Please pardon the backtracking in our reading, but there’s a point that I feel must be explored in relation to the Sadducees’ temptation. Please consider Today’s Holy Nougat.
Matthew 22:23, 28 CEB
[23] That same day Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Jesus…
[28] [They asked,] “At the resurrection, which of the seven brothers will be her husband? They were all married to her.”
For Argument’s Sake
I recall hearing the phrase, ‘for the sake of [an] argument…’ in my childhood. Hearing the expression, I sometimes chuckled, trying to figure out if the person had nothing else to do, and just sought to add misery to another. One wonders why someone would simply go around seeking an argument in which they weren’t truly invested. Obviously, they’d been trained by the Sadducees.
I had momentarily missed that significant phrase Matthew added. Matthew said, Sadducees… deny that there is a resurrection… This tells us that they were trying to aggravate Y’shua Jesus. I suspect that if it had been me, they would have succeeded, even temporarily. At the end of hard work, an argument isn’t really what I want. Nevertheless, if someone is [trying to be] annoying, it is likely that the argument would begin.
Self-Check
How readily do we jump in the fray when someone seeks an argument with us? Can we discern when there’s more going on than what is said?
Application
If the Sadducees did not believe in resurrection, their very long question was superfluous. But it indicated how serious they were about proving Y’shua Jesus was a charlatan. Their question perhaps pointed to genuine concerns about Levirate marriages but was really directed at life in the resurrection. It sounds like it was more about ‘for argument’s sake’, given their stance on the resurrection.
When someone seeks to ‘draw us out’, it is critical that we’re able to see that they’re arguing for argument’s sake. Unfortunately, as previously stated, I’ve sometimes allowed myself to be taken way down the path before realizing that I was being played (manipulated). Sometimes, I discerned the deeper motive, but I’ve also gotten so caught up in proving my point that I missed The Point: I was being tempted.
Remember, if the enemy of our souls was willing to harass Jesus so frequently, we are not exempted from being tempted.
Not in the least.
Opting to get embroiled in an argument for the sake of arguing says something about our emotional intelligence and spiritual maturity. (Ouch) If we’re not careful, it destroys our witness, or worse, distracts us from God’s greater purpose for us in that season.
Again, we see an invitation for us to remain focused on God and God’s plans for us. Otherwise, like Peter did when he realized that he’d denied Christ thrice, we need to repent. Despite the embarrassment, there’s no substitute – repentance gets us back in God’s good graces.
Point to Ponder
Have we succumbed to someone’s ‘for argument’s sake’ recently? Let’s repent as we focus on God’s priorities.
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May all we seek be found in Christ
