January 22

Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. - Matthew 22:29.

IT is a sad thing that many persons, from whom better things might be expected, are so shamefully ignorant of the Scriptures. In consequence of not understanding them they are so liable to err-so liable to be led away with the error of the wicked, and carried away by every wind of doctrine, so as frequently not to know the way wherein they should walk, or the things they should do. It was of these errors arising from a deficiency of scriptural knowledge for which our Lord thus rebuked his own disciples. “Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures.”

And, if the word of Christ dwell in some, it is not “richly and in all wisdom.” There may be an abundance of Scripture truths laid up in the memory, but there may not be the wisdom to apply it.

The apostle complains of some as not being “skilful in the word of life, for they are babes.” “For when for the time,” says he, “ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.” There are but few who do justice to the Scriptures in this respect. They are

“A broad land of wealth unknown,

“Where hidden glory lies;”

for, as David says, “they are exceeding broad.”

“The cross, the manger, and the throne,

Are big with blessings yet unknown.”

Let us seek to be better acquainted with them. “Search the Scriptures,” says our Saviour, “for they are they which testify of me.” Instead of imagining that we are very proficient in divine knowledge, let us pray with the apostle that we “may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height,” and “to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge.” But we are reminded that the duty of practising what the Scriptures teach and enjoin is not less than that of acquiring a knowledge of them.

We read of “obeying the truth,” and of “walking in the truth.” We can never regard the Scriptures properly until we find them to be “a light unto our feet, and a lamp unto our path.” Every thing in the Scriptures has a practical aim and tendency. Its doctrines are “according to godliness;” its “exceeding great and precious promises” are given us, “that by these we might be partakers ‘of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption of the world through lusts.” And “he that hath this hope purifieth himself even as he is pure.” Hume, the infidel, sneeringly said, “The Bible was given to keep the poor in order.” If believed and acted upon, its truths will keep us all in order. It says as much to the rich as to the poor-as much to the master as it does to the servant-to the husband as it does to the wife, and as much to professors as to those who have the form of godliness without the power.

We are servants: it is not for servants to dictate, but to obey. We are patients: it is not for patients to prescribe, but to submit. We are criminals offending: and it is the prerogative of the Sovereign offended to choose the way in which his mercy shall be exercised, or whether he shall exercise mercy at all. With regard to the mind and will of God concerning us, as revealed in the Scriptures, our only inquiry therefore should be, What may we hope to receive from God? and our prayer, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”