You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
– John 5:39-40
Jesus spoke these words to a group of religious leaders who had spent their lives studying the Scriptures. They knew the texts inside and out. But somehow, they missed the main point. They believed that eternal life came from mastering the Scriptures themselves, completely missing the fact that the Scriptures were meant to lead them to the One who gives life. Jesus wasn’t condemning their study of Scripture, but their failure to see that it was always pointing to Him.
This is a sobering reminder that it’s possible to know the Bible well, and still miss Jesus. We can treat Bible reading like a checklist or an intellectual pursuit, forgetting that the goal is to encounter the living Christ. The Scriptures are not an end in themselves—they are a testimony. Their purpose is not just to inform, but to invite us into relationship with the Son of God. Jesus is not hidden behind the text; He stands in the centre of it, waiting for us to come to Him and live.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I don’t want to miss You in my study of Your Word. Help me to read the Scriptures with a heart that seeks You. Lead me from the written words to the Living Word, and give me life in Your name. Amen.