Jesus seems to know how to be very persuasive toward his audience. Ethos, pathos, and logos are the ingredients to make a persuasive argument. Logos means reason. Pathos means emotion. Ethos refers to his own credibility as a speaker. To prove his point, he likes to say that he has back-up from "the one who sent him" and those who reject him or disbelieve him will simultaneously reject or disbelieve the one who sent him. The "one who sent him" is presumed to be his spiritual father, God. Jesus also likes to persuade his audience by emotion and reason in his parables concerning the kingdom of God. In Luke 14:15-24, someone says to him, "Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!" And Jesus responds with a parable that seems to address that those who are invited to the householder's dinner party but are "busy" with their plans are not wanted anymore, and those who are poor, crippled, blind, and lame are wanted to be at the dinner party. This may require some thought, because a poor, crippled, blind, and lame person - who has been living a miserable life - would probably feel so blessed for having so much without earning it and be very grateful and keep the good stuff and thank the householder for being so generous. Meanwhile, the ungrateful guests lose their invitations. I think the householder is a bit upset and grumpy that his initial guests do not seem like faithful friends.
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CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.
Jesus' rhetoric
- Thread starter Hestha
- Start date
Dear Hestha. Could we expect less from Jesus-God-Son? We all owe so very much to Jesus our Saviour. He died that we might live, and is now pleading
our prayers to God our Heavenly Father. Jesus vanquished Satan, and if we follow Jesus` Loving advice in Matthew 22: 35-40: " Love God with all our beings, and love our neighbour as we love ourselves," Satan will not come near us. We all know that Satan and his followers will flee from anything which has to do with Love and Compassion. I say this with love. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.
our prayers to God our Heavenly Father. Jesus vanquished Satan, and if we follow Jesus` Loving advice in Matthew 22: 35-40: " Love God with all our beings, and love our neighbour as we love ourselves," Satan will not come near us. We all know that Satan and his followers will flee from anything which has to do with Love and Compassion. I say this with love. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.
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Harry3142
Regular Member
Hestha-
In Jesus' time there were those who believed that those who were poor and/or crippled in some way (such as being blind or lame) deserved their situation. Even one of his apostles asked him if the man or his parents had sinned when they encountered a person who was born blind.
Jesus himself was quick to correct such belief. According to him those who were less fortunate were not to be viewed with contempt, as was so often the case, but rather be respected, as well as being given assistance in order to alleviate their suffering. No one was to see his particular situation as somehow identifying him as being better than others, but rather he was to see his situation as putting him in a position of responsibility toward others who were less fortunate.
Jesus even went so far as to warn those who were wealthy, and who saw their wealth as God's being pleased with them while punishing those who were poor, that there would come a time when it would be themselves who would suffer, while those whom they were treating with contempt would receive the blessings that would last forever. The parable of Lazarus and the wealthy man was one of the parables which he used as a means of giving the arrogant fair warning of what their ultimate fate would be.
In Jesus' time there were those who believed that those who were poor and/or crippled in some way (such as being blind or lame) deserved their situation. Even one of his apostles asked him if the man or his parents had sinned when they encountered a person who was born blind.
Jesus himself was quick to correct such belief. According to him those who were less fortunate were not to be viewed with contempt, as was so often the case, but rather be respected, as well as being given assistance in order to alleviate their suffering. No one was to see his particular situation as somehow identifying him as being better than others, but rather he was to see his situation as putting him in a position of responsibility toward others who were less fortunate.
Jesus even went so far as to warn those who were wealthy, and who saw their wealth as God's being pleased with them while punishing those who were poor, that there would come a time when it would be themselves who would suffer, while those whom they were treating with contempt would receive the blessings that would last forever. The parable of Lazarus and the wealthy man was one of the parables which he used as a means of giving the arrogant fair warning of what their ultimate fate would be.
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Hestha, you bring out some important points, and seem to get Jesus' intent.
Jesus set a good example for letting our words be few and well-chosen. When we give credit to ourselves, other people see it as competitive condescension and arrogance. Jesus gave people the chance to find out for themselves if they really wanted to know more. Seek, knock. Ask Him.
Proverbs 11:2
When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom.
Isaiah 2:17
The pride of man will be humbled And the loftiness of men will be abased; And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
Put this into the context of the Greco-Roman philosophers, roughly 7th Century B.C. through 5th Century A.D. Jesus came in just after Cicero and just before Ptolemy. He was much more than a philosopher, but this could show that the people were accustomed to listening to logic presented that way, stretching thought and requiring more reflection.
But in contrast, I would suspect that some of the philosophers were bombastic and competitive, or at least tending more toward promoting and coining their own ideas. Jesus' humility extended outward to lift up other people, and to point to the Father.
Jesus set a good example for letting our words be few and well-chosen. When we give credit to ourselves, other people see it as competitive condescension and arrogance. Jesus gave people the chance to find out for themselves if they really wanted to know more. Seek, knock. Ask Him.
Proverbs 11:2
When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom.
Isaiah 2:17
The pride of man will be humbled And the loftiness of men will be abased; And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
Put this into the context of the Greco-Roman philosophers, roughly 7th Century B.C. through 5th Century A.D. Jesus came in just after Cicero and just before Ptolemy. He was much more than a philosopher, but this could show that the people were accustomed to listening to logic presented that way, stretching thought and requiring more reflection.
But in contrast, I would suspect that some of the philosophers were bombastic and competitive, or at least tending more toward promoting and coining their own ideas. Jesus' humility extended outward to lift up other people, and to point to the Father.
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