Today we read Luke 20 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. I have always loved how JESUS responded to the priests and scribes who questioned His authority in "doing these things". Verses 1-8:
1One day as Jesus was instructing the people in the temple [porches] and preaching the good news (the Gospel), the chief priests and the scribes came up with the elders (members of the Sanhedrin) 2 And said to Him, Tell us by what [sort of] authority You are doing these things? Or who is it who gave You this authority? 3 He replied to them, I will also ask you a question. Now answer Me: 4 Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? 5 And they argued and discussed [it] and reasoned together with themselves, saying, If we reply, From heaven, He will say, Why then did you not believe him? 6 But if we answer, From men, all the people will stone us to death, for they are long since firmly convinced that John was a prophet. 7 So they replied that they did not know from where it came. 8 Then Jesus said to them, Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
JESUS would tell them nothing! Why? Because, as priests and scribes (scholars, lawyers), they SHOULD have recognized Who He was from what they had learned from a very young age in the "Bible" that they had at that time (The Old Testament). What were the "things" He was doing? He went about teaching, preaching and healing. They had never seen anyone do these things! The blind man healed by JESUS said that to these and others leaders when they questioned him about Who it was that healed him of blindness! He even said that this miracle had never been done before, so they SHOULD have known that this Man was from God! So WHY did JESUS not tell them more? Because they SHOULD have known, by His Words and actions, from the Word that they were supposed to know! If they did not yet understand the basics of their Jewish faith, then they were not even in a position to learn more! AMEN! He wasn't 'holding out on them'! They just were not able to receive! Make sure that YOU are keeping fresh the things that Holy Spirit has revealed to YOU through the Word of God, so that you don't slide back into ignorance, with no ability to learn more! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Worship with "Your Word":
Shalom in Him!
