Jaw Dropping Teaching
Jesus' astonishing teaching and what it can (but does not have to) do to us.
Again today, I ran across the phrase, “astonished by his teaching” (Mark 11:18). This is no insignificant phrase and it is not specific to a single time in Jesus’ life. It happened a lot, it seems. Every time this Teacher opened his mouth, people were dumbfounded by the amazing truths being revealed or sometimes by the confounding statements being exhorted.
Consider some of the times such statements are being made about Jesus’ teaching:
Matthew 7:28 - The crowds were “astonished at his teaching” at the end of the Sermon on the Mount. The next verse tells the reader this is because Jesus taught with authority and not like one of the scribes the crowd was used to hearing. Just think of all the times in the sermon Jesus said, “You have heard it said…but I say to you…” (5:21, 27, 33, 38, 43). Jesus wasn’t taking his authority from some recognized scribe or rabbi of his day. He spoke with conviction, knowing exactly what the Scriptures meant. His words carried authority and the people recognized it.
Matthew 22:33 - The crowds were “astonished at his teaching” when he put the Sadducees in their place as they tried to test him with what had to be a favorite question used to taunt their Pharisee counterparts. The Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection from death for anyone. Their question was designed to point out how ridiculous resurrection sounds. But Jesus doesn’t even entertain their premise regarding marriage in the afterlife. He dismisses the issue by telling the Sadducees they misunderstood the Scriptures and God’s power completely (22:29). He decimates their faulty “no-resurrection assumption” by saying that God’s introduction of himself to Moses from the burning bush is enough to show how weak the argument of the Sadducees really is. God said, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” He didn’t say “I was…,” like someone would if those people were dead. He said “I am…,” showing that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob must still be alive. Jesus made fools of the Sadducees with reference to tense! He is making a subliminal statement that even the tense of the verbs in Scripture matters. Talk about a firm belief in inspiration.
Mark 11:18 - Again, the crowd is “astonished by Jesus’ teaching.” More telling though is the reaction of those who are now afraid because of that astonishment. The powers that be (i.e., the religious leaders, in this case) are afraid of the crowd’s response. As they grow in astonishment of his teaching they also grow in devotion to him and in a desire to hear more. This leads those in seats of power to feel insecure, sensing their inability to control the people.
The teaching did then what it still does today. Even now, the closer people come to Jesus and hear him, the more their hearts become bound to him, utterly transformed and tied to him and his ways. Sitting at his feet and listening to his teaching necessarily changes a person. It causes a heart to be united with his—the Teacher who reaches into our very souls and makes sense of life, explaining the mysteries of the heart. No longer are we beholden to the authorities of the world to give us understanding or provide answers. And that is something those authorities are not happy about.
Mark 6:2 - In his hometown of Nazareth the crowd was again astonished, saying, “What is this wisdom that has been given to him…?” This astonishment does not, however, lead the home crowd to a place of contented learning at the feet of the Messiah who grew up among them. Quite the contrary. In their familiarity with Jesus and his family, the neighbors of his youth find all the reason they need to reject his claim to leadership outright. “After all,” they surmise, “we know this young man and his whole family. They aren’t all that.” Astonishment at his wise teaching, then, is not enough to bind one’s heart to him inextricably. A big dose of the skepticism from the world can tear one away from such astonishing wisdom.
The astonishing teaching of Jesus is enough to change hearts forever, softening and molding into a shape that perfectly fits and submits to the Father’s use. But it can be rejected, which can, in turn, lead to the hardening of a heart that hears that same teaching. Being astonished at the Savior’s teaching is never enough. The follow through of acceptance and faithful obedience is likewise required.