Mark 12 … Consider Him Who Is Truthful

Originally posted: 07/10/2019

Then they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Him in order to trap Him in a statement. ¹⁴ They came and said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth,” (12:13-14).

The religious leaders came with one intention, to trap Him. And although their motive was deceptive, their words spoken were truth. After all, if the LORD can open the mouth of a donkey to speak (Numbers 22:28), He can certainly open the mouths of stubborn, stiff-necked humans.

And whether or not they believed mattered not at all. In their futile attempt to ambush the Holy Son of David, they spoke the undeniable reality: He Is Truthful.

Consider Him Who Is Truthful

• He Is Truthful: He defers to no one and is not partial to any.
  • They came and said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth,” (12:14).

• He Is Truthful: He is a man of integrity and is not swayed by others, paying no attention to status.
  • They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth,” (12:14 NIV).

• He Is Truthful: He is honest and impartial, and does not play favorites.
  • “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. You teach the way of God truthfully,” (12:14 NLT).

• He Is Truthful: He is true and will not cave to human opinion or be swayed by appearances.
  • And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God,” (12:14 ESV).

• He Is Truthful: He teaches the way of God in truth.
  • “…but teach the way of God in truth” (NASB); “but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth,” (NIV); “You teach the way of God truthfully,” (NLT); “but truly teach the way of God,” (ESV).
    

How do we respond to Him Who Is Truthful?

• It matters not at all whether people believe: Truth is truth and Truth is a Person.
  • Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me,” (John 14:6).

• It matters not at all people’s opinions, whether they agree or not: Truth is truth, and He Who Is Truthful teaches the way of God in truth.
  • “Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit,” (John 3:7-8).

• It matters not at all about status or appearances: all are on equal footing before Him Who Is Truthful and impartial.
  • for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23).

• It matters not at all if people believe they will somehow be able to escape judgment: each of us will give an account to Him Who Is Truthful and plays no favorites.
  • So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God, (Romans 14:12).
    

• What does matter is this: will we believe Him Who Is Truthful?
  • Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God,” (John 3:3).

• • What must we do so that we would be born again? We must believe in Him Who Is Truthful.
    • “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” …³¹ They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved,…” (Acts 16:30-31).
    • that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; ¹⁰ for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation, (Romans 10:9-10).

• • When we confess and believe in Him Who Is Truthful, we can trust that He will sanctify and set us apart as we seek Him in His Word.
    • “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth,” (John 17:17).

Oh, let us root ourselves in Him and build our lives on Him, that we would be strengthened in our faith and overflow with thankfulness for Him Who Is Truthful.

Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness, (Colossians 2:7 NLT).

Let’s overflow with thankfulness and Grow Together!