Don’t Debate - Speak Truth - Mark 11-12

Mark 12:18-27 (ESV)

And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.”

Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”

You can always tell people who don’t want to believe, but simply want to confound.   Curiousity for the purpose of learning and growing can be a tremendous asset for one’s life.  But curiosity that is designed for argumentation is not fruitful.  

The above passage is in the midst of a number of Q&A  sessions Jesus is having with the religious leaders.  We are moments before his arrest, death, crucifixion and resurrection.   Mark has given us these Q&A moments for us to see the contention that is brewing between Jesus and the religious leaders.   In the above Q&A, the Sadducees are trying to trick Jesus into one of their arguments.   The Sadducees, as stated, did not even believe in the resurrection.  Yet, they are putting a proposal before Jesus to confound Him and show their mastery of argumentation and debate.   Jesus deflects their question with truth and puts them into a corner with His answer.   This was His method.   Twice in the above passage Jesus tells them they are wrong.  He is not afraid to point people to truth and call them out for their false belief.  It might be wise for us to consider a similar strategy in our conversations.   When confronted with hypothetical and philosophical Q&As in our world, why not simply respond with truth?  

Ephesians 4:15 (ESV)

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

Solomon said all that, this way:

Proverbs 12:17-22 (ESV)

Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence,

but a false witness utters deceit.

There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,

but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Truthful lips endure forever,

but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,

but those who plan peace have joy.

No ill befalls the righteous,

but the wicked are filled with trouble.

Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD,

but those who act faithfully are his delight.