JETS 22:1 (March 1979) p. 48 ductive and inductive reasoning. The former argues from a general principle toward a specific application of the principle, while the latter attempts to derive the general principle from a series of specific events in which the principle is presumed to be acting. The accuracy of inductive reasoning is directly related to the number of events available for examination. In this pericope Jesus did not enunciate the general principle from which he worked. It is very hazardous