A Comforting Rebuke

There is a moment in the Gospels when Jesus rebukes the Pharisees. This harsh rebuke has comforted me in my walk with the Lord. Here is that rebuke:

"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. (John 5:39-40)

This rebuke brings me comfort when I fail as a scholar. I study my Bible the best way I know how, but that effort is not impressive. I even took a year of New Testament Greek. This new language only forced me to recognize that I have more to learn.

Scripture is a vast ocean of knowledge, and it will never be exhausted. Jesus knew the scriptures better than all those Pharisees put together.

Why do we study the scripture? It is not only to approve us as workmen who rightly handle the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15) That is a necessary part. But, beyond that, we study scripture to encounter Jesus. Every word and every line points to the beautiful man Jesus Christ.

When I feel foolish and unlearned, I find peace knowing that Jesus has come to give me life. I can trust His Holy Spirit to guide me into all truth. Scripture is not only a bunch of laws I need to follow. It isn’t even a prescription on how to be wiser than the next guy. Scripture is a man, a holy man. (John 1)