And They Were Amazed at Him
February/23/2008 Filed in: Daily Walk
Series
• New
Testament Reading: Mark 12:1-44
• Old Testament Passages: Deuteronomy 6:4-5 10:12-13
• Points to Ponder
“And They Were Amazed at Him”
When you read through this chapter, aren’t you also amazed at him? The best minds in Jerusalem,
those most knowledgeable (intellectually) in the scriptures, could not stump him. They wanted to
catch him in his words, but failed miserably. So wise were his responses that “no one dared ask him
any more questions.” This son of a Nazarene carpenter proved without a doubt to the people of
Jerusalem, and the rest of the world, that he indeed was the Son of God.
Unlike his opponents, he knew the scriptures in his heart. They used the scriptures to justify their
rebellion against heavenly and human authority and to justify their traditional views and their
legalism. It is not what they missed when they read the scriptures, but who. They missed God.
Yet they should have known better. Over and over again Moses stressed that obeying the law God
had given to the Israelites was all about loving God and that’s why their obedience needed to be with
all their heart, mind, soul and strength. God’s commandments are not legalistic statutes meant to
control his creation -- they are an expression of his incredible and ongoing love for mankind. And
our obedience to those commands is not an impersonal check mark on our list of “do’s” and “don’ts”.
Not if we obey them from our heart.
• Questions to Consider: How are you doing with the greatest commandment?
• Old Testament Passages: Deuteronomy 6:4-5 10:12-13
• Points to Ponder
“And They Were Amazed at Him”
When you read through this chapter, aren’t you also amazed at him? The best minds in Jerusalem,
those most knowledgeable (intellectually) in the scriptures, could not stump him. They wanted to
catch him in his words, but failed miserably. So wise were his responses that “no one dared ask him
any more questions.” This son of a Nazarene carpenter proved without a doubt to the people of
Jerusalem, and the rest of the world, that he indeed was the Son of God.
Unlike his opponents, he knew the scriptures in his heart. They used the scriptures to justify their
rebellion against heavenly and human authority and to justify their traditional views and their
legalism. It is not what they missed when they read the scriptures, but who. They missed God.
Yet they should have known better. Over and over again Moses stressed that obeying the law God
had given to the Israelites was all about loving God and that’s why their obedience needed to be with
all their heart, mind, soul and strength. God’s commandments are not legalistic statutes meant to
control his creation -- they are an expression of his incredible and ongoing love for mankind. And
our obedience to those commands is not an impersonal check mark on our list of “do’s” and “don’ts”.
Not if we obey them from our heart.
• Questions to Consider: How are you doing with the greatest commandment?