Persuade (πείθω)

Persuading (πείθω) involves convincing someone to follow a particular viewpoint or course of action.

The High Priests and elders of Israel persuaded the people to request a murderer to be set free while condemning a righteous man (Matthew 27:20). After they secured Jesus’ crucified at the hand of Pilate, they stood at the cross mocking Christ, saying, “He was persuaded on the basis of God. Now, let Him deliver Him if He desires, for He said that I am the Son of God.” Knowing that Jesus was the Messiah and that He prophesied that if they destroyed His body, He would raise it in three days, the High Priests and elders persuaded Pilate to seal the tomb and put a guard at it so no one could steal the body.

However, three days later, the guards assigned to the tomb came into the city and told the High Priest of the angel and the tomb opening. The One they had condemned to death and mocked, God answered and raised Him out from the dead. Alarmed over this news, the High Priest and elders bribed the guards with a large sum of money to say the disciples had taken the body while they slept. To further ensure the guards cooperation, if the governor hears of this, they will persuade him and make them secure (Matthew 28:14).

The absurdity of such a statement is shocking, for if the guards were even caught sleeping they would be put to death for their failure. If they failed in their duties to protect the tomb, they would also face execution.

During Christ’s earthly ministry, while addressing the Pharisees—who were fond of money—He recounts the story of a rich man and Lazarus. This account is not a parable but a historical record of two men: one who trusted in his wealth and the other in God. After the rich man perished, he spoke across the abyss to Abraham, requesting that Lazarus be sent to warn his brothers. To this, Abraham replied, they have Moses and the prophets. If they do not listen to them, they will not be persuaded by someone rising from the dead (Luke 16:31).

Christ’s words proved true. Even after His resurrection and the substantial evidence provided, the High Priests and elders remained unconvinced, just as He had foretold.

When it comes to salvation for the saints of the Church, the more we understand about what God has done, take Him at His Word, and grow in knowledge, the more we are persuaded of the truth. Paul stated, that neither death, nor life, nor angels or rulers, or anything in this present age is going to separate us from the love of God in Christ (Romans 8:38). Even though we are counted as sheep for slaughter by the unrighteous, and killed all day long, in Christ, we are victorious.

In Him, we have been co-crucified and co-raised to walk in newness of life. When we see Him we will be like Him—resurrected and fully glorified into the ages of the ages (Romans 6:4-6; 1 John 3:2). Nothing in this world can hinder what God has accomplished, for He will finish what He started (Romans 9:28; Philippians 1:6).

The saints in Galatia became an example for the Church in their failure to live by grace. Jews, claiming to be from Jerusalem, entered the city and taught that circumcision was necessary to maintain salvation. They had already received the message of the crucified and resurrected Christ and were thus saved, these men bewitched them not to be persuaded by the truth. Therefore, persuading them to seek to be justified before men through their works (Galatians 3:1).

This remains an issue in many assemblies today. Those who claim salvation by the Spirit but maturity through the flesh. However, this persuasion does not come from God (Galatians 5:8). The saints in the region of Galatia had initially walked correctly, but someone hindered them from being persuaded by the truth (Galatians 5:4).

After addressing the error, Paul persuades them that they would return to a proper way of thinking—having no other mind, and that the one who troubled them would bear his judgment (Galatians 5:10).

Even being in chains, Paul was persuaded that what God had begun, He was going to finish (Philippians 1:6). Although the Jews sought to silence Paul from speaking the truth, his chains ended up persuading many of the brethren, who then spoke the truth of the resurrected Christ with boldness (Philippians 1:14).

Not to be outdone, the unpersuaded also proclaimed the resurrection of Christ, seeking to add to Paul’s affliction (Philippians 1:15-16). Ironically, they failed to realize that the very message they sought to misuse carries inherent ability to save (Romans 1:16).

We are often persuaded to follow a specific course of action through reasoning and logic. The question is whether we will be persuaded by the truth or by those who seek to bewitch us against the facts of the gospel for salvation and the proper way to live out the Christian life in godliness and righteousness in Christ.