Jump Start # 666

Matthew 22:29 “But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures, or the power of God.”

Our verse today comes from an encounter Jesus had with the Sadducees. It seems that Jesus had many close encounters with those who opposed Him. Interestingly, Jesus didn’t avoid where these doubters and accusers would be. Truth, which Jesus is, has nothing to fear, even when accused, doubted or challenged.

The Sadducees were the aristocratic branch of the Jews. They made up the Sanhedrin, the highest court system of the Jews. Theologically, the Sadducees did not believe in spirits, souls, resurrections or life after death. They were materialists. Our passage is taken from a time when they asked Jesus a hypothetical question. Matthew tells us that this was a test. Their interest was not in the question but in trapping Jesus. Their question, taken from a concept from the Law, surrounded a woman whose husband died and left her without a son. The law allowed her to marry his brother. She did that. He died. This continued on through all seven brothers. Seven marriages and no son. What a story. She outlived all these guys. I think if I was brother number four, we’d be eating out all the time. Maybe she poisoned the guys. The situation they present to Jesus is so far fetched that it is ridiculous. They want to know who she will be married to in the resurrection. Would it be brother number one or brother number seven or possibly all of them? Remember, they don’t even believe in a resurrection.

Jesus shows us how to answer questions, even dumb ones or challenging ones. He didn’t state his opinion. He took them to the Book. They quoted Deuteronomy. Jesus quoted Exodus. Jesus went to the Bible. We need to do this more. Too often, we give our opinions, or quote preacher so and so, or state what position our church holds. None of those things matter. What God says matters. Go to the Book. The Bible trumps all other thoughts. Always. That’s what Jesus always did. Great reminder for all of us.

In quoting Exodus, Jesus made a bold conclusion. The Exodus quote stated that, ’I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ Jesus then added, “He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” Abraham, Isaac and Jacob lived back in the days of Genesis, more than a thousand years before Jesus and these Sadducees. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had died. They were dead. Yet God is their God. God is not the God of the dead but of the living. The conclusion is that even though Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had died, they were living. Jesus affirmed life after death. He used the Bible to prove that. He didn’t get excited and have to make wild claims, shout or get angry. The proof is in the word. That statement destroyed their little test. They flunked and Jesus won. He always does.

Our passage today shows Jesus telling the Sadducees, “You are mistaken…” They were mistaken not knowing the Scriptures. Not knowing the Bible will get a person into all kinds of theological knots and tight places. Not knowing the Scriptures may lead a person, like the Sadducees, to believe things that are not true. The answer through all of this is the word of God. Salvation, worship, the definition of marriage, the role of the church and a zillion other things that could be listed here have about as many far out ideas and concepts as there are people today. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone thinks their opinion is not only the best, but, it’s the only one that’s right. People will fuss, argue, protest and do everything but open up the Bible. Not knowing Scriptures has led to the development of so many different churches today that teach so many things that are not in the Bible. Misusing the Bible is dangerous. A verse, not used correctly does not help.  It has led to soft and easy religion that requires nothing, does nothing and is going no where. “You are mistaken not knowing the Scriptures” ought to burn deeply within us. Do I know the Scriptures? Do I know what God says about marriage? Flat out, do I know? Do I know what God says about Salvation? Do I? Where does baptism fit in with salvation? Does it belong there? What do the Scriptures teach? It’s pretty plain once you look what happens after the resurrection of Jesus. Have you seen that pattern? Do I know what God expects elders in the church to do? Do I? Do I know the difference between a pastor and a preacher? You mean there is a difference? Yes. It has nothing to do with education, pay or level of experience. Do I know what’s going to happen when Jesus comes? Did God make the earth in six days or is evolution true? Does it matter? What does the Scriptures say? Do I know what happens to mamma when she dies? Is grandma going to Heaven because she is old, sweet and makes chocolate chip cookies? Is a soldier overseas going to Heaven because he died in combat? That’s what most folks believe. Is that what the Bible teaches? Does it matter which church I go to? Does it? What does the Bible say?

It’s easy to thump the Sadducees, but in many ways we can be just as mistaken about Scriptures as they were.  They quoted Bible to Jesus, but they were mistaken about the Bible. Biblical ignorance is dangerous. Dynamite is great if a person knows how to use it. Put dynamite in the wrong hands, and someone will blow himself up. The word of God is “powerful” (Rom 1:16) – same root word that gives us our word dynamite. Use correctly, the Bible will defeat Satan, conquer your fears and lead you home to Heaven. Misusing the Bible, you’ll get into all kinds of trouble with God. This is why Paul told Timothy to handle the word of God “accurately”.

You are mistaken…one place we don’t want to be wrong is in the Bible. Know it. Use it. Learn it. Teach it. Believe it. Follow it. Trust it. Stand upon it.

(P.S. for those that didn’t notice, this is Jump Start # 666. Some get nervous about that number. We’ll take a look at that next week, Lord willing.)

Roger