Who Are "The Common People"?

[Richard Aberdeen]

What is translated in most versions of the New Testament as "common people", means "crowd" in Greek. However, the vast majority of the "crowd" who followed Jesus around were most likely regular average people, rather than the elite of society.

The religious leaders often hung nearby because they were trying to trick and trap Jesus into saying something they could use to accuse him. Thus the "crowd" who responded overwhelmingly positive to Jesus, does not refer to them. In Acts 26:22 and Romans 12:16, what is translated as "common people" means "lowly" people in Greek. "The Jews" refers to the religious leaders, not to all Jews, as is often the excuse for horrific persecution of Jewish populations.

According to Encyclopedia Britannica article "Judaism", the average people of the time slightly before the birth of Jesus (and most likely also during the life of Jesus) had come to hate the religious leaders. This may well explain why the "crowd" "heard Jesus gladly", while they had ceased to listen to or obey their religious leaders. Jesus often makes sarcastic sport of the conservative religious leaders of his time, which may be why the common people heard him gladly.

Compare today, where many 'churches' are going bankrupt because nobody wants to hear their twisted nonsense, while Jesus doesn't appear to have a conservative bone in his body. If the common average people do not respond positively to your message, then whatever is being promoted is most likely at odds with the real First Century Jesus, who could hold the "crowd" in rapt attention for days on end.

In Search of the Real Jesus
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[Br. Bear]

Greetings,

Jesus often makes sarcastic sport of the conservative religious leaders of his time,

I don't know a Jesus who makes or made sarcastic sport of anyone. Perhaps you refer to a different Jesus?

Stereotyping the Lord in this manner ruins your post/thread.

Have you tried reading and understanding the passages which you deem as 'sarcastic sport' in a different light?


Bless you ....><>

 

[Twistie]

Personally i like when the Lord said I come not to do my will but the will of my Father..
Hmm wonder what He would of done if He wasn't in the Will of Abba..
Good thing He had the Fathers will especially for those who he was speaking about n against..

←⁠_⁠←

 

[Richard Aberdeen]

Greetings,



I don't know a Jesus who makes or made sarcastic sport of anyone. Perhaps you refer to a different Jesus?

Stereotyping the Lord in this manner ruins your post/thread.

Have you tried reading and understanding the passages which you deem as 'sarcastic sport' in a different light?


Bless you ....><>

Jesus calls them all manner of vile names right to their face in public; he even goes after them when eating at their tables: "Hypocrites, blind leaders of the blind", "walking graves", "snakes", "liars", "vipers", "straining the knat while swallowing the camel", etc.