A Morning Cup of Tea: A Very Good Reason to Know the Scriptures

 Jesus is still in the temple at this time, teaching and answering questions that the Pharisees, elders and scribes and chief priests have brought him, trying to tempt him to answer in such a way they could get rid of him. This time it's the Sadducees who come up with a question, beginning in Mark 12:8.
  They give the hypothetical instance of a woman whose husband dies, leaving her childless. At this time Jewish custom was that in such a case, the man's brother would marry her and the children would be considered her first husband's offspring.  The second husband dies as the first did, and still no children. This pattern continues until the woman has married all 7 brothers, and dies still childless. The question brought to Jesus was, after the resurrection (which the Sadducees didnt even believe in) whose wife would she be, as she had married all of them at one time or another. 
 They thought surely this would stump him. But Jesus had an answer for them.
  Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? (v 24)
 Jesus went on to explain that after the resurrection there is no marriage. We are like the angels in heaven, having no need of such relationships. 
  One of the scribes had been listening quietly to all the questions being asked, and the answers that Jesus gave. He asked Jesus which was the first commandment?
 29. And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
 30. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength; this is the first commandment.
 31. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
  The scribe was pleased, I think, with Jesus' answer. Jesus had quoted scripture in answering. The scribe acknowledged the answer given was correct, and himself confessed that there is one God (v32).  Jesus saw the earnestness of the man and told him "You are not far from the kingdom of God." (v34)
  Men who did not like what Jesus taught asked questions of him, as did a man who diligently and truly sought the truth. Jesus quoted scripture to answer and teach both. In today's world we too will sometimes have conversations with others concerning our beliefs. It is very important that we have scripture to back what we say.  And knowing the scripture, or at least knowing where to find what we are looking for, helps us to know if someone else is teaching scripturally. 
 Although we lead busy lives, we always find time for what we want to do. I myself am guilty of sometimes being able to quote scenes from favorite movies a bit more than memorizing scripture. It is something I need to work on. But  I'm not good at memorizing, some might say. There is a preacher I know. I've only been blessed to hear him a few times but my husband grew up with his preaching. This certain preacher could (and still does) quote large sections of scripture in his lessons. He has had a hard time memorizing, but he does it because he makes it a priority. He would practice quoting scripture while doing such things as mowing the lawn.   And when our hearts are full of scripture, it's less likely to find room for things that are not good.
  Have a great day.
   
 

 Jesus is still in the temple at this time, teaching and answering questions that the Pharisees, elders and scribes and chief priests have brought him, trying to tempt him to answer in such a way they could get rid of him. This time it's the Sadducees who come up with a question, beginning in Mark 12:8.
  They give the hypothetical instance of a woman whose husband dies, leaving her childless. At this time Jewish custom was that in such a case, the man's brother would marry her and the children would be considered her first husband's offspring.  The second husband dies as the first did, and still no children. This pattern continues until the woman has married all 7 brothers, and dies still childless. The question brought to Jesus was, after the resurrection (which the Sadducees didnt even believe in) whose wife would she be, as she had married all of them at one time or another. 
 They thought surely this would stump him. But Jesus had an answer for them.
  Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? (v 24)
 Jesus went on to explain that after the resurrection there is no marriage. We are like the angels in heaven, having no need of such relationships. 
  One of the scribes had been listening quietly to all the questions being asked, and the answers that Jesus gave. He asked Jesus which was the first commandment?
 29. And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
 30. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength; this is the first commandment.
 31. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
  The scribe was pleased, I think, with Jesus' answer. Jesus had quoted scripture in answering. The scribe acknowledged the answer given was correct, and himself confessed that there is one God (v32).  Jesus saw the earnestness of the man and told him "You are not far from the kingdom of God." (v34)
  Men who did not like what Jesus taught asked questions of him, as did a man who diligently and truly sought the truth. Jesus quoted scripture to answer and teach both. In today's world we too will sometimes have conversations with others concerning our beliefs. It is very important that we have scripture to back what we say.  And knowing the scripture, or at least knowing where to find what we are looking for, helps us to know if someone else is teaching scripturally. 
 Although we lead busy lives, we always find time for what we want to do. I myself am guilty of sometimes being able to quote scenes from favorite movies a bit more than memorizing scripture. It is something I need to work on. But  I'm not good at memorizing, some might say. There is a preacher I know. I've only been blessed to hear him a few times but my husband grew up with his preaching. This certain preacher could (and still does) quote large sections of scripture in his lessons. He has had a hard time memorizing, but he does it because he makes it a priority. He would practice quoting scripture while doing such things as mowing the lawn.   And when our hearts are full of scripture, it's less likely to find room for things that are not good.
  Have a great day.