Mark 12:35-44 Watch Out for Bad Teaching

Mark 12:38   Jesus said, “Watch out . . .’”

As others have observed, the problem with religion is not that people don’t believe but that people will believe anything! Happily, much more good than bad has come to us through religion. Through the Gospel people have come to transforming faith and whole societies have moved to a more just administration of law. Charitable institutions have brought relief to multitudes of the needy. Christianity has lifted culture and government in many good ways. 

At the same time we know that In the name of religion unspeakable atrocities, fraud of the innocent, prejudicial strictures, and lots of pious foolishness have been practiced. Enemies of religion eagerly point to these problems, but honest observers of history will acknowledge that religion has brought good as well as bad.

Because religion can be bad as well as good, Jesus warned us to “watch out.” So, how do we watch out? The classic Protestant answer is to follow the teachings of the Bible for in the Scripture we have the word of God. (2 Timothy 3:15-17)

Of course, as recorded in Mark 12 Jesus demonstrated through his encounter with the Bible teachers of the first century this need to “watch out” does not go away with the simple call to Bible authority. Some people—unintentionally or mischievously—misinterpret the Bible and cause harm. So Jesus said “watch out” for the teachers. (verse 38)

In this passage from Mark 12 we find some ways that the followers of Jesus can watch out for bad Bible interpretation. One warning centers on behavior. A good Bible teacher will support the teaching with good behavior. (v. 40)

Another warning arises out of the teacher’s attitude. Lack of humility in a teacher will set off internal alarm bells for the thoughtful. (v. 39) Lack of generosity provides a warning, too. (v. 41-44)

Also, Jesus warned against intellectual flatness and lack of imagination. In humility an authentic teacher of the Bible will yield to paradox and mystery. We cannot explain everything. (v. 35-37) The only one with all the answers is God himself, and the authentic teacher will point us to our Lord. Those teachers who insist on having the answer to everything need watching and are best avoided.

*******

Grandchildren. For Halloween Sweetie Pie was a ghost; with her missing front teeth she was scary. (Until she gave me a big hug) Mr. Happy wore camouflage and looked like a warrior (well, as much as a four year old can). Singer (my current nickname for the youngest) had the scariest costume to me. He dressed as a surgeon—even down to the booties doctors wear in the operating room. “Give me treats or I’ll take your organs!” (His uncle Jason who is a surgeon sent that costume to Singer.) Well, it would be scary, but babies are sweet no matter how they are dressed. What fun to be a grandparent.

Travel. Mark Twain said, “Travel is fatal to prejudice . . . .” Judy and I traveled with friends to Nuremberg, Regensburg, Passau, Vienna and Budapest by river boat this past week. Seeing these parts of Germany, Austria and Hungary was enlightening and pleasant. I will be working through all the thoughts and impressions this travel created for me over the next year. How grateful I am to have the resources to have made this journey. I want to be a good steward of it. Hopefully, some of my prejudices will die with reflections on this travel experience. It was fun, but it was more than just fun. 

Mark 8:27-38 "A Warning to Would Be Preachers"

Mark 8:30   “Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.”

Jesus and his disciples had a dramatic moment on their way to Caesarea Philippi as recorded in Mark 8. When Jesus asked them, “Who do you say that I am,” Peter was bold enough to reply, “You are the Messiah.” 

For Peter and the disciples all the hopes of Israel had come true in Jesus. The nation longed for liberation from the Roman occupation. The religious reformers in Israel longed for a spiritual renewal that would lead to a cleansing of the Temple leadership. The Messiah, the Christ, God’s Anointed was the one who would bring these longings to reality. How surprised the disciples must have been when Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him (verse 30).

The question arises, why did Jesus warn Peter and the others not to mention this revelation? Scholars have debated this issue for more than a century. Why would Jesus want to make a secret of his identity as the Christ?

Jesus explained to the disciples that the Messiah would suffer and die on a cross. He called them to take up a cross as well and to follow him. When Peter initially heard this definition of Messiah he challenged Jesus. To that challenge from Peter Jesus replied with the shocking words, “Get behind me, Satan!” (verse 33)

The disciples believed that Jesus was the Messiah, but they had a faulty understanding of what being the Messiah meant. “A little learning is a dangerous thing.” (Alexander Pope, 1709) With knowledge that Jesus was the Messiah the disciples had the potential to publish this news and to make Jesus an even greater celebrity than he had already become. What’s more, their skewed understanding could have spread the wrong message about Jesus throughout the land. Their “little learning” was dangerous, indeed, to the cause of Christ.

This question of the Messianic secret brought to my mind the oath that my sons and daughter-in-law have taken as physicians. They have promised that in treating patients they will always make it their aim to do no harm. Perhaps, it would be good for preachers and teachers and all followers of Jesus to make this same commitment: do no harm. If we talk glibly about the spiritual life we do more harm than good. If we leave the cross and self-sacrifice out of the Gospel we may actually be doing the work of Satan more than the work of God.

Alexander Pope warned that it is better not to drink from the fountain of knowledge unless we are willing to drink deeply. James warned, “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1) The best way to guard against the dangers of inadequate knowledge is to study the Scriptures and to make every effort to support our teaching with the Bible’s guidance. When we teach general ideas such as “be loving,” or “live and let live,” without reference to the cross, to sacrifice, to holiness, to the hope of resurrection or without building our message on the Scripture we may find ourselves suffering the rebuke of Jesus. It would be better to keep our “little knowledge” secret than to spread misinformation, even false teaching. If one hears the call to teach and feels compelled to give witness to the truth, then it is important for that one to stay close to the Bible. In that way we can embrace the commitment to do no harm.