Page 118 - A Dissertation for Doctor of Philosophy

selectivity with his words, theology, and methodology to insure the best receptivity of his

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message. This section will discuss the identification of the Jesus’ audience and the subsequent

adaptation he made to each group of his hearers. The distinct features and commonality in his

adaptive endeavor will also undergo examination.

Identification of His Hearers

There were two groups of people in Jesus’ audience: those who were favorable to his preaching

and those who were opposing it. Thomas Manson broadly identifies three types of Jesus’

listeners: the group of “the disciples” or “intimate followers,” the group of “the general public”

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or “the multitudes,” and the group of “the opponents” or “religious authorities.” Manson
includes individuals in the “general public” category since they are “neither disciples nor

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opponents.” According to Manson, the crowds who followed and heard Jesus’ preaching were
“indeed curious and to a certain extent interested in this new teacher; but their interest is apt to be

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focused on wonderful cures of bodily ailments rather than on the tings of the spirit.” Manson
also contends “both as to matter and method the teaching of Jesus is conditioned by the nature of

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the audience.”

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Baird, Audience Criticism, 90-135. He explores the words and theology that were
employed differently by Jesus according to his audience.

54 Manson, The Teaching of Jesus, 17-20. In analyzing the Synoptic record, he points out
three different traditions in it and writes, “there is not one uniform strain of teaching delivered to
all and sundry alike, but that there are three distinct and readily distinguishable streams.”

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Ibid., 20.
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Ibid., 19.
57 Ibid. In his detailed analysis of “a prima facie case” of Jesus’ distinct utterance as
recorded in Mark 7:1-23, he discerns three short speeches: Mark 7:6-13 to the Scribes, 7:14-16 to
the general public, and 7:17-23 to the disciples. He explains that “The first is sharply
distinguished from the other two in tone, style, and matter: it is impatient, it contains legal terms,