In His Word, God has revealed to us vast treasures of knowledge. But there are areas where we seem to prefer to remain ignorant. We will consider five aspects of this ignorance by people of different origins. All of such are spoken of in the New Testament.
First, in Matthew 22.29 we read of the deliberate ignorance on the part of the Sadducees touching the resurrection. Then, in Matthew 24.42 the events of the last days will come at an unknown and unexpected moment. In Luke 19.44 we read that Jerusalem will be destroyed because the city did not know the time of its visitation. In John 4.1-27, when speaking to the Samaritan woman, the Lord tells her that the Samaritans did not know whom they worshipped (v.22). Finally, in Acts 17.22-31 Paul tells the men of Athens that they knew nothing of the true God.
The ignorance of the Sadducees concerning the resurrection (Mt 22.23-33)
Amongst the different religious movements at the time, the Sadducees were taken up with philosophy and did not believe in the resurrection. In this chapter, their question, giving a hypothetical situation, revealed their attitude in this respect: Paul underlines the weakness of this doctrine when he writes: "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable (or, to be pitied)" (1 Cor 15.19).
The Sadducees believed that all ends with death, therefore (they said) there could be no resurrection, no judgment, and no future. Despite that, instead of living for pleasure as many in the world do, they practised a religion, which, whilst not as strict as that of the Pharisees, nevertheless abounded with many obligations and limits. They rejected the truth of Hebrews: "…it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Heb 9.27).
The ignorance of men touching the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ (Mt 24.42)
Many have sought to determine the date of the Lord's return. His disciples asked Him: "Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" (Mt 24.3). This subject has engendered many speculations and theories. Dates have been proposed concerning His return, the judgments of the Great Tribulation, and even the destruction of the earth. The Lord warns not to pay attention to signs or dates when He said, "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come", and, "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh" (Mt 24.42,44).
The fearful retribution predicted by the Lord because of Jerusalem's ignorance of the time of its visitation (Lk 19.44)
Jerusalem was not as rich as Egypt, nor as old as Babylon, nor as powerful as Rome, but despite that it is mentioned over 800 times in the Scriptures. The praise of Jerusalem is expressed in: "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God is known in her palaces for a refuge" (Ps 48.1-3).
The feature that distinguished this city from every other city in the world was the fact that God had chosen Jerusalem as the place where He would cause His Name to dwell. With its privileges came serious responsibilities and, when the city chose to tolerate idolatry, the judgment of God fell upon it for its deliberate ignorance of the time of its visitation.
The ignorance of the Samaritans of the true nature of worship given by revelation to Israel (Jn 4.22)
Who were the Samaritans? They were Jews, who, by reason of marriages with women of the nations, were rejected by the other Jews. They occupied the province of Samaria, in the north of Judea - hence their name. They followed the Law but had incorporated into their worship different aspects of pagan traditions, particularly in the question of several places of worship such as Gerizim (Deut 11.29). In speaking to the Samaritan woman, the Lord underlines the fact that the attitude of the worshipper was more important than the place where he worshipped.
The ignorance of the men of Athens of the only object of reverence allowed by God (Acts 17.23)
When the Apostle Paul was at Athens, he saw the great number of altars dedicated to ungodly "divinities" including one for the "UNKNOWN GOD". The Athenians were afraid of offending an important "god" not known to them. Paul seized on this as an opportunity to speak to them of the only true God. He avoided the favourite subject of the men of Athens - philosophy - but rather called on them to repent because of the coming judgment by the risen Christ. The chapter closes revealing the dissention amongst them, some rejecting the apostle's words, others desiring to hear more on the matter, and others that believed.
Concluded.
