And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority.
One of the most popular avenues to convey information and ideas today is the concept of TEDTalks. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design. The concept is that people get in front of an audience to convey their ideas and thoughts. During the Apostle Paul's day the Greeks would do this at the Areopagus. This was a TEDTalk for the ancient world. Note what Dr. Luke tells us about this in his historical account in the book of Acts:
Acts 17:21
Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.
The days Luke is referring to would be post-Socrates. The "discussion" of ideas and philosophy would come out of the Socrate-Plato-Aristotle-Greek philosophy form of learning and thinking. Christ was born and ministered right in the middle of this time frame. When Christ came onto the scene men were interested in ideas and thoughts. The modern TEDTalk concept is just a way, via technology, to create what the Greeks did centuries ago ... and what Christ took advantage of in Him ministry. The difference is that Christ wasn't just talking about ideas and entertainment, or for entertainment. Christ was talking truth and in an authoritative manner. When the people heard Christ there was something different about Him. His words carried the authority of the Creator of the universe. It is important to remember and reflect on that thought. God is the top of the authoritative chain. When we hear His Words, spoken in the Gospels, or taught in the Epistles, we need to be as "astonished" at His teaching, as in the days He walked the earth. Today, men and women are constantly looking for truth. They seldom know where to find it and astonished and moved when they hear it. Paul warned us that what was happening in his day with the Greeks would continue in our day. Note the following words he told young Pastor Timothy:
2 Timothy 4:3
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,
People are "itching" for the truth. The truth sets people free (John 8:32). We ought to be careful about what we "talk" about. We can so easily caught up into our world and spend our time sharing the latest philosophy or idea, and forget that God has truth. Let's make sure we share the truth of God's Word that will cause men and women to be amazed. Rather than falling into the trap Paul warned the Colossian believers:
Colossians 2:8
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
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