17 One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick.
Surrounded by teachers of the law from every village of Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem, the Teacher begins to teach the teachers! The word translated “Teach” here is the Greek word “Didasko” meaning, of course, to instruct and teach; but it also has inherent in it the calculation of the increase in understanding of the pupil; the word carrying in it an expectation of learning and assimilation. The thing aimed at when teaching is the shaping of the will of the pupil – used absolutely of Christ’s teaching. (Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible) This reminds me of Paul’s statement to the Corinthians:
1 Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly--mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? 1 Cor 3:1-3 (NIV)
The emphasis being that we are to grow up in the knowledge of Christ - from milk to meat - which in turn shapes our will. As we grow up in Him we become more conformed to His image fulfilling God’s desire for us from the beginning:
29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. Romans 8:29-30 (NIV)
He wills, He calls, He justifies, He glorifies – It is all about Christ!
We were never meant to receive knowledge for the head only! Head knowledge puffs up but love edifies. The knowledge is meant to change the life. The only way you can truly know that you know something is if you are “fleshing out” (or being) what you know that you know! Our knowledge changes our being. When praised or pierced, do you bleed Jesus or man? This is a test for each one of us to see how our growth in Christ is coming along (ouch). I don’t know about you, but the knowledge part is the easy part! Acting on that truth is where the rubber meets the road.
Our verse today goes on to say that the achieving power was present to heal the sick. The power given forth to authenticate the message – much like a changed life authenticates faith. Without the powerful example of a changed life, we have only words and our words against someone else’s words are merely that, words – opinions and desires lacking what it takes to do the job. Just as a car without gas or a lamp without electricity or a “thigh master” without thighs to press it (I just had to throw that in!) are all useless without POWER, so goes our witness. Why would anybody want to believe something that we say when we ourselves are unwilling to live it? I am confident that was one of the reasons for Paul’s words to us in Ephesians:
15 Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Eph 5:15-17 (NIV)
"When the archer misses the mark, he turns and looks for the fault within himself. Failure to hit the bull's eye is never the fault of the target. To improve your aim -- improve yourself." ~ Gilbert Arland
Improve your serve!