My wife rarely gets angry, and in that way she’s my complete opposite. But that also means that when she does get mad, I pay very close attention because only something significant gets her worked up.
In Mark 3, something similar took place. Jesus wasn’t simply annoyed with the Pharisees; He was enraged and grieved. His reaction wasn’t something that we find very often in the Gospels, so why was He so angry? (Mark 3:5).
There are a few reasons, but one of them is simply that the Pharisees used the Word as a weapon instead of a blessing. Technically, the Pharisees weren’t wrong in challenging Jesus, because breaking the Sabbath was a capital crime as prescribed in the Old Testament (Exodus 31:12-17). It’s likely that they felt they were being faithful to the letter of the law (Mark 3:4). But they completely misrepresented the spirit of it, for the law of the Sabbath wasn’t given to Israel to be used to trap others, but to bless them.
As Jesus taught in Mark 2:27, the Sabbath was made for us, and not the other way around. But the Pharisees had no desire to instruct Him or prevent Him from making a terrible mistake. No, their only goal was to see if Jesus would violate the law to aid them in their agenda (Mark 3:2). To them, Scripture was a tool to wield for punishment, not blessing. And this mentality angered Jesus.
I often have to remind myself of this truth: God’s Word isn’t here to punish me or put me in my place, but to instruct and bless me! To think anything else grieves Jesus. Having the right perspective has transformed my approach to Scripture. I no longer view it as something I should be frightened of. Instead, it’s something that I rejoice in and treasure!
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: John 15:17–16:4
More:
Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17 to see the purposes of Scripture that Paul lifts up.
Next:
Do you ever view Scripture as a weapon for punishment? Why? How are you encouraged by the fact that God’s Word both convicts and comforts?
GChoo on September 17, 2014 at 5:24 am
Peter, thank you for pointing us to the scriptures that God’s Word is there to bless us and not to punish us for our wrong. Also not to take God’s Word in the way we want it to be instead of what God intended it to be.
I have probably used it on my children when they were young. But, thank God that He had put me to right when we moved to a church who taught me that God’s Word is there to guide and bless us, not to punish us. I am so blessed that my children are given the truth of God’s Word. It definitely comforts me knowing that God is there for me and my family. God is good.
peter chin on September 17, 2014 at 4:52 pm
I think that it is as children that we first internalize our sense of what God’s Word is supposed to be. And of course, as children, we have a difficult time that the Word is not one thing to us, but many – both an encouragement, but sometimes a spur in our side. Thank God that as adults we can reclaim the preciousness of the Word in our lives!
Roxanne Robbins on September 17, 2014 at 1:53 pm
What a good reminder to study a passage’s context so we are more prone to be constructive rather than destructive.
peter chin on September 17, 2014 at 4:54 pm
Yes! Context is so important. Even though the Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God, it was also written in a cultural and historical context that we should be aware of.
Tom Felten on September 17, 2014 at 2:32 pm
Good thoughts, Peter. I’m reminded of what Simon Peter said to Jesus, “You have the words that give eternal life” (John 6:68). How we need the good words from the Bible!
peter chin on September 17, 2014 at 4:55 pm
What is interesting is that Peter says that in response to a difficult challenge by Jesus, where he asks if the disciples will abandon him. A good reminder that these words of life may even be hard to swallow at times…