March 25, 2023
Searching in the Dark
“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. I do not receive glory from men; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him.” John 5:39-43 (NASB)
In Youth Ministry, there are many times where middle and high school students have overnight outings. One time we played a game named, “Capture the Flag.” The game was comprised of two teams. The field was a wooded area. Each team hid their flag somewhere safe. Then the competition began as teams started searching for the opposing team’s flag. Mind you, this was during darkness. No lights. A captured player from the opposing team was out of the game. In the end, one team would search and find their opponent’s flag. This team was the winner. Adding to the challenge was darkness. If a light could be seen by the opposing team, it gave away where the other team was searching. This allowed an opportunity to take another player out of the game. A lot of cheating went on in those dark woods at night too…
The Jews were inadvertently cheating the process of searching the Scriptures. They were searching in their darkened minds, trying to make themselves good enough to inherit eternal life. “Studying sacred texts was a central part of ancient Judaism. Jewish scribes meticulously copied the biblical text and developed detailed interpretations.”[1] The study of God’s Word had developed into an intellectual act, by determining numerous interpretations, not encounters with God. This form of study had been passed down from generations, so they followed what they were taught. This may be one of the reasons the Jews struggle to this day. The following cite is so interesting though. Read it carefully: “Observe here (1) The honor which Christ gives to the Scriptures, as a record which all have a right and are bound to search—the reverse of which the Church of Rome teaches; (2) The opposite extreme is, resting in the mere Book without the living Christ, to direct the soul to whom is its main use and chiefest glory.”[2] So let’s make some observations: The first (1), says we all have a right to and are supposed to search Scripture- the opposite of Catholicism. The second (2), says those who study the Scriptures miss the One they are studying! This is where the Jews fell in their studies. They searched the Scriptures, “without the living Christ.” When they were studying without Christ, they were in darkness.
I learned a lot from the young in Student Ministry. Some have some very serious questions about God. Many came from those who were still in darkness (or lost). They had questions while searching in their lost condition. In a sense, they were cheating the system of salvation by trying to get answers without meeting Jesus. When some came to faith in Jesus, they found the Scriptures more enlightening and fulfilling. Others I know continue searching in frustration and are still experiencing it today. They have the Scriptures, but still miss the One who came to give them new life. Don’t be one of those today!
[1] John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Jn 5:39.
[2] Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 2 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 137.