Journey of the Word

When Jesus doesn’t make sense, some get annoyed. Me? I jump up and down with excitement.

Because, folks. Jesus always makes sense.

Sometimes his approach or choice of words doesn’t make sense to me. But no biggie, because puzzles like that are way fun.

So . . . I need your help with this one.

Mark 12.

A melancholy group of the religious sort comes to Jesus with a question.

In essence: “How can the resurrection be true? . . . because a woman who has been widowed seven times can’t possibly be married to all seven husbands in heaven.”

{Yes, I question this “if-then” logic, but that’s beside the point.}

Check out Jesus’ response. In essence: “Haven’t you read your Bible? In the resurrection, there is no marriage. People are like angels in heaven.”

No, no, no. Not the thing to say.

These are Sadducees he’s talking to here. Not only do Sadducees not believe in the resurrection . . . they don’t believe in angels.

For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit. Acts 23:8

“People are like angels? But Jesus, I don’t believe in angels. Got a better argument?” 

That’s what I would have said.

If I were a Sadducee. Which I’m not. I’m just a puzzled spectator with an objection regarding Jesus’ street-evangelism techniques.

Seriously. Steer clear of the “angel” thing with these guys, Jesus. Common sense. Don’t use a word in its own definition. Don’t give a solution only to create another problem. And don’t answer an atheist’s question by passively referring to God. Right? Isn’t that the way this works?

But if Jesus knows what he’s doing, that changes things. If Jesus always makes sense, I’ve merely got to make sense of it.

Perhaps, by sneaking in the bit about angels, he’s saying . . .

“Right, and you don’t believe in angels either, so there’s really no point in explaining.”

Or

“Well, first, you have to believe in angels. Care to ask any questions about angels?”

Or

“If you don’t believe in the resurrection, of course you don’t believe in angels. And if you don’t believe in angels, how will you ever believe in Me?”

Hmm. It’s a thought.

After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”?

When he brings the Firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”

Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.” But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.”

Hebrews 1:3-8

 [image credit: unsplash.com]