This morning I was 'listening to Jesus at dinner...'
...Not what I would call sociable 'chit chat'....
He was invited to eat at a Pharisee's house.
Just after sitting down to eat
Jesus calls them on some of their religious practices
and after a few comments towards the Pharisees,
the Lawyers who were present began to be offended....
Jesus spoke some revealing
(read - scathing) remarks about their practices as well..
I suspect Jesus actually never did have lunch there...
His departing remark was that the Lawyers
"have taken away the key to knowledge
and not entered into it (knowledge) themselves..."
ref Luke 11:37-53
Meanwhile thousands of people gathered outside
and when Jesus got there He told His disciples
to "be on your guard against the Yeast of the Pharisees
which is... Hypocrisy." ref Lk 12:1
The phrase, "Key to Knowledge" made my ears perk up
What's the Key?
What did they take so others couldn't get it
and they themselves missed.....?
Hmmm....
...the Hypocrisy thing?
Saying but not doing...
Requiring a high standard of others
while trying to pretend to do the same
except sliding around the laws by making up their own
'loopholes'....
Hmm....
Then I read Eph 2:2 - Paul wrote:
"My purpose is that
they may be encouraged in heart
and united in love,
so that they may have the full riches
of complete understanding,
in order that they may know
the mystery of God,
namely,
Christ,
3 in whom are hidden
all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
The Lawyers knew he was Messiah
but refused to come to Him
and kept others from knowing who He was....
The Key to Knowledge...
Christ.
Lord,
I so often look to universities
and degrees
and smart people
for the key to knowledge....
and yet.
You are the Key.
You were in their midst
and they had it...
You....
and I have 'it' too...
You.
and Your Spirit of Counsel.
Sooo... today I have the choice
to ask You
and listen to You
and to grow in
wisdom
and
knowledge.
Yeah!
Thank You
Jesus.
PJ