The Lord Jesus Christ provides an insight into the knowledge of biblical doctrine in Matthew 22. As He does, Jesus indicates that two things are necessary for orthodox doctrine: knowledge of the Scriptures and an experience of the power of God.
In Matthew 22:23-28 the Sadducees came and asked Jesus a question. We’re told in verse 23 that the Sadducees did not believe the resurrection, just in case we can’t figure out that the question is a set up. They say: “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up children for his brother.’ Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother. So too the second and third, down to the seventh. After them all, the woman died. In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.”
Jesus responds to their question, but in doing so points out that the framing of it indicates a spiritual problem. “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: ‘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.” And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.” (Matthew 22: 29-33 ESV)
The question that the Sadducees asked was based on a false premise. It was not based on a false understanding of the provision for remarriage, but was based on their error regarding the resurrection. Their wrong question represented a break-down in their understanding of the Scriptures, a break-down in their systematic theology.
Our understanding of distinct areas of doctrine effects our understanding of other areas of doctrine. That is the lesson Jesus is demonstrating here.
But it is vital to see that Jesus refers to another problem that renders the Sadducees unable to know the truth: they do not ‘know the power of God’.
That is an extraordinary statement.
It has profound implications for our interactions about Christian doctrine.
There are those who claim a part in the Christian church but who reject the notion that Christ died for their sins on the Cross. They reject the doctrine of penal substitutionary atonement.
Others deny the idea of original sin, the teaching that from conception human beings are under the judgment of God. Their ideas are quite like those of the ancient Pelagius who rejected the idea of a fallen nature and claimed that only sins actually committed by the individual themselves need to be reconciled.
The Scriptures as inspired and inerrant is also questioned. Rather the Bible is a collection of human writings seeking to express the writer’s ideas of God.
The problem here is that the very doctrines rejected seem to preclude the salvation, the experience of ‘the power of God’ that is neccessary for the Scriptures to be rightly understood.
A Pelagian would contend that anyone can understand the Scriptures just as well as anyone else. Jesus indicates that for a human to have a truly balanced and systematic understanding of the Bible they need something more. Knowledge of the Scriptures is valuable, but the power of God must be present.
When the power of God is absent there should be no surprise that error is present. A vital aspect of doctrinal understanding, along with an enabling power, is absent. This absence will be to the detriment of a comprehensive theology.
Some outworkings:
1. Understanding the Bible is not simply a matter of study. A knowledge (personal experience) of God is needed to have a balanced understanding.
2. Those who do not have a knowledge (personal experience) of God’s power have no protection against error in their understanding and practice. When contending with others who claim Christianity but deny Jesus died for their sins, or that the Bible is our inspired guide to what we believe and do, we should not be surprised to find error.
3. Sometimes the doctrine we’re discussing may not be the actual error, but error in some other area may hamstring our capactity to advance the matter.
4. Those who do not have a knowledge (personal experience) of God’s power will not have the capacity to fully comprehend Christian doctrine. Don’t make them try harder to understand, try to introduce them to the saving work of Jesus, that they may know the power of God.
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