07. Chapter 7: His Conversations

Chapter 7 His Conversations

Washington Gladden has an essay entitled “Qualities of Good Conversation.” Let me provide you with a brief summary of it, in the light of which we can study the conversations of Jesus.

Qualitiesof GoodConversation

“In politics, in religion, in the arts of life, opinions are oftener changed by familiar talk than by formal speeches. . . But conversation is not merely a useful art, it is a fine art.

“There are just two indispensable qualifications of a good conversationalist. The first is a good mind, the second is a good heart. The good heart is by far the more important and the one more likely to be disregarded.

“The good mind implies: (1) Natural ability; (2) intelligence; (3) discipline.

“The good heart implies: (1) Good humor; (2) charitableness; (3) candor; (4) sympathy; (5) earnestness; (6) sincerity; (7) modesty.

“The good conversationalist is one who can not only talk well, but also listen well.

“I remember now the words of One whose conversations (for he never made speeches) have been the most precious legacy of the world for many centuries: ‘How can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.’ Here we come to the root of the matter. If you would talk well you must live well.”

Let us now apply the findings of Dr. Gladden to the conversations of Jesus. Do they reveal the good mind? and the good heart? Is there natural ability? intelligence? discipline of mind? good humor? charitableness? candor? sympathy? earnestness? sincerity? modesty?

How would you illustrate each of these characteristics by the conversations of Jesus?

How is the fact that he finally silenced his intellectual critics related to the quality of his mind?

How is the fact that Mary sat with joy at his feet related to the quality of both mind and heart?

How is the fact that he was untrained in the rabbinical schools of the time, yet was able to engage successfully in dialectic with their graduates, related to his natural ability?

How does the conversation concerning the fall of Siloam’s tower reveal intelligence?

How does the conversation concerning the baptism of John reveal a well-disciplined mind?

How does the conversation concerning Herod’s designs on his life show good humor?

What conversation reveals his charitableness? Was he uncharitable in his conversation with the Pharisees concerning Corban, or only just?

How is his candor revealed in his conversation with Pilate concerning kingship?

How is sympathetic insight shown in his conversation with Martha concerning domestic duties? Did he ever descend from earnestness to flippancy? How are Peter’s words, “Thou hast the words of eternal life,” related to the quality of earnestness in Jesus?

How does sincerity appear in his conversation with the rich young ruler concerning inheriting eternal life? Have you further illustrations of sincerity? How do you interpret John 7:8?

How does modesty appear in the conversations of Jesus? Is it in the reply, “Why callest thou me good?” What other translation of this passage is there? Is this trait inconsistent with the self-assertion of Jesus? Are there still other qualities of the good conversationist? How about fluency? brilliancy? wit? Did Jesus exemplify any of these? Is there caustic wit in his conversation with the Pharisees concerning casting out demons: “And if I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out?”(Luke 11:19.) Was Jesus a good listener? How could you show it? Do you agree with the parenthetic remark of Dr. Gladden that Jesus “never made speeches”?

Almost any book of polite literature dealing with the art of conversation will include such hints as these: Don’t use slang; avoid exaggeration; be genial; think before you speak; don’t pun; don’t argue; exclude religion and politics as topics; conceal temper; don’t interrupt the speaker; adapt your conversation to your company; don’t correct another in public. To begin with, did Jesus frequent “polite” society? Are such conversations recorded? How do the conversations as recorded differ in purpose from those of polite society? In the days of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, men conversed on all the deep interests of life both in public places and in private homes. The results of these conversations were recorded and have since instructed the learned world. How do the conversations of Jesus with his disciples compare with these? In the list of eleven hints given above, check the ones you think Jesus exemplified. Could you prove your points? Do any figures of speech of Jesus involve exaggeration? Did he ever pun? Did he argue? Did he discuss religion and politics? Did he at times show feeling in conversation? Have you a clear case where he interrupted a speaker? Did he ever correct the views of others in public? If Jesus had engaged only in polite conversations at such social functions as he attended, should we ever have heard of him? What kind of a guest was he? Who are a few of the remembered talkers of the race? Why are they remembered? Are there still some characteristics of the conversations of Jesus not yet mentioned? Reread Mark 10, 11, , 12 with this question in mind. Shall we say that the conversations of Jesus were:

1. Brief?

2. Purposeful?

3. Direct, pointed, not evasive?

4. Personal?

5. Making a difference to the interlocutor?

6. Instructive, communicative?

7. Accompanied by use of eyes (Mark 10:27)?

8. Responsive?

9. Courageous?

10. Rebuking?

11. Marvelous? (Mark 12:17.)

12. Friendly?

13. Appreciative? (Mark 12:34.) 14. Pleasure and pain-giving? (Mark 12:37; Mark 10:22.) 15. Monologue or dialogue? Give and take?

16. Quick-witted?

17. Uncompromising?

18. Dignified?

19. Friend and enemy-making? (Mark 12:12.) 20. Stimulating?

Take any one of the conversations of Jesus and find as many qualities in it as you can.

While no one wants always to be teaching people things, to what extent do you feel we are really utilizing to the full our conversations? Did Jesus “talk shop”?

“When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Did Jesus?

Read carefully the following estimate and note any points of disagreement:

“This sense of humor made the common people hear him gladly. The stupidity and faux pas of the disciples, who understood him as little as Goethe’s Wagner understood Faust; the address to the soul, ‘Thou hast much goods laid up,’ which suggests Holbein’s ‘Dance of Death’; the admonition not to sit in the chief seat at a feast, or ask to dinner only those who will ask you to dine in return; these and the many pithy epigrammatic sayings that the world knows by heart show that Jesus was a great conversationalist, as witty as he was wise; that he was as ready with pleasantry, satire, ridicule, and irony as he was with invectives.”[1] [1] G.S. Hall, “Jesus, the Christ, in the Light of Psychology,” Vol II, p. 421.