"Have you
understood all these things?" They said to him, "Yes." And he
said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom
of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is
new and what is old." Matthew
13:51-52 ESV
A father was correcting his young son for improper
behavior. He explained to his son that
if this sort of behavior continued there would be grave consequences to
face. He asked his son, "Do you
understand what I am telling you?"
The son replied, "Yes I understand," as he nodded with his
head. The son then asked, "Dad,
what are consequences?"
Do you understand?
That's a loaded question! To
answer the question with an affirmation of yes, requires more than a mental
assent but an acceptance of responsibility.
If I understand that love is good and right, I must be responsible to
love. On the other hand if I understand
that lying is wrong I must act responsible by telling the truth (not
lying). When the dad asked his son if he
understood he was expecting a change in behavior.
After instructing His disciples of the mysteries of the
kingdom by way of parables Jesus asked, "Have
you understood all these things?" Jesus was looking
for more than the nodding of the head, or a mental agreement of "I
understand." He wanted all who
heard Him to understand that the principles and truths of the kingdom involve
the responsibility to act upon them. Dr.
Leo Buscaglia says, "To know and not do is to not yet know." The book of James says, So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do
it, for him it is sin. James 4:17 ESV
With knowledge always comes responsibility. Once I am made aware of something it is clear
that my relationship to whatever it is has changed. The sin of omission is no less convicting
than the sin of commission. There are
consequences for both. Jesus reiterates
this when He states repeatedly throughout the gospels, He who has ears to hear, let him hear. In each case, those being addressed are
offered a clear choice, consequences are foretold, and a commandment to
understand is given. In other words He
is saying, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
The scribes of Jesus' day were those whose whole purpose was
to study, learn and teach the Law of God so as to preserve it among the
people. Perhaps you can understand the
shock of the disciples as Jesus suggested they be scribes. But with that description came understanding. Jesus was not saying they were to be like the
scribes in their self-righteous judgment and burdensome laws, but rather they
were to take up in their lives the intended purpose of the scribes to learn the
ways of God so as to teach the ways of God. We are to be learners and then with the
knowledge we have discovered we are now responsible to pass it on as occasions
allow.
Do we really understand?
Are we knowledgeable enough about the Word of God and the ways of God
that we can share with others? Too many
Christians do not “know” the truths necessary to lead someone to God. Too many have a familiarity with God’s Word
and not a knowledge. Jesus calls us to
learn and then share through our lifestyle and our lips. Create a treasure of knowledge in your house
to share with all who pass by and fulfill this calling of Christ to understand.
Scripture to Claim:
Bless the LORD, all his
hosts, his ministers, who do his will! Bless the LORD, all his works, in all
places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul! Psalms 103:21-22 ESV
