Jesus was the master of “reading” what people said and interpreting what they are thinking and really need to hear. The Gospel writers understood and conveyed this in their accounts of His life. A perfect example is found in Luke 20:27-37. Incidentally, Matthew (Chapter 22), Mark (Chapter 12) and Luke (below) all record this conversation. Reading Luke.
Now there came to Him some of the Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection), 28 and they questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife, and he is childless, his brother should marry the wife and raise up children to his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers; and the first took a wife and died childless; 30 and the second 31 and the third married her; and in the same way all seven died, leaving no children. 32 Finally the woman died also. 33 In the resurrection therefore, which one’s wife will she be? For all seven had married her.”
34 Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, 35 but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the burning bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38 Now He is not the God of the dead but of the living; for all live to Him.”
Luke began his record of this confrontation with the observation, “... the Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection).” So this entire discussion will be about life after death. But they began with a mundane inquiry about unfortunate brothers and their wife. They evidently were employing the reductio ad absurdum logical analysis. This argument suggests the disproof of a proposition by showing an absurdity to which it leads when carried to its logical conclusion. (The convoluted description is Webster’s definition.) The absolute absurdity of this scenario of life after death would preclude any such existence. They were right! That is, if their logic held up.
Jesus answered. Let’s follow His careful refutation to their ridiculous proposition. In the Matthew and Luke accounts He prefaces His answer with the analysis of their faulty logic.
Matthew 22:29
But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God.”
Mark 12:24
Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God?”
Inaccurate presuppositions will generate preposterous conclusions. They were deficient in their understanding of the Scriptures. And since the Scriptures reveal God and His power, their ignorance caused them to underestimate or discount His power. Consequently, the conclusion was spurious. (I love to use that word.) Jesus was too polite to say that their ignorance was showing, but that conclusion was evident to the observers.
Often we encounter similar challenges today. They begin with, “How can a good God...?” And Jesus’ introduction applies to this query in the same way. Whenever a challenge begins with “a good God,” we know that there is a preconceived conclusion that God would not do whatever they are protesting. This is the logical fallacy called a straw man. The elements of the question are defined in such a way that there is only one answer, the one the questioner is propounding.
“A good God would not send anyone to hell. A good God would not allow such a tragedy to happen. A good God would not create or allow evil.” And Jesus’ response would be the same, “You do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God.”
Several current instances can be cited. In the immediate past week or so, terrorists murdered over 250 worshipers at an Easter service in Sri Lanka; a synagogue was attacked in Southern California, killing one person and wounding several others; and one last tragedy was here in Middle Tennessee. Seven people were murdered by a felon out on parole. Ironically, he was subject to re-arrest for violation of his parole. The officer had not yet received a signed warrant. How could a good God let such things happen? This can be applied to literally every weather intrusion into our calm and peaceful lives, auto or other accidents, crimes against innocents, and other “natural disasters.”
The operative term in this question is “good.” Good, in their definition is one who would not allow such things to happen. So when they do happen, there are only two conclusions. Either God is not good, or there is no God at all. But Jesus answered even this loaded question.
Jesus’ two-pronged evaluation is applicable in all of this. Romans 8:28 gives us the Scriptural foundation for evaluating the “power of God.”
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
We can summarize this as “Know the Scripture and know God.” Our first step is to understand the Scripture. “God causes” which means that in all of this He is in control. God does not cause these things to happen, but He causes the results to be “for good” for those who love Him and are called and living according to His purpose.
Joseph testified to that very thing in Genesis 50:19, 20.
But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
For those not in our Genesis class, and those as well, since we are not there yet, Joseph had been kidnapped and taken to Egypt. There he had been a slave, then thrown into prison for a crime that he did not commit, and ignored for several years. When his brothers, the perpetrators of these injustices appeared before him, years later, Joseph proclaimed his understanding of the Scripture’s description of God’s power. God can take even the most egregious circumstances and use them for good. Here it was the preservation of the nation of Israel. Just a small thing in the line of the Seed.
Our recent celebration of Easter is another example of this. God’s Son, Jesus was murdered, crucified on a Roman cross. How can that be “for good?” Three days later, we understood. He rose from the grave, defeating sin and death forever. What a story! What seemed to be “bad,” turned out to be for good. And not just any old good. This was salvation for everyone who believes in Him.
Joseph and the resurrection also illustrate another critical truth: The revelation of “good” may not be immediate. We may have to wait for the culmination of God’s work, but it will definitely be worth the wait. Adverse circumstances do not disprove the existence of God, they actually confirm it. As we see God working out “good” from seeming insurmountable difficulties, we witness His great power and love.
Michael Rydelnyk made a salient and germane comment on this. Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden in a state of untested holiness. It had never been proved. So when Satan tempted them and they fell, they failed and sin entered the human race. (1 Corinthians 15)
This is bad, right? If there had been no evil in the world, none of these bad things would happen. But, as Dr. Rydelnyk pointed out, since sin had entered the world, and death by sin, the stage was set for the battle of the ages. When Jesus died and was resurrected, He defeated and will ultimately abolish death and evil. That is the message in Corinthians.
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, 24 then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.
Adam brought sin and death into the world, but Jesus will ultimately destroy it. And in the meanwhile, He has decisively defeated it, and Satan. The story has to play out, but in the end, God will triumph, to His eternal glory. And we have the privilege of cooperating with Him.
In today’s meditation, Jesus went from Levirate marriage to eternal life. Joseph went from the pit to prison to the palace in Egypt, to explaining God’s superintendence of the welfare of the Nation of Israel. We may have to be patient, but we can trace God’s intervention in tragic human events to ultimate good in and for us. And we can go from despair to a personal relationship with God. We will not doubt the existence of God, or His good intentions. He will destroy all evil forever. And, as an extra bonus, we get eternal life–with Him.
The more we read His love letter, the Scriptures, the better we will understand and appreciate His power. Read the Bible, it is good for the soul. Don’t let your ignorance show.
No comments:
Post a Comment