President Biden told a Democratic lawmaker and members of his Cabinet after the State of the Union address that he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that they will need to have a “come-to-Jesus meeting.”
Biden’s comments, captured on a hot mic as he spoke with Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) on the floor of the House chamber, came after Bennet congratulated the commander in chief on his speech and pressed him to keep pressure on Netanyahu over increasing humanitarian issues in Gaza.
I’m not getting the come to Jesus thing … what does it mean?
You’ve received several responses but the meaningful “come to Jesus” story actually relates to Saul (Paul, who is responsible for much of Christianity) on the road to Damascus.
Paul was persecuting primitive Christians and while he was traveling to Damascus to arrest them, he was temporarily blinded by divine intervention that led to his conversion and stopped him from continuing to persecute people. The dramatic intervention disabused him of the errant beliefs that caused him to injure people, in other words.
See: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_of_Paul_the_Apostle
That’s what the comparison is talking about. It’s a metaphor that relates to needing a dramatic and often violent wakeup call to snap someone out of doing something wrong. From a Christian perspective you can see how Paul being shaken up enough to change his name, religion, profession, etc was a real “come to Jesus” moment.
That’s the key context I think you’re asking about. It’s not really about converting to Christianity. It’s more about having a BIG wakeup call that you’re on the wrong path (literally in Paul’s case) and you need to change your ways because you’re hurting people (or you’ll stay blinded if you’re Paul I guess).
Hope that helps!
This is great thanks!
It’s an idiom or phrase that means he’s going to yell at Netanyahu and possibly set an ultimatum.
I understand the meaning. What i dont get is the idiom.
As far as i know (and i am not religious) Jesus only got furious once, at people trying to make money off god and always talked about mans free will
It’s a moment of realization that makes you change your ways. It’s just really awkward phrasing since Netanyahu is a secular Jew.
https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/come-to-jesus/
Thanks. Not going to lie though… i hate it lol!
I’m sure Bibi shares your sentiment.
Just to make it clear. I hate the idiom. Not that Biden intends to confront Netanyahu
It is very funny to use that particular idiom about the leader of the Jewish state.
That’s how idioms ofter are: there’s nothing to get, only to know.
It goes back to tent revival events in the late 1800’s. People would literally come to Jesus and dedicate themselves to Christianity.
How does this translate into getting shouted at though
It’s supposed to mean that enough outside pressure has mounted to force the kind of introspection where you reconsider everything you think you know or are. In a way, you are releasing your ‘self’ in exchange for becoming one with the larger picture.
So you might have someone that let’s say has a drinking problem… They think they are managing and are not cognizant of how their behavior or actions are impacting others. You have an intervention so that the person can learn the weight of the burdens he’s made other people shoulder, forcing introspection and a “come to Jesus moment”
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Sounds like the bad guys
Welcome to organized religion.
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I never took it as a biblical thing, because Christianity especially in the United States has very little to do with the bible. A “Come To Jesus” meeting is about demanding conformity in no uncertain terms
It means to repent.
It’s an enormous faux pas when you’re talking about a Jewish person that’s for damn sure