“Knowing The Scriptures And The Power Of God!”

“Knowing The Scriptures And The Power Of God!”(Mt.22:23-33)[27/11/24].
When I was a teenager there was a man at Njenka called Korokoro. He used to move up and down the street acting like a fool. The story that circulated about him was that he was a Bamoum. They said he was the fiftieth in line of those who had to be buried alive to accompany a dead Sultan of Foumban. This man succeeded to escape and found his way to Bali. His behavior like a fool was to put off his kinsmen coming after him. The idea of burying fifty people with a late sacral ruler was the belief that sacral rulers do not die. They just transit to the next world where they continue to rule; reason why they had to bury all these persons alive so that they would continue to serve him in that other world. (This story has not been verified to establish its authenticity).
It is the belief of most African peoples that life exist beyond this present life. Some believe that the world beyond is the same place of origin where people return to after death. They return there to be reincarnated.
During the time of Jesus there existed two main religious groups in Judaism viz: Pharisees and Saduccees. There was also the prestigious, reserved, nonevangelistic group called “Sons of Light” – Essenes. Some people think that Jesus was one of them because like them, he did not marry and he claimed to be the Light as in the teaching of the Essenes.
For the sake of brevity let us limit today’s reflection on the difference between the two major groups of Pharisees and Saduccees. Members of the Sanhedrin – the Jewish Highest court and Council – and the teachers of the law were from these two groups. They were teaching about how to get to heaven but their doctrines were diametrically opposed to each other.
The Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead and in angels, but the Saduccees did not. These differences in religious beliefs by two major groups purportedly showing people the route to the same God is a telling warning for us not to believe in the doctrines of men!
In one day both groups came to test Jesus from different faith perspectives. That Pharisees enlisted the friendship of the Herodians to come find out from Jesus if it was right for Jews to pay tax to Ceasar?
When they left, the Saduccees came to test Jesus on levirate marriage. They sought to know that if truly there is a resurrection, then at the resurrection who will be the legal husband of the woman who by levirate tradition God married serially to seven brothers?
And this was Jesus’ answer to them and us: “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead – have you not read what God said to you, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”
Few points to note: There is a resurrection and God is a God of the living. End with your materialism here on earth; such does not exist in heaven. Last and most important: Know the Scriptures so as to be informed and know the power of God which makes all things possible lol
Prayer: Holy Spirit prompt us daily to study the word of God and to know the power of God. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.