The moral guidelines found in the [Jesus] Sutras have this quality of lightness and moderation. They clearly echo the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament. Here they have a simplicity and quality of common sense that keeps them livable.
Religion must be an art of memory, allowing us to live from our ideals in the most demanding and complicated situations. These sayings are the tools of that art, interior flash cards to keep us honest and open-hearted.
— Ray Riergert, Thomas Moore, The Lost Sutras of Jesus