{"id":37152,"date":"2019-08-17T11:22:23","date_gmt":"2019-08-17T15:22:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/?p=37152"},"modified":"2019-08-17T11:22:23","modified_gmt":"2019-08-17T15:22:23","slug":"why-jesus-was-so-unpopular-parallel-with-socrates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2019\/08\/why-jesus-was-so-unpopular-parallel-with-socrates.html","title":{"rendered":"Why Jesus Was So Unpopular (Parallel with Socrates)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"<\/p>\n

Great human beings are routinely vastly misunderstood. For example, here is the gist of what Plato wrote about the cause of the well-known ancient Greek philosopher Socrates<\/a>\u2019 persecution and death, in his\u00a0Apology<\/em>:<\/p>\n

\n

At his trial, Socrates is accused of two things: impiety (asebeia<\/em>) against\u00a0Athens\u2019s gods, by introducing new gods, and corruption of Athenian youth, by teaching them to question the status quo. He is accused of impiety because the Oracle at Delphi said there was no wiser man in\u00a0Athens\u00a0then Socrates, and Socrates knew he was not wise. After hearing that, he questioned every man he met to find a wiser man than he.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

\n

The corruption charge, said Socrates in his defense, was because by questioning people in public, he embarrassed them, and they, in turn, accused him of corrupting the youth of Athens by the use of sophistry. (\u201cWhat Was the Charge Against Socrates?,\u201d<\/a>\u00a0N. S. Gill,\u00a0ThoughtCo.<\/em>, 11-28-18)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That sounds very familiar. Jesus\u2019 enemies (mostly the scribes and Pharisees) accused Him of blasphemy and impiety because He claimed to be God<\/a>, and also the Messiah. This upset the apple cart (to put it extremely mildly), so\u00a0they sought to kill Him:<\/p>\n

John 5:15-18<\/strong>\u00a0(RSV) The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.\u00a0[16] And this was why the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did this on the sabbath.\u00a0[17] But Jesus answered them, \u201cMy Father is working still, and I am working.\u201d\u00a0[18] This was why the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but also called God his Father, making himself equal with God.<\/p>\n

John 10:30-36<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cI and the Father are one.\u201d\u00a0[31]\u00a0The Jews took up stones again to stone him.\u00a0[32] Jesus answered them, \u201cI have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of these do you stone me?\u201d\u00a0[33] The Jews answered him, \u201cIt is not for a good work that we stone you but for blasphemy; because you, being a man, make yourself God.\u201d\u00a0[34] Jesus answered them, \u201cIs it not written in your law, `I said, you are gods\u2019?\u00a0[35] If he called them gods to whom the word of God came (and scripture cannot be broken),\u00a0[36] do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, `You are blaspheming,\u2019 because I said, `I am the Son of God\u2019<\/p>\n

Matthew 26:63-66<\/strong>\u00a0. . . And the high priest said to him, \u201cI adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ [the Messiah], the Son of God.\u201d\u00a0[64] Jesus said to him, \u201cYou have said so. But I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.\u201d\u00a0[65] Then the high priest tore his robes, and said, \u201cHe has uttered blasphemy. Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy.\u00a0[66] What is your judgment?\u201d They answered, \u201cHe deserves death.\u201d [clearly applying to himself the famous messianic passage, Daniel 7:13]<\/p>\n

John 7:1\u00a0<\/strong>After this Jesus went about in Galilee; he would not go about in Judea, because the Jews sought\u00a0<\/b>to kill him.<\/p>\n

John 19:7\u00a0<\/strong>The Jews answered him, \u201cWe have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he has made himself the Son of God.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Jesus, like Socrates, went against the established religious orthodoxy and the corrupt status quo (even using Socrates\u2019 own\u00a0famous questioning \u201cmethod\u201d<\/a>), and had to be killed for it. They started saying He was demonically possessed and that He cast out demons by demonic power (Mk 3:22), to which Jesus retorted, \u201ca house divided against itself cannot stand\u201d (Mk 3:25).<\/p>\n

And people said\u00a0\u201cHe is beside himself\u201d (Mk 3:21) because Jesus had (heaven forbid!) healed people (Mk 3:1-10).\u00a0And (also very much like Socrates\u2019 case) people (filled with pride then as now, if they lose an argument or are shown to be wrong) didn\u2019t like how He overcame them with His socratic questioning:<\/p>\n

Luke 14:5-6<\/strong>\u00a0And he said to them, \u201cWhich of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well, will not immediately pull him out on a sabbath day?\u201d\u00a0[6] And they could not reply to this.<\/p>\n

Mark 3:1-4<\/strong>\u00a0Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand.\u00a0[2] And they watched him, to see whether he would heal him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him.\u00a0[3] And he said to the man who had the withered hand, \u201cCome here.\u201d\u00a0[4] And he said to them, \u201cIs it lawful on the sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?\u201d But they were silent.<\/p>\n

Luke 20:19-26<\/strong>\u00a0The scribes and the chief priests tried to lay hands on him at that very hour, but they feared the people; for they perceived that he had told this parable against them.\u00a0[20] So they watched him, and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might take hold of what he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor.\u00a0[21] They asked him, \u201cTeacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God.\u00a0[22] Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?\u201d\u00a0[23] But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them,\u00a0[24] \u201cShow me a coin. Whose likeness and inscription has it?\u201d They said, \u201cCaesar\u2019s.\u201d\u00a0[25] He said to them, \u201cThen render to Caesar the things that are Caesar\u2019s, and to God the things that are God\u2019s.\u201d\u00a0[26] And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him by what he said; but marveling at his answer they were silent.<\/p>\n

Matthew 21:23-27\u00a0<\/strong>And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, \u201cBy what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?\u201d\u00a0[24] Jesus answered them, \u201cI also will ask you a question; and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things.\u00a0[25] The baptism of John, whence was it? From heaven or from men?\u201d And they argued with one another, \u201cIf we say, `From heaven,\u2019 he will say to us, `Why then did you not believe him?\u2019\u00a0[26] But if we say, `From men,\u2019 we are afraid of the multitude; for all hold that John was a prophet.\u201d\u00a0[27] So they answered Jesus, \u201cWe do not know.\u201d And he said to them, \u201cNeither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.<\/p>\n

Matthew 21:45-46\u00a0<\/strong>When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them.\u00a0[46] But when they tried to arrest him, they feared the multitudes, because they held him to be a prophet.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So I submit that this is why Jesus was unpopular in some circles (the same ones that had Him killed), and this should not surprise anyone. Great men and women are often persecuted up to and including death. The parallels between Jesus and Socrates are striking, but not shocking at all, with even a rudimentary knowledge of history and the usual prominent flaws of fallen human nature (jealousy, pride, arrogance, lust for power, outmoded and corrupt traditions, excessive desire for fame and adulation, etc.).<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Photo credit:\u00a0<\/strong>Jesus\u00a0in the House of\u00a0Annas\u00a0<\/i>(1803), by\u00a0<\/i>Jos\u00e9 de Madrazo y Agudo (1781-1859)<\/span> [public domain \/ Wikimedia Commons<\/a>]<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

***<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Great human beings are routinely vastly misunderstood. 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Formerly a campus missionary, as a Protestant, Dave was received into the Catholic Church in February 1991, by the late, well-known catechist and theologian, Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave\u2019s articles have appeared in many influential Catholic periodicals, including \"This Rock\" (now called \"Catholic Answers Magazine\"), \"Envoy Magazine\" (Patrick Madrid), \"The Catholic Answer,\" \"The Coming Home Journal,\" \"Gilbert Magazine\" (American Chesterton Society), and \"The Latin Mass.\" He also writes a featured column for every issue of \"The Michigan Catholic\": published by the archdiocese of Detroit, and was editor for most of the apologetics tracts published by the St. Paul Street Evangelization apostolate. Dave\u2019s apologetics and writing apostolate was the subject of a feature article in the May 2002 issue of \"Envoy Magazine.\" He served as the staff moderator at the Internet discussion forum for The Coming Home Network, from 2007-2010. Dave has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated Catholic radio shows, including \"Catholic Answers Live\" (twice), \"Faith and Family Live\" (Steve Wood), \"Kresta in the Afternoon,\" \"Son Rise Morning Show,\" \"Catholic Connection\" (Teresa Tomeo), and \"The Catholics Next Door.\" His large and popular website, \"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism,\" was online from March 1997 to March 2007, and received the 1998 Catholic Website of the Year award from \"Envoy Magazine.\" His blog of the same name (now transferred to Patheos), begun in February 2004, contains more than 1,500 papers, at least 500 debates or dialogues, and over 50 distinct \"index\" web pages. Unsolicited correspondence has indicated many hundreds of conversions (or returns) to the Catholic faith as a result, by God's grace, of these writings. Dave's conversion story was published in the bestselling book \"Surprised by Truth\" (edited by Patrick Madrid; San Diego: Basilica Press, 1994). Sophia Institute Press has published six of his books: \"A Biblical Defense of Catholicism\" (Foreword by Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J., 1996 \/ 2003), \"The Catholic Verses\" (2004), \"The One-Minute Apologist\" (2007), \"Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths\" (2009), \"The Quotable Newman\" (editor: 2012), and \"Proving the Catholic Faith is Biblical\" (2015). He is co-author (with Dr. Paul Thigpen) of the inserts for \"The New Catholic Answer Bible\" (Our Sunday Visitor: 2005), and editor for \"The Wisdom of Mr. Chesterton: The Very Best Quotes, Quips, and Cracks from the Pen of G. K. Chesterton\" (Saint Benedict Press \/ TAN Books: 2009). \"100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura\" was published by Catholic Answers in May 2012. His \"Quotable Wesley\" compilation was published by (Protestant \/ Wesleyan publisher) Beacon Hill Press in April 2014. Several of his 49 books are bestsellers in their field. Dave maintains a popular personal Facebook page, a Facebook author page, and has a Twitter account as well. He offers almost all of his books in e-book form on his own Biblical Catholicism site (http:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/), at a permanent deep discount: only $2.99 for ePub, mobi, and AZW, and $1.99 for PDF. His writing has been enthusiastically endorsed or recommended by many leading Catholic apologists, authors, and priests, including Dr. Scott Hahn, Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Marcus Grodi, Patrick Madrid, Steve Ray, Tim Staples, Devin Rose, Mike Aquilina, Al Kresta, Karl Keating, Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Brandon Vogt, Marcellino D'Ambrosio, and Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. They have three sons and a daughter, and reside in southeast Michigan (metro Detroit).","sameAs":["https:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@LuxVeritatisApologetics"],"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/author\/davearmstrong"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37152","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2331"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37152"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37152\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37158"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37152"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37152"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37152"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}