NOT WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT

The Bible contains many fascinating examples of human responses that are not what you would expect. There is a magnificent realism in the way human interactions are recorded. Good literature never portrays men and women as one-dimensional cardboard cut-outs but uses their actions and words to reveal interesting psychological layers.

The Bible, by this criteria, is great literature. But, in the Bible, psychological realism is not a literary device. Things are written the way they are because they happened that way, and because the Holy Spirit inspired the writing of them.

In 2 Samuel 13, we read the story of King David’s son Amnon, who loved his half sister Tamar and contrived to rape her. When the act was over, his reaction is not what you would expect. Verse 15 says that, after having raped her, he hated her more than he had ever loved her. Psychologists and experienced counselors can explain this but the Bible simply records it.

When Jesus performed amazing miracles, such as healing a man’s withered hand in a synagogue (Mark 3:1-5), the very next verse reports that “the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him. “ Not what you would expect, unless of course you factored in the callousness of sin and the hardness of human hearts.

In the country of the Gadarenes (Mark 5) Jesus set a man free from a whole legion of demons. Based on reactions recorded elsewhere in the Gospels, you would expect the people of the region to respond by bringing all their sick and demon-oppressed friends and relatives to Jesus. But no. They literally begged Him to leave their region. Why? We could speculate as to why this community reacted the way it did. All we are told is that they were afraid.

I could easily provide countless other biblical examples of human responses that are not what you would expect.

The point is that human nature is accurately and incisively portrayed in Scripture. And no wonder. Hebrews 4:12,13 tells us that “…the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

God thoroughly understands all the sinful responses of humanity. And because He understands, He has provided a Saviour, Jesus Christ our Lord.