Mark 12:24-28: a reflection

24Jesus answered them, “Isn’t this because you are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25For when they will rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26But about the dead, that they are raised, haven’t you read in the book of Moses about the Bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are therefore badly mistaken.” 28One of the scribes came and heard them questioning together, and knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the greatest of all?”

When the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection, try to trap Jesus with a puzzle about it, Jesus diagnoses the root of their error: Is this not why you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? Their error, Jesus says, sprang from two failures: not knowing the Scriptures, and not knowing the power of God. And he shows both, correcting their understanding from Scripture and pointing to God's power to raise the dead, for God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

Notice the two sources of their error that Jesus names: ignorance of the Scriptures, and ignorance of God's power. They erred because they did not truly know what the Scriptures taught, and because they underestimated what God is able to do. Much error, Jesus implies, springs from these two failures: not knowing God's word well, and not reckoning rightly with what God can do. Both are needed to avoid going astray.

That is a diagnosis worth applying to ourselves. We too can go astray, in our beliefs and our doubts, from these same two failures: not knowing the Scriptures well, and underestimating what God is able to do. When we do not know God's word deeply, we lack the truth to think rightly; and when we underestimate what God can do, we limit him to what seems possible to us, doubting what he is able to do. Guard against both errors. Know the Scriptures, growing in your grasp of God's word; and know what God can do, not limiting him to what seems possible, but reckoning with a God who can do far more than we imagine. Much of our error and doubt springs from failing in these two; know God's word, and know what he can do.

Lord Jesus, you told the Sadducees that their error sprang from knowing neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. Guard me from those same two failures. Much of my error and doubt springs from not knowing your word well, and from underestimating what you are able to do. When I do not know the Scriptures deeply, I lack the truth to think rightly; and when I underestimate what you can do, I limit you to what seems possible to me, doubting what you are able to do. Help me know the Scriptures, growing in my grasp of your word; and help me know what you can do, not limiting you, but reckoning with a God who can do far more than I imagine. Keep me from error and doubt by growing me in both: knowledge of your word and confidence in what you can do.