The Book Of Mark #59

They did not come wanting to know what the scriptures taught, they came using the scriptures as a means of trying to trap the Lord Jesus.

But the Lord said to them in verse 24, “…Do you not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?”

A lot of folks think they know the scriptures when they do not. For example, a lot of folks think things are in the scriptures that are not in the scriptures.

Illus: Dr. Odell Belger was conducting a funeral service. At the graveside it began to rain, and a man that meant well, but who was ignorant of the scriptures, said, “It is like the Bible says, the rain at a funeral represents God’s tears that are falling because someone He loves died.” Dr. Belger said, “Are you sure that is what the scripture says?” He said, “Oh yea, my mother told me it was in the scripture. I am sure it is in there somewhere!”

Ignorance is a terrible thing, but we see so much of it in all areas of our life.

Illus: A man was in a car dealership one day when a large motor home was towed into the garage. The front of the vehicle was in dire need of some serious repairing. He asked one of the mechanics what happened to the motor home. He told him that the motor home belonged to a commercial pilot, and during his trip, as he was driving, he set the "automatic cruise control" and then went in the back to make a sandwich. And has Paul Harvey would say, “You know the rest of the story!”

We see ignorance on the highways, but we see it in other places also.

Illus: Recently, a man went to McDonald's and he saw on the menu that you could have an order of 6, 9 or 12 Chicken McNuggets.

He asked for a half dozen nuggets.

• The teenager behind the counter said "We don't have a half dozen nuggets."

• "You don't?" He replied.

• "We only have six, nine, or twelve," was the reply.

• "So he said I can't order a half-dozen nuggets, but I can order six?"

• "That's right."

So he shook his head and ordered six McNuggets.

Like I said, we see ignorance in all areas of our life. Someone said, "Life is tough, but It's tougher if you're ignorant."

There have always been ignorant people around. We have to deal with them every day, and so did the Lord Jesus.

He told them they asked the dumb question of Him because they were ignorant of the scriptures.

This episode, with these evil people who were using the scriptures to set a trap for Him, leads into our next passage of scripture.

Since they could not trap Him as a group, they decided to send in an individual that was the cream of the crop.

The Lord knew that this crowd was trying to set a trap for Him by using the scriptures. They were not teachable, they were hopeless.

We see -

I. THE INQUIRER

Look at verse 28, we read, “And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?”

The other groups that came before the Lord were greatly out-matched.

This INQUIRER, the Scribe that came, was skilled in his understanding of the Law. If anyone could be a match for Jesus, perhaps this man could be.

He most likely listened to Jesus, looking for some opportunity to discredit Him, because He represented a dangerous threat to the religious community.

But he was a man with an open mind.

Look at verse 28. It says, “And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well…”

After hearing the conversation, the Bible says his assessment of the discussion was, “…That he had answered them well…”

Illus: This makes us think of the Presidential debate that we have every four years. The candidates come before the American people on national television and they are asked all kinds of questions.

They say that once, former president Bill Clinton was asked what he thought of FOREIGN AFFAIRS. They said he thought for a few minutes and smiled and said, “I do not know, I have not had one of those yet!”

Just kidding! The questions they ask in these presidential debates are serious questions. But after they ask these candidates the questions, the next day they announce on television who they thought won the debate.

Illus: For example, in 1984, when President Reagan debated Vice-president Walter Mondale, Reagan’s age was a factor. If you remember, at the age of 73 he was asked if he would be able to hold up to the heavy responsibility as the President of the United States. His opponent smiled because he had been trying to make President Reagan’s age a factor. But overwhelmingly President Reagan won the debate when he said his age would not be a problem. He said, “I will not make age a part of this political campaign and exploit my opponents youth and inexperience.” This wise comment brought the debate to laughter like no presidential debate before, and almost everyone said he won that debate.