Trying to discover and salvage the true character and message of Jesus from the Gospels is a real challenge. Nevertheless, we can study the Gospels and extrapolate the truth from these stories.

It’s difficult to know the mind and follow the example of a person who lived so long ago, but the Gospels do include some frequently overlooked vignettes that teach us about Jesus’s personal character, values, and methods of ministry. They can help us determine what Jesus would say and do about current issues.

Jesus was an extremely practical individual. Over and over, he used logic to make his point or win his argument. This is a simple method all of us can still use today. If a traditional religious practice or doctrine leads to confusion or harmful consequences, then it should be discarded. By considering these and other seemingly insignificant incidents, we find glimpses into Jesus’s attitudes, thinking patterns and techniques of operation.