Thank you for the question on the 12 Apostles convincing people of their message, “How did the 12 apostles manage to convince so many people to believe in what they said? What kind of persuasion technique did they use?”
The 12 Apostles did not have to convince so many people to believe in what they said for all Israel heard and saw Jesus. They heard his words and saw his healing. It just wasn’t the 12 Apostles words, but the words of the common people who also testified of what they heard and saw.
The feeding of the 5000 men and the feeding of the 4000 beside women and children could not be done by trickery. Could the number be exaggerated? If one was to assume the number was 500 men beside women and children or even 50 men beside women and children, how likely will 12 men be able to feed 100 men when they weren’t prepared to feed them! Could it be that those events never happened? It would seem that at the trial of Jesus at the Passover someone would have said something about that lie that Jesus provided the bread and fish. It would be hard press to lie about an event when so many people were following Jesus. Jesus makes the argument that the Pilate or the Pharisees can ask the witnesses if the words and works were real or not. Certainly if the Pharisees who heard the words or saw the works of Jesus could have or would have testified that he was a blasphemer or a deceiver. They didn’t testify about his words or works in the public, but his claim of being the Son of God. In other words, the Apostles didn’t have to persuade the people for nearly everyone would agree that Jesus was at least a good man, perhaps a teacher/prophet and for some that he is the Son of God, the Messiah.
Luke 24 says this, “Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19 “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus” (A searchable online Bible in over 150 versions and 50 languages). Biblical citations are from the New International Version.
Acts 2 says this, “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— 23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. 24 But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power” (NIV).
The technique of proclamation was not out of deception or manipulation of the listeners, but an appeal to what the the people have already seen and heard from Jesus. The Apostles appeal to their own conscience and consciousness of their own experience with Jesus.
The technique of proclamation of the effectiveness of the message was the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised his disciples that when the Holy Spirit come upon them, they would be his witness in all Israel and beyond (Acts1:8). The message was able to convict and convince the people who were in Jerusalem of Jesus’ words and works. It is not that the Apostles were orators, but common people. The power was not in their own words but the enablement of the Holy Spirit to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:5–11).
The Apostle Paul’s words to the Corinthians summarizes the “technique” of his proclamation, “And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, 4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God” (NIV).
SUMMARY: The effectiveness of the message of the Apostles was the power of the Holy Spirit.
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