“Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. 31 But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.” Matthew 22:29-33 NKJV
“But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” They said to Him, “The Son of David.” 43 He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying: 44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool” ’? 45 If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” 46 And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.”” Matthew 22:34-46 NKJV
Father God and Lord,
The Sadducees and the Pharisees were both well versed in the scriptures and the Law of Moses. But they had settled into two camps and neither wanted to see Jesus as the promised Messiah. That was one thig they could agree on. He was a risk to the stability of Jerusalem under the rule of Rome. Plus their comfortable lives running the Temple and religious practice. It was their living.
Here we see Jesus cutting through their dependence on their own knowledge. Taking them back to their own particular beliefs and undoing their misunderstandings. Not by lecture or judgement but by directing them to answers from the only place they would accept was authority. The same law they were using to back their own arguments.
Jesus takes the law and instead of it being a set of rules with tick boxes, he makes them reconsider what they are reading, believing and seeing. They were astonished at him but that did not change their minds. It seemed to unnerve them. They failed to see who they were speaking to. Help us not to make our faith a series of rules and tick boxes to reassure us we are OK. Help us learn where we have misunderstood, no-one knows it all! Even if we like to think we do . . . .
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Thursday 12th November 2026
An old hymn and with a familiar tune to many. And so profound in its request. I am almost afraid to pray it!
Live out Thy life within me, O Jesus, King of kings!
Be Thou Thyself the answer to all my questionings;
Live out Thy life within me, in all things have Thy way!
I, the transparent medium, Thy glory to display.
The temple has been yielded, and purified of sin,
Let Thy Shekinah glory now shine forth from within,
And all the earth keep silence, the body henceforth be
Thy silent, gentle servant, moved only as by Thee.
Its members every moment held subject to Thy call,
Ready to have Thee use them, or not be used at all,
Held without restless longing, or strain, or stress, or fret,
Or chafings at Thy dealings, or thoughts of vain regret.
But restful, calm and pliant, from bend and bias free,
Awaiting Thy decision, when Thou hast need of me;
Live out Thy life within me, O Jesus, King of kings!
Be Thou the glorious answer to all my questionings.
Lyrics: Frances R. Havergal