Old Testament reading: Job 1-3
Today begins several days of reading in the beautiful poem that is the book of Job. While many believe that Job was being put to the test in this book, I disagree. I believe the holiness of God and His worthiness to be served are on trial here. Satan really had no concern about Job; Job was simply the medium through whom Satan was attacking God and His integrity. When Satan said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him…?”, Satan is actually saying to God, ‘You are not worthy to be worshipped, therefore You must bribe men such as Job with riches and blessings in order to convince them to serve You.’ You see, it really has nothing to do with Job. As you make your way through this marvelous book, take note to how many passages you read that you recognize as also being found in the New Testament.
New Testament reading: Matthew 22-23
Jesus was not only the master teacher, He was also a master debater and controversialist. Matthew 22-23 reveals the wisdom of Jesus in dealing with His opponents and detractors. Time and again, Jesus responded to the questions, challenges and charges of his enemies by turning the tables on His enemies through asking them questions (21:23-27; 21:28-32; 22:15-22; 22:41-46). There are a number of advantages to this type of polemic response. First, it removed the burden of initial response from Jesus to His accusers. So, when Jesus was asked a question, every eye was on Him to see what He might say. In responding with a question, every eye turned back to the accusers, and the pressure of responding adequately and convincingly was placed upon the accusing party. In my opinion, the classic text on this is Matthew 21:23-27. However, another is found in Matthew 22:41-46. Unable to answer a very simple question about the Christ and His link to David, Jesus’ enemies decide the public humiliation is no longer worth the effort, and thereafter no one dared ask Him any more questions (cf 22:22). This is an important lesson for us to learn when we are challenged concerning the faith. We do not have to engage in an instant debate, but rather can diffuse potentially volatile situations by testing the sincerity and integrity of those who make such inquiries.
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