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Brady Kesterholt 
What would Jesus Deconstruct 
Christian Ethics 
Dr. Martino 
3/30/202

Deconstruction of “What would Jesus Do?” 

The question “what would Jesus do?” was introduced to me when I was eleven years old.

This question made me think of a new way of living my life for Christ. I would use this question

as a reminder and goal to live how Jesus would and strive to show his love in every situation, I

faced every day. However, as I began to see this question flourish in the church, I saw it being

used not as a goal or a lifestyle but also as a weapon to others. This question caused judgment

among church members and even unbelievers coming to church for the first time.

Once reading Caputo’s book of the deconstruction of this question and explaining the

origins of this question gave me hope that the intention of the phrase was meant for good and

self-reflection and not as a tool to degrade and judge fellow believers or non-believers.  

Caputo addresses all Christians and says that this question is a spark of social justice (Caputo, p.

22). He states that this question we see on shirts, bracelets, hats, and bumper stickers are calling

for change among Christianity to treat the world as Jesus would. To live out our lives using his

teachings instead of singing and listening about them (Caputo, p. 21). Christians are called to

change not to judge others of their views on what Jesus would do. Reverend Sheldon called for

social and structural change along with individual change. Without changing oneself to focus on

others and their issues, we as a society cannot focus on social issues that plague the world

(Caputo, p. 24). The question "what would Jesus do" is a movement to God's Kingdom and

promote social equality in respect and love for one another.

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Brady Kesterholt 
What would Jesus Deconstruct 
Christian Ethics 
Dr. Martino 
3/30/202

In discussing the event where Jesus comes to a town in today's society Cupota defines this as a

slow change of transformation (Caputo, p. 27). This story of Jesus coming into a town and

nobody recognizing him, except they see him stand out from the crowd and take a stand (Caputo,

p. 26). This event causes a slow change that takes over and becomes infectious until we realize

our life has formed into something new (Caputo, p. 27). Deconstruction does not destroy the

values or the person we are, but it remodels us into knowing the other that Jesus was teaching

(Caputo, p. 27). In the Kingdom of God, the other taught by Jesus is the truth. The morality with

knowing the truth is to see how we need to change our lives to the truth. Thinking about how the

truth is used in helping the poor because they are blessed by God. These people are the other

Jesus speaks about how they are cast down from society and rejected from our culture. Jesus

came for the others to show them love; we should also do the same. This is the truth of God and

that his Kingdom is for those who love him and are cast apart from this world. Caputo said that

Nietzsche had it right, He said: "We lack the courage for the truth, that the truth will make us

stronger just as long as it doesn't kill us first." (Caputo, p. 27). Knowing the truth and

understanding that our reality might change for the worse and force us to grow as people terrifies

us. Taking the change, we learn from the truth allows us to further spread the love of Christ as

vessels and allow our morals and ethics to reflect what we have learned. 

Metonia or conversion allows us to accept the truth and let it change our hearts and morals

(Caputo, p. 27). Converting the heart is the gateway to changing society and bringing social

justice reform. It also changes our morals to the truth we are converted to. We see a change in

Christians because the truth of Christ is so powerful the heart is moved to be a servant and serve
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Brady Kesterholt 
What would Jesus Deconstruct 
Christian Ethics 
Dr. Martino 
3/30/202

God with unconditional love. These moral changes bring about similarities and can impact other

members of society who do not believe but see the truth in morals and adopt those morals or

even undergo Metonia as a result.

The moral life is a delicate balance of searching for the truth and wanting to be the best person

we can be, the conversion is a step in the process of change into developing our best self.

Caputo talks about hospitality as an innocent act and the expansion of the event and how

it can be deconstructed from our views now into madness and messianic (Caputo, p.75).

Hospitality is broken down into two words that give a sense and rationale on how hospitality

should work. The Latin word hostis means stranger, this person is the guest that is being treated

to the home (Caputo, p. 76). The second part is posse means the power of disposition over the

place of welcome (Caputo, p. 76).

Understanding the meaning of hospitality gives us the ability to deconstruct it from

societal norms to the truth shown in the New Testament of the Bible. When we think of hosting

events, parties, reunions, and even church, we invite people who are similar to us from

socioeconomic status, political beliefs, religion, work, and friends and family. Hospitality is

showing kindness to others, but it does us no good to be kind and loving to those we are already

doing so (Caputo, p. 75).

Caputo says that we have a lot of inhospitality in our society because we close our doors

to only people we know and trust (Caputo, p.75). We are not practicing hospitality but shutting

our doors to opportunities that Jesus would use to help the least of these. This truth of being open

to everyone is another social justice change by being open to everyone no matter where we are in
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Brady Kesterholt 
What would Jesus Deconstruct 
Christian Ethics 
Dr. Martino 
3/30/202

life. Hospitality is another door to enhance this change and show the truth of Christianity and

morals to accept everyone and help everyone because we are all made in the image of God. 

Hospitality needs a change and Caputo points to the philosopher Derrida and how he

deconstructs hospitality from the simple truth we know now. Derrida uses deconstruction to

break down hospitality into invitation and visitation. The invitation is conditional and an

operation that we have control over and can be able to access the risk of who we invite into our

homes (Caputo, p.76). Visitation is the uninvited the unaccountable who surprised us when we

are not expecting this (Caputo, p.77). In the Derrida video, it talks about how he uses

deconstruction to break down our simplistic thoughts and views of life and dig deeper into how

we should act (Derrida video). We can take these two thoughts of hospitality to be prepared

always and take a risk on others as Jesus did. Without showing kindness and love to all who

show at our door how are we supposed to live like Jesus? We should always be looking to invite

others over to create relationships, but when others seek them and show up at your home take

that opportunity and use it for good as one decision can change your life or the people that

sought you out.

The Bible teaches us about hospitality and how we should act and host in our home and

who we should invite to our event. In Luke Jesus discusses how the quest of the fellowship

should act. They should be humble and kind, thinking of others first and not boasting and being

prideful (Luke 14:7-14). Jesus says do not invite your friends, family, or your neighbors in the

hope of being invited back as payment for hosting a lunch or dinner (Luke 14:7-14). Jesus calls

us to invite the others, the blind, crippled, poor, and the lame (Luke 14:7-14). These people are
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Brady Kesterholt 
What would Jesus Deconstruct 
Christian Ethics 
Dr. Martino 
3/30/202

the people forget about and treat them as they are below them in society and character. We break

down hospitality by deconstruction, but it has been broken down for a long time. The truth was

distorted to be easy. What is not easy is to listen to the real truth to show love to the others as

they are blessed in God's Kingdom. Morally we should help these people as well because we

have the resources and ability to help these fellow humans in their times of need. I know if I was

in that situation of poverty, I would want help climbing out of that hole or even a friend to talk to

about how I should proceed and just act like a human. God and ethics call us to be good people

and show this through our actions there is no greater action then to be a friend to another human.

In conclusion, Caputo went through Hospitality like a workout routine, Caputo running

the session showed the over-simplistic view of how we are host and show hospitality to those we

know and are friends with (Caputo, p. 75). He then puts hospitality on its knees of exhaustion

and uses biblical scripture to show that the real truth of hospitality is meant for the others and

outcast in our society (Caputo, p. 78). This influences Christian ethics by not only using the logic

of who we should be kind to and welcoming but uses scripture to back up his point showing that

this is the real truth in Christianity. Knowing that scripture speaks of hospitality this way,

Christians ethics are based on the Bible and its teaching; knowing what the Bible says true it

must be morally right and answers the “what would Jesus do” and gives us a path to follow to

live a moral life for God and others. 

To learn the truth of hospitality through deconstruction and biblical text, we must identify

who the others are in society today. I believe the others are those who are hurting in this world

emotionally and physically, the poor, crippled, the unbelievers, the homeless, and the hungry.
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Brady Kesterholt 
What would Jesus Deconstruct 
Christian Ethics 
Dr. Martino 
3/30/202

Seeing these people struggle in life breaks my heart and only makes me want to live hard as

Jesus did and to show his love to them that they might not suffer anymore. I want to also think

deeper into solutions for these problems and not just throw money at them to help them. Money

is not always the answer. Jesus wanted to build relationships that last forever and bear fruit to

keep each other accountable and string. Relationships are real medicine for the world.