Aristotle and Jesus on Persuasion: Reformation Bible College

Posted On June 03, 2026

Written by Dr. Levi Berntson, associate professor of theology at Reformation Bible College 

What hath Aristotle to do with Jesus? You might be surprised to find out that both Aristotle and Jesus shared fundamental principles about the art of persuasion. In an age of disagreement and division, understanding these principles is vital for engaging well in speech and debate. As Christians, cultivating this skill also enables us to speak truth with sound reasoning, integrity, and wisdom in everyday life.

One of the unique privileges that I have as a professor here at RBC, where we specialize in providing a rigorous theological education for undergraduate students, is that I teach both theology and philosophy. This means I regularly study the Bible alongside classic philosophical texts.

While the Bible is the sole infallible authority for Christians, there are many things that we can learn outside of it, even from the writings of unbelievers. God has given rational faculties to all people, and He upholds them through His common grace so that everyone can discover things about His world. Aristotle (384–322 BC), the greatest of the ancient Greek philosophers, is no exception in this regard, and we can learn much from him about persuasion, especially as we relate it to the teaching of Jesus.

Aristotle on Persuasion

Aristotle wrote many important works, but one of his most important is his book On Rhetoric. Rhetoric is the art of persuasion, and so Aristotle’s task in this work is to provide a handbook for persuading more effectively when engaging in speech or debate. In the book, Aristotle outlines three chief parts of persuasion (Rhetoric, I.2).

1. Aristotle says that persuasion requires sound argumentation. If your goal is to convince someone of something, then it is necessary to make your argument as rigorously reasonable and supported as you can. Aristotle wrote another important work called Organon, a collection of several treatises on logic, in which he outlines what a sound argument looks like. He covers the nature of logical statements, syllogisms, complex arguments, and even classifies a host of logical fallacies. In fact, his Organon is still the gold standard for modern treatments of logic that we use today. In any case, an argument must at least appear to be sound to persuade someone.

2. A persuader must understand how to reach his audience. One must make a conscious and sincere effort to understand the perspective of the hearers to meet them where they are. But more than this, the persuader seeks to apprehend the affections of the hearers. People are more willing to listen to you if you can create pleasing thoughts rather than hostile ones. A skilled persuader captures the affections of the audience to direct those affections toward the truth. He knows when to stir tears or when to inflate excitement; he knows how to declare harshly and when to speak tenderly.

3. Persuasion includes the character of the persuader. “Character” here refers to whether the audience thinks the speaker is credible and worth listening to. Thus, a speaker must not only care about what he or she says, but also about who he or she is. For Aristotle, character is comprised of many things. For example, does the speaker appear to be competent in the matter that he addresses, and does he use the right language in the right setting? Getting facts wrong or telling jokes that fall flat or appear inappropriate will hurt your character in the eyes of your audience. Think also of a speaker’s conduct and appearance. How does he behave on a platform, what outfit is he wearing, and does he appear well-groomed or squirrely?  But perhaps the most important part of a speaker’s character is personal morality. Does the persuader live a morally licentious life, or does he practice what he proclaims? There is nothing worse to an audience than someone who says one thing and does another. Character is important, perhaps most important. According to Aristotle, “a speaker’s character may almost be called the most effective means of persuasion he possesses” (Rhetoric, I.1356a12–31).

Jesus on Persuasion 

While Aristotle was a Greek philosopher, Jesus is our Savior. Through His perfect death and His perfect life, our sin was nailed to the cross, and by faith, we are credited with His righteous works that cover us in the sight of God. Jesus saved us, and so in joyful response, we turn around and seek to emulate His perfection in our own lives as we glorify God. Like Aristotle, Jesus engaged in much public debate, and He models for us how a righteous person engages with others in dispute. The Gospel accounts show us that we can learn at least three important lessons from Jesus about persuasion.

1. Jesus always engaged in sound argumentation. Not only did Jesus ask deep and probing questions that silenced the mouths of the obstreperous, but He also did His homework. In his frequent run-ins with groups like the Pharisees, Jesus demonstrated that He knew their own sources better than they did. The Pharisees were an elite group of Jewish teachers who specialized in the interpretation of the Old Testament, and they repeatedly attempted to corner Jesus about theological matters. At one point, Jesus calls out the Pharisees for putting human traditions above God’s commands (Matt. 15:1–9) and explains that Isaiah prophesied about people like them who honor God with their lips but not with their hearts (Isa. 29:13). At another point, Jesus was explaining His identity to a crowd, and they picked up stones to stone Him because they understood that He was making Himself equal with God (John 10:31–33). In response, Jesus cited Psalm 82:6 to demonstrate His deity, making the crowd all the angrier (10:34–39). Jesus argued soundly from an authority that He knew well: the Old Testament.

2. Jesus knew how to reach His audience with perfect wisdom. In the Bible, the word for “wisdom” literally means “skill,” because wisdom is the skill to apply God’s Word to life. On the one hand, Jesus wisely knew when to speak the truth with ferocious clarity, as He clearly does on one occasion: “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in” (Matt. 23:13). When the Pharisees’ state of mind was that of utter hard-heartedness, Jesus knew that boldness was necessary in his debate. On the other hand, Jesus also understood that sometimes truth can be told with gentleness. He exemplified this with the Samaritan woman at the well, when He softly (but firmly) called out her series of adulterous relationships (John 4:16–19).

3. Jesus cared deeply about the character of the persuader. On the one hand, Jesus tells His hearers to do and observe what the Pharisees say (Matt. 23:2–3). The Pharisees taught the Scriptures to the people, and much of what they said was helpful. On the other hand, Jesus often criticized the Pharisees not for theological errors but for hypocrisy. He explains that they relied solely on their position, desired fancy titles, sought praise and respect from others, and commanded one thing while they did another (23:2–10). Jesus understood that immoral character profoundly weakens one’s ability to be a credible teacher. He goes on to explain that humility is the mark of a true persuader (Matt. 23:11–12). The reason for this is because everything we say—including speech and debate—should bring glory to God, not to ourselves. Everything we do is about serving Him and not building a platform for ourselves (Matt. 5:16; 6:3–4, 17–18).

How Then Should We Persuade?

Both Aristotle and Jesus understood that persuasion requires sound argumentation, understanding of the audience, and personal character. So, what does this mean as we seek to be persuasive communicators today?

One way we can apply this discussion of Aristotle and Jesus to our own communication is by defending the truth in a way that honors the truth. It brings God glory when we defend the truth to the best of our ability using the minds that He has given us. Don’t twist facts, do your research, formulate good arguments, meet your audience where they are, and reason to the glory of God. We should seek to speak truth clearly and passionately as the situation demands it, using biblical wisdom to guide us.

Another way this applies is to remember that we, as Christians, represent Christ as we engage in speech and debate, both on and off the platform. A good speaker thinks carefully not only about speaking the truth, but living the truth. It always does great harm to the church of Jesus Christ when Christians fail to live like Him. Of course, we are all sinners, and we will always fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). But there is a critical difference between acknowledging our sinfulness and living in hypocrisy. This is especially important to understand because presentations and debates in the classroom are practice opportunities. Although they matter, true persuasion occurs in real life, beyond the classroom setting. God is preparing you for a lifetime of gospel persuasion in word and deed.

A third application is to remember that even the best persuasion can be rejected. Jesus’ perfect debating tactics did not result in universal conversions. Some in His audience still rejected Him, and they even led the charge to kill Him! In fact, Jesus Himself said that they would never believe Him because they were not of God (John 8:47). Only the Holy Spirit can persuade someone to believe the gospel, so in our speech and debate, we shouldn’t be surprised that we are less effective than Jesus. Our task is to be faithful to do all that we do with excellence, and we leave the results up to God. Our God loves to accomplish His purposes through ordinary means, so remember that the skills you develop in speech and debate will position you to be a faithful tool in the hands of the Almighty.

At Reformation Bible College, the academic programs focus on Scripture and the classical humanities, seeking to give you a well-rounded education that prepares you for all of life. Through courses such as History of Philosophy I, you’ll have the opportunity to engage major ideas and thinkers through a biblical lens. RBC also offers a Minor in Reformed Classical Education, designed to prepare students to teach within the field of classical Christian education.

RBC’s goal is to raise up knowledgeable and articulate Christians who are equipped to represent Christ and apply biblical principles in their disciplines, careers, and everyday lives. Explore RBC by signing up for an upcoming on-campus or online Preview Day to hear from professors, sit in on a class, and more. Or begin your application today.