How did Jesus treat unbelievers?

[nebula]

But to respond to your post now:

as for the passage about Jesus' mother, I dont think it is correct to call her an unbeliever.

21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind." . . .

31 Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived.

OK, so what was her opinion and belief at this point in time?

In an effort to help the discussion I will take your examples of unbelievers and examine how Jesus treated them.

1. Your Mark 3 example...23 So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables...

as for the passage about Jesus' mother, I dont think it is correct to call her an unbeliever.

2. Your Luke 9 example... 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them, 56 and they went to another village.

3. as for those that did not seek Jesus, this one is a bit harder, but there are examples of demon possessed people being brought to Jesus by others, meaning the individual did not seek out Jesus, and he still helped them.

4. Your Matt 27 example: If you look in Luke 23 you get the answer..."Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.

5. Your John 8 example...Jesus just left, and then went back to healing people

6. Your John 10 example...but Jesus said to them...

7. Your Matthew 21 example...24 Jesus replied, "I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John's baptism

[lekh l'kha]

21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind." . . .

31 Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived.

OK, so what was her opinion and belief at this point in time?

we dont know if his mother was with the family in vs 21. As for her belief, she was visited by an angel of the Lord and told who her son would be. I cant buy that she was a unbeliever at any time. She might have had doubts, we all have doubts if we are the type to sit and think about things.

Right, but notice what He did versus what He didn't do.

Did He hang out with them?

Did He engage in endless debates with them?

Did He allow them to keep mocking? (OK, His crucifixion was a bit different because He had to let it go to fulfill His mission, but regarding the earlier times....)

Did He hang out with them, you mean like have dinner with them?

but no, He did not engage in endless debates with them, that was not what He was here for. I think Paul was more the type to have those sorts of debates.

From Acts, Paul in Athens...16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean." 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you....

when Jesus was mocked, He moved on, as we should to those that mock our Lord.

Neither Jesus nor the apostles taught us by their examples that we should continue to try and make the horse drink the water we lead him to. Leave him alone and he'll drink when he's thirsty - as least you've shown him where to find the water. And if he kicks you, leave him alone.

[nebula]

You know, I was thinking about how this convo. was going, and I'm thinking, Gator, that you are deliberately attempting to argue the point you believe I am trying to make.

But you want to know something? I'm not trying to build to a concluding point. To be honest, I don't quite have a final point.

Really, my own pondering began as a question to standard beliefs and seeing something different than what everyone was claiming.

And that's really what I want people to get from this - just to re-look and think.

If an honest evaluation and search take you back to square one, then fine. But I hope you've taken an honest re-evaluation and look rather than automatically fighting against any challenges to your current thoughts and actions and pre-conceived notions.

Can you do this?

[nebula]

BTW -

How did Jesus treat those who did not believe in Him?

Well, firstly, He did not heal them:

Second, He warned them of their impending judgment:

Third, He told His apostles to wipe the dust from their feet if the people in a town would not accept them when they came in Jesus' name:

How did Jesus treat those who did not believe in God (the God of Israel) period?

Well, first, He let them know in no uncertain terms that the God of the Jews is the only true God:

Second, He would not allow His apostles to go to the Gentiles until after His ascension:

Ever wonder what Paul meant when he wrote, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (Rom 1:16)?

Or ever wondered why, in the book of Acts, we always read about Paul going first to the diaspora Jews in a new town or city he had never before entered on his missionary journeys?

And if Jesus told His Jewish apostles to wipe the dust off their feet in the Jewish towns which rejected them when they came in His name, how about what he would say about the Gentile towns and homes which would reject Him?

The truth is, though the God of the Universe does not want any to perish but all to come to repentance, yet He never ever goes running after those who reject Him or those who do not believe in Him - whether they are Jews or Gentiles. Neither does he give we who believe the right to judge such people, or to despise them.

**I snipped out the supporting Scriptures only to shorten the re-quote. I hope that doesn't confuse anyone.**

Interesting answer you gave. In some ways I see your thoughts followed the same thought pattern mine did, but then you added an interesting twist to the scenario.

I'll have to ponder on this one.

[lekh l'kha]

BTW -

How did Jesus treat those who did not believe in Him?

Well, firstly, He did not heal them:

Second, He warned them of their impending judgment:

Third, He told His apostles to wipe the dust from their feet if the people in a town would not accept them when they came in Jesus' name:

How did Jesus treat those who did not believe in God (the God of Israel) period?

Well, first, He let them know in no uncertain terms that the God of the Jews is the only true God:

Second, He would not allow His apostles to go to the Gentiles until after His ascension:

Ever wonder what Paul meant when he wrote, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (Rom 1:16)?

Or ever wondered why, in the book of Acts, we always read about Paul going first to the diaspora Jews in a new town or city he had never before entered on his missionary journeys?

And if Jesus told His Jewish apostles to wipe the dust off their feet in the Jewish towns which rejected them when they came in His name, how about what he would say about the Gentile towns and homes which would reject Him?

The truth is, though the God of the Universe does not want any to perish but all to come to repentance, yet He never ever goes running after those who reject Him or those who do not believe in Him - whether they are Jews or Gentiles. Neither does he give we who believe the right to judge such people, or to despise them.

**I snipped out the supporting Scriptures only to shorten the re-quote. I hope that doesn't confuse anyone.**

Interesting answer you gave. In some ways I see your thoughts followed the same thought pattern mine did, but then you added an interesting twist to the scenario.

I'll have to ponder on this one.

I don't believe we should run after those who hear and do not or will not believe, or after those who believe and will not follow (like the rich man who had done all the law, but couldn't leave his riches to follow Jesus, though he believed). We pray to God that He will work in their hearts.

I won't willingly mix with mockers and blasphemers socially, as though I find whatever they do or say acceptable - within reason, or none of us would be able to go to any friend or family members' weddings, for example.

But we don't judge any of them, because we will be judged with whatever measure we've used to judge them - and the measure we use to judge others against, is normally perfection vs how far we think they fall short of it - and anyway we've all sinned because we've all broken the law - we're still saved by grace, not our own works. So we have to remember that God does not run after them when they won't open the door to Jesus, and does not expect us to (or, I believe, even want us to) run after them either - but He's still not willing that they should perish.

IMO

Lekh