Articles
Important Questions - 6
“Have you not read?” (Matthew 19:4)
Jesus asks this question, and variations of it (viz., “Do you not know?”), several times in the gospels. It is an indictment of those who had knowledge at their fingertips but had failed to acquire it and put it to use. So much of Jesus’ teaching was remedial. He attempted to reach beyond the oral traditions of the rabbis and restore true knowledge of what God had revealed in Scripture. The consequence of this ignorance was tragic: the Jews didn’t recognize their Savior when He came. Worse, they did the devil’s work in murdering Him.
This should lead every one of us to self-examination. Have I read? Have I pondered the depths of the knowledge God has made available to me? Do I recognize things that are heavenly, and can I identify what is demonic? Can I separate opinion from doctrine? Can I take the available evidence and infer the necessary conclusions God is communicating? Are my views more shaped by culture or tradition than Scriptural reasoning?
Do I enjoy Bible study? Have I acquired tools to help me study more deeply? Do I have time blocked out to insure that I spend time with God’s word? Do I consistently attend Bible classes so that I have feedback and a framework of study? Have we read?
