Single Idea 7352

[catalogued under 20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 3. Acting on Reason / b. Intellectualism]

Full Idea

Jesus was a learned Jew who said that learning was not necessary, who took the spirit and not the letter as the essence of the Law.

Gist of Idea

Jesus said learning was unnecessary, and only the spirit of the Law was needed

Source

report of Jesus (reports [c.32]) by Paul Johnson - The History of the Jews Pt II

Book Reference

Johnson,Paul: 'A History of the Jews' [Phoenix 1993], p.131


A Reaction

This seems to me the perfect opposite of Socrates's intellectualism, offering the essence of morality as 'purity of heart', rather than careful thought about virtue or principles. On the whole I am with Socrates, but the idea is interesting.