And no man was able to answer Him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask Him any more questions. Matthew 22:46
The great British statesman Sir Winston Churchill was noted for his famous speeches, including some quotes that remain famous many years after he spoke them. His oratory is credited with keeping the morale of the British people high during the threat from Nazi Germany during the second world war. But Churchill was noted also for some of his short speeches, some of his quick retorts to barbs that the opposition MPs would fling his way in Parliament. Churchill usually got the better of those verbal jousts, usually embarrassing his opponent in the process. But even Churchill was not as skillful a debater as the Lord Jesus, as our text affirms.
They tried. The best debaters, the most learned lawyers, the smartest of the religious leaders of the day threw their best efforts at the Lord Jesus, and they failed. Every time, He was able to turn the tables on them as they would try to trick Him. In every case, they were the ones who came off looking like they were ignorant and uninformed. He had an answer to their every question and his replies uncovered their hypocrisy and their lack of understanding of the Scriptures that they professed to know. The weapon that the Lord Jesus used so skillfully in His verbal battles with the Jewish leaders was the Word of God. He quoted and explained portions that the so-called experts should have known but didn’t understand. The way in which the Lord Jesus used Scripture effectively is a lesson for us, as we face opponents who would mock and criticize our faith.
This is, of course, not the first time the Lord Jesus makes effective use of Scripture. For example, His responses to the temptation of the devil were all Old Testament verses. This should be our approach as well. This can create a problem if we don’t know the Scriptures. The Lord Jesus did not have that problem; He was the Author of the Word of God, so His knowledge of it was perfect. We will never know the Word as He did. But that’s no excuse for not using the Word of God that we do know. And we ought to be learning more and more of the Word of God every day. Our daily devotions should provide us with exposure to the Scriptures as we read and meditate on it. Our regular attendance at – and preparation for – the Assembly’s Bible readings will build up a valuable knowledge base of Scripture. Conferences, ministry meetings, commentaries, and other books are all part of the learning process. And as we learn more and more of the Word of God, we will find ourselves more skilled at applying the Word to our daily lives.
No skill is so valuable to the child of God as the ability to use the Word of God as the Spirit of God directs. -Jim MacIntosh