And, behold a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted Him saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Luke 10:25
In the Israel of Jesus’ day, a lawyer was one who devoted himself to the study of the Law of Moses. This lawyer meant to test Christ’s knowledge of the law, eternal life is man’s greatest interest. No more tremendous question could be asked than that of this verse.
In his reply the Lord immediately points to the bible as an infallible authority. In the lawyer’s answer, which incidentally was correct, is revealed a clear knowledge of God and of truth, which men in Israel possessed at that time, or at least could possess, if they desired. It was knowledge immeasurably advanced than other parts of the world.
Greece, with its pagan poets and philosophers claimed great knowledge; they had, however, no knowledge of the things that really counted. Sadly, the lawyer though he answered correctly did not evidence faith correctly because he was self- righteous. He was determined to win heaven by religious self-efforts.
Charles Spurgeon was criticized at a point in his ministry for not speaking enough about science. His answer to the accusation was revealing. When he took the pulpit on the Sunday morning in question, he laid his Bible on the podium and then said: “There is a woman in this audience who recently lost a child. To know where that child presently is, she cannot go to science, she must go to the Bible.” The great preacher was in essence saying that the answers that really matter are found only in the word of God. No person truly can be said to be educated no matter how many university degrees they might hold, unless they are properly educated in the word of God. Jesus said, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. In the Christian life, the daily study of the word of God must have first place. All other duties, must give way to it.