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Is that a trick question?
Luke 20 is full of questions. Some are genuine questions, but others have their purpose in trying to trick Jesus into saying something incriminating or to question His authority. Toward the end of the chapter, in Luke 20:41-44, Jesus turns the tables and asks a question back to His antagonists.
What does this question mean and why did He ask it? To be honest, I really don’t know. Perhaps the people listening didn’t understand either, or maybe they did. Frankly, Jesus is a bit hard to understand sometimes…I guess that’s why we can spend a lifetime trying to understand Him more.
How do you react when you don’t understand something you find in the Bible? I know I can get frustrated or even allow doubt to creep in. Sometimes the only way I can deal with all the unanswered questions is to remember two things.
One, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians, “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” We’ll never know it all in our lifetime, we have to learn to be content even recognizing our own ignorance!
Two, if I’m tempted to give up and give in to doubt, I remember what Peter said when many abandoned Jesus and He asked His disciples “Are you also going to leave?”. Peter replied “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.” Indeed, where else would we go if we abandon Jesus just because we don’t fully understand all His teachings? Has anyone else found anything else out there that is a better alternative to Jesus? I sure haven’t!
We ARE just trying to figure it out. That’s why I think that we sometimes “get it.”
I think that if you keep trying, you will be blessed!
Isn’t it Proverbs 3 that says something like, ” lean not on my understanding – acknowledge Him – He’ll direct me” ? There’s a whole lot that I don’t understand. It’s OK, if I let it be. I often forget to let it be. I waste time trying to figure it all out instead of waiting for His direction.
I think Jesus’ great sense of humor shows in this scripture! It has a slight hint of sarcasm…I don’t think He was intending to push buttons, but was clearly trying to get them to understand(or remind them) that He is who He says He is. He has a plan, and whether we completely grasp it or not, its good to know that our faith is in the unseen and that our trust is in the all-knowing!
Thanks so much for this devotional! It really spoke to me, especially with some of the questions I have been grappling with. Another couple of verses that I have been clinging to is in Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
Thank you God that you are beyond human logic and a mysterious God! Help me to trust you even when I don’t understand.