EXCEPTIONS
16th September 2019
READ: Matthew 22:23-31
“Jesus answered and said unto them, ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.” – Matthew 22:29
You must have heard, “There is an exception to every rule”. Whether this is true or not, Jesus introduced numerous scriptural exceptions to well-accepted principles.
A failure to understand these exceptions led the Pharisees into terrible error. A lack of knowledge of the whole Scripture made them so right that they became wrong.
Once, the Pharisees accused Jesus of spending a lot of time fellowship-ping with sinners (Luke 5:29-30). The Pharisees were not comfortable with a religious leader who was so at ease in the midst of well known criminals. Once again this is a well-accepted divine principle; “bad company ruins good morals”.
Jesus knew that principle but He knew a little more. He knew the biblical exception and He told them, “They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance,” (Luke 5:31-32).
Almost every biblical rule has biblical exceptions, variations and timing. When you walk with God, you will need to know not only the biblical principles but also the biblical exceptions and variations to the rules. Otherwise you will become a New Testament Pharisee.
Error sets in when we know the Scripture without the power or the power without the Scriptures. Both are needed to keep us on the path of righteousness.