scripture 1

Technical difficulties here but we'll try again. If this looks like a normal/bold cacaphony of color...sorry

As the people of God we have many different styles and verbally/visually/kinesthetically live and wield the scriptures with varying degrees of wisdom, in varying circumstances.

After I posted the last post, I searched "scripture" as a word search initially looking for the passage from 2 Timothy 3:14-17 [N IV] but of course finding myself in the middle of an interesting forest. I thought I'd been there before but maybe not. Here's that passage broken down alittle so you can ponder the parts:

"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of,

because you know those from whom you learned it,

and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures,

which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for

teaching,

rebuking,

correcting

and training in righteousness,

so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

I used to read this passage thinking in terms of verses. These days, I need to read it again and include the sacred scripture dimension of "story".

Every time I search the scriptures, I inevitably discover something I've not seen before. When I did my word study this time, Matt. 22:28-32 caught my eye. Religious leaders are asking Jesus an application question about scripture. They question Him to understand an issue they may have already assumed they had a corner on. But Jesus called them "in error." and in the same breath Jesus says, "because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. . ."

For whatever reason, I don't recall seeing that before.

Weren't these men religious leaders? Teachers of the law?

Apparently, for Jesus, knowing the scriptures and the power of God go together. They're both important.

Jesus, of course, goes on to dazzle them with His explanation and He reveals something about His Father to them in the process. Pushing past the tall weeds of the issues of resurrection and being married or not in heaven He helped them see the revelation they really needed to see - that God isn't the God of the dead, He's God of the living.

Anyway, the error of not knowing the scriptures and the power of God (together) or the error that comes from not knowing the scriptures and the power of God got me thinking...