QT 1/5/2022 Matt 16:9-12, What is truth?

Matthew 16:9–12 (ESV) —

9 Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

 

NOTE: So the religious leaders ask for a sign, and Jesus' response to the disciples afterwards is, "beware of the religious leader's teachings." Why? First, even the question is misleading. "If you are … prove it by …" The question appears to make sense, but it is not grounded in any formal declaration of life. I don't have to prove myself to anybody, nor am I bound by another's question. The question itself belies an attempt to assert their authority over Jesus. Secondly, the question ignores the previous information, that is all of Jesus' miracles. It is as if they were saying, because of our status, we can dismiss your previous proofs. That is an untrue statement. They can dismiss previous proofs, but only to themselves and only to their peril. The problem is that we expect leaders to give good information to more than just their selves, but to us and others who count on them for good information.

 

There is a great danger today because institutions that we counted upon for correct information are slanting the information. Some institutions that we thought independent, now work for the government or some political thought to ensure that only certain information is released. Is the information correct? Certainly not as a "fact," but rather as a view. Any contrarian views are dismissed. As opposed to presenting views correctly and letting the public decide (in cases where it is not clear). The result is that all institutions lose their credibility. Somehow, this is setting things up for the Antichrist, who by means of miracles will establish his credibility.

 

PONDER:

1. In Acts, Luke talks about the Bereans who were noble because they searched the scriptures on their own to see if things Paul said were true. Are we searching the scriptures daily or are we listening to the questions of the media regarding Jesus?

 

PRAYER: Father, keep us in your word -- thy word is truth. It is not opinion but it is absolute truth. Help us to see Jesus who is the word of God as our authority in all matters of spirituality and the root issues of life.