MOREOVER... POWER — Is Being Right Powerful Enough?
UNDERSTANDING
In a world where being right and having the correct knowledge is king, Jesus always takes things to the next level. It is not that Jesus or Christianity is anti-intellectual, but that there is a wisdom and power that supersedes human wisdom and understanding.
When the Sadducees tried to trip up Jesus concerning the resurrection of the dead, a doctrinal point with which they did not agree, he wasted no time in pointing out their deficiency.
THE SOURCE OF ERROR
"Jesus replied, 'You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.” (Mathew 22:29 NIV)
The particulars of their argument are perhaps less important than the reason for their lack of understanding of the resurrection. It is true that unlike their counterparts, the Pharisees, the Sadducees were more of a social power-base within the Church than they were theologians. And so, Jesus was correct when he said that they did not know the scriptures. But the word translated in this passage as "or" is perhaps better translated as "moreover,"or "not even," placing the power of God above both common and even doctrinal knowledge. Paul says the very same thing in his letter to the Galatians.
"My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power." (1 Corinthians 2:4-5 NIV).
THERE IS WISDOM
But again, Paul is not dismissing knowledge and human wisdom altogether, but simply subjugating it and placing it in proper perspective as he continues...
"We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." (2 Corinthians 2:6-8 NIV).
THE 3rd RAIL OF CHRISTIANITY
Both inside and outside of the family of faith, the power of God tends to make people uncomfortable. The power of the third member of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, can certainly be likened to the 3rd rail of a subway line, the one that holds the power.
And yet it was the lack of experiential knowledge of this power that Jesus used to refute the ones who felt very comfortable in their own thinking; comfortable that is, until they ran into Jesus. The hum of the power coming from him, drove them to both fear and mock him. This power had the same effect on the Pharisees.
"The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath."(Luke 6:7 NIV)
Those schooled well in the scriptures were also threatened by Jesus' power to affect the natural world around them. While these folks actually did believe in the resurrection as based in Old Testament writings, it was when the power of that resurrection that in theory they believed in was demonstrated by Jesus, that they too were threatened by the 3rd Rail of the Trinity.
THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION
Is the power of the resurrection really a thing? Did Jesus use the word "power" in response to the Sadducees so he could sound more cool and "powerful," or is there really a connection between the two? Let's see...
"I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death..." (Philippians 3:10 NIV)
"I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know... his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead..." (Ephesians 1:18-20 NIV)
"'Lord,' Martha said to Jesus, 'if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.' Jesus said to her, 'Your brother will rise again.' Martha answered, 'I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.' Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life.'" (John 11:21-25 NIV)
"... His Son... who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead..." Romans 1:2-4 NIV)
"...Know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed." (Acts 4:10 NIV)
"With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all..." (Acts 4:33 NIV)
KNOWING THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION
The Sadducees did not know the scriptures, nor did they know the power inherent within them to affect a broken world. That is why the message of the Gospel relies on the foolishness of the cross and the resurrection, something incomprehensible to common wisdom.
"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ... We preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength." (1 Corinthians 1:17-25 NIV)
Letting the power of the resurrection supersede our own sense of wisdom means that we gauge our own reason as limited. We think and we reason everyday, just as we were designed to do. However, everyday wisdom does not have the power to comprehend eternal things and eternal things are far weightier than what we can think or imagine.
WE ALL THINK WE KNOW
We live in a world where everyone is right yet no-one agrees. This should give us a clue that we need power that exceeds our ability to be, or at least feel that we're "more right" than the next guy. Let's allow curiosity to rise within us concerning the power of the resurrection. Sometimes our news feeds, instant access to whatever food we want, and 300 channels and multiple streaming services help us to put eternal things on the back burner. But we should all be able to remember how during Covid, those things were barely able to bring relief to us as many anxieties and cares came crashing down upon our world.
Right now, then, is a good time to ponder eternal things and begin to ask questions about this resurrection thing and the power it is supposed to hold. Mysterious? Yes! Powerful? Find out!
