Should We Consider Jesus a Philosopher?

Jesus was many things, such as Lord and Messiah, but we may be hesitant to consider him a philosopher. I argue that given Jesus’ coherent worldview and skill at argumentation, it is wise to both consider him as a philosopher and to look to him for intellectual inspiration. I pay close attention to Jesus’ stellar reasoning abilities concerning two theological issues raised in Matthew 22.

Resources

1. Douglas Groothuis, On Jesus (USA: Wadsworth, 2003).
2. Douglas Groothuis, “Jesus: Philosopher and Apologist,” Christian Research Journal (2009), https://www.equip.org/articles/jesus-philosopher-and-apologist.
3. P. Moreland, Love Your God with All Your Mind, 2nd ed. (NavPress, 2013).
4. James Sire, Habits of the Mind (InterVarsity Press, 2000). See chapter nine, “Jesus the Reasoner.”
5. Dallas Willard, “Jesus, the Logician,” Christian Scholars Review XXVIII, no. 4 (1999). 

 For more from Dr. Groothuis, visit  DouglasGroothuis.com.

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