Search the Scriptures

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” John 5:39

Jesus had healed a man on the Sabbath day, and the leaders of the Jews were accusing Him of breaking the Old Testament law. Jesus answered them that His Father worked on that day, so it would naturally follow that He would work as well. The religious leaders became very angry because they understood this to mean that Jesus was making Himself equal with God. Jesus pointed them to the testimony of John the Baptist (who they did not like), the miracles that He had performed (many of which they were offended by because they were done on the Sabbath day), and the voice of God the Father that was heard at Jesus’ baptism (which none of them heard because they were not there when He was baptized). Then Jesus suggested that they search the scriptures. These were the Old Testament scrolls with which they prided themselves in being extremely familiar. They were the experts. Jesus was telling the people who had the greatest knowledge of scriptures that they needed to go back and start over in their search for truth. They had missed the main point; they failed to recognize the Messiah.

The study of God’s Word is just as important today as it was in the days when Jesus was here on earth. If we really want to know about Christ, we need to become familiar with His Word. Paul wrote to Timothy, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15).