measures to stem the tide. The sustained agitations, riots, killings, destruction of lives and properties and absolute silence of government in the present time have resulted in the underdevelopment of the Nigerian nation. In light of the above thought, this paper centres on Jesus’ public ministry to the Jews and Gentiles as a model for emulation in the Nigerian pluralistic society. How can Jesus’ public ministerial styles and approaches be appropriated in the Nigerian pluralistic society for peaceful co-existence, harmonious living, and national development? This is the thrust of this paper. The paper employs the narrative critical method and argues that Jesus’ public ministry, expressed in the New Testament, is an all-inclusive ministry that accommodated people from all walks of life irrespective of their ethnicity, gender and social stratification. The paper maintains that although Jesus was a Jew, he did not surround himself with Jews only. He was receptive to the Jews and Gentiles and even associated with women. The paper recommends that for the Nigerian pluralistic society to experience absolute tranquillity arising from myriads of agitations and violent disorders ravaging the peace of the nation, leaders at all levels of government must eschew nepotism, tribal inclination, gender bias and discrimination and all forms of socioreligious and political stratifications.