What does Socrates frequent references to God reveal about his understanding of the
supernatural and its relevance to social life?
Answers
Explanation:
Only God is wise, and God possesses wisdom and knowledge beyond what humans are capable of. • God shapes human events, in part by revealing truth and wisdom through figures like Socrates. Q. Why did he accept the death penalty and refuse to consider a lesser sentence? (See the image on p. 185.) • He would rather die than end his pursuit of wisdom and knowledge through the teaching of philosophy. • He feared that any compromise would be unrighteous. • He argued that life was not worth living if he had to limit his quest for truth and knowledge. Document 4.4: Reflections from Jesus Q. In what ways does his teaching challenge or contradict the conventional outlook of his time? • Jesus defines as blessed those in society with the least power, wealth, or status. • He rejects the premise that the laws apply only to actions (like committing a murder), arguing instead that merely thinking of such action is breaking the law. • He rejects the retributive aspects of law and instead emphasizes unconditional forgiveness. • He rejects the pagan focus on this world. Q. What criticisms does he make of those referred to as hypocrites, Pharisees, and the teachers of the law? • Jesus states that those who hope to enter the kingdom of heaven will need to have greater righteousness than either the Pharisees or the teachers of the law. • Jesus criticizes those who give to the needy and pray in very public ways in order to attract attention and the esteem of men. Q. How would you summarize “the good life” as Jesus might have defined it? • forgiveness of others’ transgressions • love for even your enemies • adherence to Jewish laws and the teachings of the prophets • generosity toward the needy and prayer to God, but not if your intention in undertaking these activities is to cultivate personal prestige or others’ esteem • a focus on the life to come, not worldly matters • not to judge others Q. How might Jesus and Confucius have responded to each other’s teachings? • Confucius might appreciate Jesus’s message that all should act with restraint in relations to others; that motivations matter when taking actions; and that traditional laws and teachings should be respected. • Confucius might have some problems with Jesus’s focus on a next life rather than this one; his lack of focus on filial piety and obedience to social superiors; and his explicit criticism of Pharisees and teachers of the law. • Jesus might appreciate Confucius’s emphasis on the requirement that social superiors treat their inferiors fairly and put the interests of society as a whole ahead of their own. • Jesus may have taken issue with Confucius’s lack of concern for God or how individuals entered into the kingdom of heaven. Q. What is Jesus’s posture toward Jewish law? • Jesus teaches that he came to fulfill, not abolish, the law, which remains in its entirety important until “everything is accomplished.” • Jesus also teaches that anyone who breaks or teaches others to break any aspect of the Jewish law “will be called least in the kingdom of heaven”;