39 He also told them this parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
Who do we follow? Are we being led by the spiritually blind? Beware, Jesus tell us, or we may fall into a pit! Jesus called the religious leaders of His day “blind guides” in Matthew: 13 He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit." Matt 15:13-14 (NIV)
The Pharisees had chosen the wrong path and nothing was going to deter them. This is why we, as believers, are ourselves responsible for knowing Truth. The Bereans were commended for this action: 11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Acts 17:11 (NIV)
If we made this a practice in our own lives I daresay it would prevent us from falling into wrong ways of thinking! A person falls into sin but holiness is a pursuit and takes discipline on our part. Many people are out there today preaching untruth – not unlike in Paul’s day: 6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. 2 Tim 3:6-7 (NIV)
I am not picking on women here; men have the ability to succumb to this too. Beware, lest we fall! Paul adds to this truth in Colossians:
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. Col 2:8 (NIV) God loves His Word. He tells us in Isaiah: 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11 (NIV)
Unlike our words, God’s Word is alive and active and powerful and true - always. We would do well to invest our time and energies into a knowledge of it and become “fully trained” as the Scripture today exhorts. In our verses for today, the word translated “student” in verse forty is the Greek word Mathetes” meaning a disciple, learner, adherent, follower; it denotes an adherent who accepts this instruction given to him and makes it his rule of conduct – Jesus’ disciples made His teaching the basis of their conduct. For His disciples today the same is true – His Word should be learned and followed as our rule of conduct. Lastly, “fully trained” in the same verse is from the Greek word “Katartizo” meaning to prepare and repair. To adjust with great wisdom and propriety, to perfect, finish and complete; to reunite in mind and sentiment, reconcile, as opposed to having schisms and ruptures. Isn’t that great? Wouldn’t that be a great goal for us all to have? I don’t know about you, but I would like to be adjusted with Great Wisdom! May we all desire to be like Ezra whose blessed life was dependant on this key: He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him. 10 For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel. Ezra 7:9-10 (NIV)