You Can't Handle The Truth
There's a scene in a movie (A Few Good Men) where one man is asking for the truth and another is shouting, "You can't handle the truth!" and the only difference here is that while the Pharisees aren't asking for it, Jesus shares it and doesn't even have to yell.
Seriously, look at the question He asks: Which of these is OK to do on the Sabbath a) good and save life or b) harm and kill? Really? Is that really such a stumper that the Pharisees couldn't figure it out? Or was it so obvious they didn't want to answer because Jesus might be setting them up for something?
Obviously He was setting them up as He answers the question not with words, but with action and He heals the guy right in front of them. And He was angry and sad at the same time. Angry that they wouldn't believe and sad that they didn't because their hearts were hard.
Is your heart hard? Has God made His will and His plan and His rules obvious and yet you still choose to ignore and reject it? Are you so sure that you're right, that you actually argue and suggest that God and His word are wrong (or don't apply to you in your case)?
Jesus isn't yelling at you, but He's made it potently clear that you can't handle the truth. And when verse 6 says they immediately left and looked for "how to destroy him" (ESV) the reality of the situation is that their unbelief and their hardness of heart was already destroying Him. Jesus said, "the truth will set you free" so grow up and see if you can indeed handle (and apply) the truth to your life. Stop arguing with God or others about how things are supposed to be done, and start paying attention to the simplicity of the Gospel which has deep (and active) concern for those that are hurting and need help and healing that comes from Jesus.
Created over 1 year ago
