The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 6:11,
"They [Pharisees and the teachers of the law] were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus."
This was the reaction of the religious leaders of the Jews to Jesus' healing of a man with a shriveled hand. Why this hostility? Why this conflict? We are told in verse seven that the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus. They were waiting to catch him in something they could hold against him... watching and waiting, "so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath."
You might expect an anticipation of baited breath, an excitement and wonderment of great things that were happening in their midst. Miracles were being performed right in front of them. But, no, we find plotting and scheming, anything to get rid of Jesus. The religious leaders were hostile. Certainly their exalted position in the society of the day was at stake. Certainly they did not want to be outdone and have their teachings questioned. Later in his gospel Luke will quote the Lord as saying, "Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers." Luke 20:46-47. All of this was threatened by Jesus.
But, I am also reminded of Jesus announcement of his arrival from the Father, and why he was sent. In the synagogue in Nazareth Jesus quoted Isaiah 61:1-2, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Luke 4:18-19. This commission the Son of God had from the Father was to bring freedom for prisoners, prisoners who were enslaved to sin. He was also sent to bring light into the spiritual darkness and blindness that this enslavement to sin brings to all people everywhere.
I suspect it is this very darkness that had convinced the teachers of the law that acceptance by God and admission into his kingdom could only be had by keeping the law. After all, hadn't God given the law to the Jews through Moses? And, here, Jesus was teaching something else.
The spiritual blindness, the darkness that results from sin, prevented these teachers of the law from recognizing the purpose of the law. It was never God's intent that people could find success in keeping the law, but, as they failed in their attempts, they might recognize their need of a Savior. Paul explains this for us in Romans 3:19-20, "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin." And, in Galatians 3:19-25 we read, "What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one. Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law."
When Jesus quoted Isaiah 61, he claimed he was sent to provide "recovery of sight for the blind". It is within this spiritual darkness the teachers of the law felt genuinely threatened by the direction Jesus was taking. And, rather than trusting in the One who had provided the law in the first place, they sought to eliminate him.
I could easily point the finger at these teachers of the law. However, I have to admit to my need of deliverance from spiritual darkness as much as anyone. Apart from this piercing light shining in the dark place of my heart, I could not possibly understand the things of God any better than these. It is when I recognize these things that a tremendous appreciation and sense of gratitude wells up in my heart for the wonderful work the Holy Spirit does within me to understand the things of God.
Today I thank God for sending his Son to provide a great light in the darkness of my own heart, and I thank him for sending his Spirit to understand the things that are his!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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