The "suggestion of an analogy that immediately exposes the absurdity of an
action or proposition," was the favorite method of argument with Jesus.
He spun no metaphysical cobwebs, he used no long chains of linked
propositions; it is no irreverence to say that his quick wit was his main
reliance. In a sentence or two, with a simple, homely figure, he reduced
to an absurdity the conduct he censured and the proposition he opposed.
On one occasion he was asked, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?"
"What man shall there be among you," he answered, "that shall have one
sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not lay hold
on it and bring it out? _How much more, then, is a man better than a
sheep?_ Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath day."
At another time the same subject came up. Because Jesus had healed on the
Sabbath day, the ruler of the synagogue was filled with indignation and
made a very grotesque spectacle of himself. He stormed, scolded, and
roared to the people, "There are six days in which men ought to work; in
them therefore come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day." Jesus
answered: "Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose
his ox or his ass from the stall and lead him away to watering? And ought
not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo,
these eighteen years, _be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day_?" The
indignant ruler had to smother his wrath. "And when he (Jesus) had said
these things, all his adversaries were ashamed." The people enjoyed their
confusion, and evidently applauded the sharp-witted young prophet who had
silenced the fault-finding tongues of the rulers. "All the people rejoiced
for the glorious things that were done by him!"
The Scribes and Pharisees were once murmuring and complaining that he
mingled with publicans and sinners, and even condescended to eat with
them. "And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a
physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but
sinners to repentance!"
When the Pharisees and Sadducees desired that he would show them a sign
from heaven, he answered and said unto them, "When it is evening, ye say
that it will be fair weather for the sky is red. And in the morning, It
will be foul weather to-day; for the sky is red and lowering. O, ye
hypocrites, _ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern
the signs of the times?_" He uses essentially the same argument for a
similar request: "When ye see a cloud rise out of the West, straightway ye
say, There cometh a shower, and so it is. And when ye see the South wind
blow, ye say, There will be heat, and it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites,
_ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that
ye do not discern this time?_" Says Geike, "With biting irony, he turned
on them in a few brief, incisive sentences. * * * An evil and adulterous
generation seeks after a sign of the approach of the Kingdom of God, while
it is blind to the signs around that the Messiah must come, if the nation
is not to perish."
In a similar manner he shows how ridiculous are the doubts of those who
fear that God will not answer prayer. "If a son ask bread of any of you
that is a father, will ye give him a stone?" How this must have arrested
the attention of his auditors; how they began to listen, curious to know
what was coming next. "Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a
serpent?" Now they exchange glances as much as to say, "No, no; surely we
would not do that!" But only for a moment. The expectant faces are again
turned upon the Great Teacher. "Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer
him a scorpion?" "No, no!" and now they are eager for the conclusion: "_If
ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how
much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask
him?_" It is the climax of absurdity for you to think that you are better
than God, and will do more for your children than the Great Father will do
for his children!
The disciples of Jesus came to tell him that the Pharisees are offended at
some of his sayings. His only reply is, "Let them alone; they be blind
leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall
into the ditch."
When he charges the Pharisees with tithing mint, anise, and cummin, while
neglecting judgment, mercy and faith, he stamps their conduct with an
"analogy" that makes them ludicrous forever, "Ye blind guides _which
strain out a gnat and swallow a camel_."
At dinner, he was rebuked by his host for permitting a penitent woman to
wash his feet with her tears and wipe them with the hairs of her head.
"Simon," calmly returned the guest, "I have somewhat to say to thee."
"Master, Say on." Jesus then proceeds to impale him upon the following
question: "There was a certain creditor which had two debtors; the one
owed him five hundred pence, the other fifty. And when they had nothing to
pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me, therefore, which of them will
love him most?" Simon understands whither the question tends, and slowly
and reluctantly comes his answer: "I--suppose--that--he--to--whom--he--
forgave most." "Thou hast rightly judged." Yes, Simon, but thou hast
condemned thyself and justified the woman.
The story of the vineyard and its application are similar to Nathan's
parable. "There was a certain householder which planted a vineyard, and
hedged it round about and digged a wine-press in it, and built a tower,
and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And when the
time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that
they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants,
and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other
servants, more than the first; and they did unto them likewise. But last
of all, he sent unto them his Son; saying, They will reverence my Son. But
when the husbandmen saw the Son, they said among themselves, This is the
heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on the inheritance. And they
caught him and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him."
This is the story. Jesus turns to the Pharisees: "When the Lord,
therefore, of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto these husbandmen?"
Priests and Pharisees are moved with indignation. This is horrible; it
almost exceeds belief. Those husbandmen were monsters of ingratitude and
wickedness! The Pharisees answer: "He will miserably destroy those wicked
men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall
render him the fruits in their seasons."
Fatal answer for you, O Scribes and Pharisees! "Therefore I say unto you,
_the Kingdom of God shall be taken from_ YOU, and given to a nation
bringing forth the fruits thereof." There is a touch of humor in Matthew's
description of the manner in which the real object of this story dawned
upon the minds of the hearers. "And when the Pharisees had heard his
parable, _they perceived that he spake of them_." Are we not irresistibly
reminded of Falstaff, when the fairies in the forest turned out to be
flesh and blood, "I do begin to perceive that I am made an ass?" Do we not
feel about many of these condensed arguments of Jesus, as Milton did
about the "sophist sweating and turmoiling under the inevitable and
merciless dilemmas of Socrates," that "he who reads, were it Saturn
himself, would be robbed of more than a smile?"
Let us add by way of comparison, a passage from the Athenian Master. Here
is a fragment of dialogue upon the enslaving power of money.
"Come, now, and let us reason with the unjust who is not intentionally in
error. 'Sweet sir,' we will say to him, 'what think you of things esteemed
noble and ignoble? Is not the noble that which subjects the beast to the
man, or rather to the god in man? and the ignoble that which subjects the
man to the beast?' He can hardly avoid saying Yes,--can he now?"
"Not if he has any regard for my opinion."
"But if he admit this, we may ask him another question,--How would a man
profit if he received gold and silver on condition that he was to enslave
the noblest part of him to the worst? Who can imagine that a man who sold
his son or daughter into slavery for money, especially if he sold them
into the hands of fierce and evil men, would be the gainer, however large
might be the sum which he received? And will any one say that he is not a
miserable caitiff who sells his own divine being to that which is most
atheistical and detestable, and has no pity?"
This selection will enable us to see that the method commonly used by
Socrates was essentially the method that Jesus so frequently employed.