A Conversation Between Jesus and Socrates

August 29th, 2025

A. Ham, recording the conversation that took place on a weekday a short while ago in a place nowhere near here, sat down between two infamous figures. The first, Jesus of Nazareth, also known as “the Christ.” The second, a famous philosopher by the name of Socrates. As A. Ham pulled out her recorder, it was the latter who began their discussion. 

[Start Recording] 

Socrates: Jesus of Nazareth. I’ve heard many things about your teachings. 

Jesus: As have I with yours. 

S: The crowds speak of love, compassion, and the kingdom of Heaven. I wonder, what do you consider the summum bonum, the highest good? 

Jesus sits back thinking for a moment, smiling lightly. 

J: To do the will of my Father. 

S: Obedience? That’s how you’d define the highest good? 

J: Yes. For the will of my Father is good for all. He can do nothing that is out of His character. Since He is good, all He does is good. Likewise, everything He wills us to do is good. 

S: He wills us? You’re suggesting your father has some sort of say over the rest of us? Is your father a king? 

J: Yes. He is the King. 

S: But that would make you a prince. 

J: Yes, it would. 

There’s a slight pause as Socrates takes in this information. 

J: I have heard of your death. It sounds like a hard way to go out of this world. 

S: Yes, it was quite painful. 

J: May I ask, why did you choose to die in such a way? What cause did you die for? 

Socrates pauses to consider the questions. 

S: I died in pursuit of the truth. My ability to share what I had learned was prohibited by Athens. They wanted me dead. 

J: Ah. Yes, I understand. Rome wanted me dead, my friend. 

S: Is that how you died? At the hands of Rome? 

J: You could say that. Although my death was rough, I’m sure the hemlock was equally terrible. 

S: How did they kill you? 

J: I was crucified. 

Note from A. Ham: Socrates seemed aghast at Jesus’s statement, as well as by the fact Jesus revealed the means of His death so casually. 

S: Crucified? What for?  

J: People were saying I was the Messiah, the Savior of the world. 

S: And were you? 

J: To many, I was. 

S: You didn’t answer my question. 

There’s another pause. 

J: Tell me, what did you live for? How would you describe the purpose of man? 

S: To discover what is true. Every purpose a man puts himself to do should be in pursuit of truth. This is why man driven to seek, learn, and possess knowledge of that which is true. 

Jesus of Nazareth makes a noise. Whether it is of agreement or otherwise is unclear. The look on His face doesn’t make the noise any more understandable. 

S: That is what I died for. Truth. I spent my life trying to discern what is true in this world. I concluded that there is only one true god who controls everything. Rome didn’t like that I discredited their so-called gods, that’s why they had me killed. 

J: How did you come to this conclusion that there is only one true God? 

Socrates smiles, excitedly leaning forward in his seat as he begins to explain. 

S: Think of goodness. How does a man know what is good? It’s the voice in his head that tells him. Man has innate knowledge of right and wrong inside of him. Mankind is too foolish for that voice to be himself; it has to be a higher power. 

J: And who do you say that voice is? Who is this God who put that voice of right and wrong in your head? 

Socrates gives a sigh of frustration. 

S: I do not know. Nor do I know if such a God could be knowable to man. Perhaps we haven’t searched hard enough to discover Him. This God must be too great to come down and mingle with the affairs of man.  

J: But what if He did come down? What if He not only stepped into this world to mingle in the affairs of man, but sent His Son, a part of His very being, to come dwell among man to set them right and teach them truth? 

S: Why? Why would He? If God is so great and holy, or whatever it is you Jews believe, how can He be so caught up in the affairs of man? 

J: Love. 

Socrates scoffs. 

S: And why would He love man enough to step in and meddle with our affairs? 

J: You sculpt, correct? 

S: Yes. 

J: Do you not care for each piece you have crafted? If one of your sculptures cracked and you knew a way not only to patch the crack but to make the piece completely new, would you not do what you could to restore the piece? 

S: In theory, yes. I would. But it’s impossible. 

J: All things, with God, are possible. 

Socrates turns to address their interviewer. 

S: I think we’re done here. 

Socrates stands and leaves, thus ending the conversation. 

[End Recording]