16/2/11 Leviticus 26-27; Acts 23
S: Acts 23:6-8 Paul realized that some members of the high council were Sadducees and some were Pharisees, so he shouted, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, as were my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!” This divided the council—the Pharisees against the Sadducees—for the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, but the Pharisees believe in all of these.
O: Paul shrewdly used his wisdom to divide the Sanhedrin so that there would not be unanimous opposition to him.
This recalls Jesus’ statement, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” (Matthew 10:16).
A: Sometimes Christians get into an anti-intellectual trap. Yes, heavenly wisdom is superior to earthly wisdom, but some Christians seem to look down on using our brains and instead tell people to trust their feelings, in the guise of being led by the Spirit.
Some Christians in their railing against “a spirit of intellectualism” end up blindly following someone else’s interpretation of scripture, and making needless trouble for themselves and others.
While we must guard against hubris, we must also use the wisdom that God has given us. There needs to be a balance.
P: Father, rescue me from both blindly trusting someone else’s interpretation as well as the other extreme of hubris in my own. Let my mind be led and corrected by Your Spirit, while I make proper use of the talent you have given me.
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