“Have you not read this Scripture…?” (Mark 12:10 ESV).
Jesus questioned whether the religious leaders and teachers had read a particular Scripture from Psalm 118 concerning the stone the builders rejected. Even as they rejected Jesus, His question pointed them to the biblical prophecy which predicted their rejection. Shouldn’t biblical evidence have changed their view of Him? It should have, but it didn’t. Their view of Jesus was not based on a study of the Scriptures, but on their own political interests.
Believers today, especially those that are called to be teachers and preachers of the Bible, must be careful to base their lives, teachings and sermons on the Bible itself. Human opinion has no authority or power. Only God’s Word can be trusted. But it must be read, studied and taught with the illumination of the Holy Spirit in order to be understood and applied.
In the apostle Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he wrote: “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman who needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). Paul recognized the importance for the believer to read and study the Bible.
In an age when most of us have a Bible in every room and access to dozens of translations online, what an embarrassing question it would be to hear from the lips of Jesus! “Have you not read the Scriptures?”
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. We pray for the illumination of the Spirit as we read it that we might know You better. Strengthen us to apply it to our lives. Help us to declare it to the nations. In Jesus’ name, amen.