Last week I provided an outlined a definition of chreia provided by David B. Gowler. Today I share three categories of chreiai found in the same essay (“The Chreiai”, pp. 136-138):

(1) Sayings: The main point is words, not action. Gowler adds, “…the saying could either be an unprompted statement or a reaction to a specific situation.”

(2) Action: These “reveal some thought or message through an action unaccompanied by a saying…”

(3) Mixed: Obviously, this includes the details of both of the aforementioned chreiai. Gowler uses the example of the temple cleansing in John 2.14-16 where Jesus acts and then he says, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” Jesus’ actions alone may be hard to interpret and follow. How should disciples follow their Master? Well, Jesus words provide clarity and an insight into his motivation.