by Warren Berkley<\/p>\n
If you watched the classic Andy Griffith TV Show, you remember Barney, Thelma Lou, Opie, and Goober. How about Earnest T. Bass? He appeared on several episodes, always in trouble for throwing rocks or bricks. \u201cBless his heart,\u201d Andy once said, \u201che\u2019s so ignorant, all he knows to do is throw rocks.\u201d We laugh.<\/p>\n
However, while not that dramatic, we all know people who are ignorant and immature. Their only reaction to what they don\u2019t like is to throw an insult or spit out some abusive description. In acting that way, they identify themselves with a long line of \u201crock throwers.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/stones-300x247.png\")
I was teaching from John chapter eight a few days ago. As I was wrapping up the class period, I said to my class: \u201cHere is a chapter that starts and ends with rocks (see John 8:5 and John 8:59). In between, the scribes and Pharisees show their real father is not Abraham or God, but the devil. They also show they are related to Earnest T. Bass.\u201d Those in the class familiar with the Andy Griffith series loved it. But after we laugh, we can reflect.<\/p>\n
The scribes and Pharisees referred to in John chapter eight boasted of their connection to Abraham. Jesus answered, your efforts to kill me do not reflect any influence of Abraham (John 8:39). After that, they claim God as their Father. Jesus said, \u201cIf God were your Father, you would love me,<\/em>\u201d (John 8:42). Then Jesus kindled a shorter fuse when He said, \u201cYou are of your Father, the devil<\/em>\u2026,\u201d (John 8:44). Jesus went on to affirm His divine existence before Abraham was. He said, \u201cBefore Abraham was, I am.\u201d This is where they identify with Earnest T. \u201cThey picked up stones to throw at him.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Our behavior identifies us with others (good or bad). Ultimately, Christians should exhibit behavior that identifies them with God and His Son. Is God really your Father? Is there behavior to prove it?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Warren Berkley If you watched the classic Andy Griffith TV Show, you remember Barney, Thelma Lou, Opie, and Goober. How about Earnest T. Bass? He appeared on several episodes, always in trouble for throwing rocks or bricks. \u201cBless his heart,\u201d Andy once said, \u201che\u2019s so ignorant, all he knows to do is throw rocks.\u201d…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[794,719],"class_list":["post-12713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-criticism","tag-hatred"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":37776,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/there-seem-to-be-reasons-to-believe-the-earth-is-older-than-6000-years\/","url_meta":{"origin":12713,"position":0},"title":"There seem to be reasons to believe the earth is older than 6,000 years","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 9, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have been considering the question of the age of the Earth and universe for many years. For a long time, I believe the Earth was only a few thousand years old based on the Bible. However, I have come to consider many other factors that don't seem to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":87599,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-would-god-have-moses-strike-the-rock-one-time-and-not-the-next\/","url_meta":{"origin":12713,"position":1},"title":"Why would God have Moses strike the rock one time and not the next?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 7, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Dear Brother Jeffrey, I have a question and would appreciate your insights. In Exodus 17, God commanded Moses to smite the rock for water, and then in Numbers 20, He commanded Moses to speak unto the rock for water. We know that Moses smote the rock in Exodus; he\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":86214,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/ignorant-zeal\/","url_meta":{"origin":12713,"position":2},"title":"Ignorant Zeal","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 1, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Michael Davis via\u00a0Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 4, December 31, 1990 \"For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":91639,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-bread-of-life\/","url_meta":{"origin":12713,"position":3},"title":"The Bread of Life","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 29, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Hugh DeLong The temptation to turn rocks into bread brought the response of Jesus that man is to live not by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. God's word is the bread of life that sustains the soul. Now in John\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":88934,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/strike-the-rock\/","url_meta":{"origin":12713,"position":4},"title":"Strike the Rock?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 26, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The children of Israel were desperate for water and were crying out to Moses, \"Why have you brought us out here to die of thirst?\" God told Moses to take his rod and \"strike the rock,\" and \"water will come out of it, that the people may drink\" (Exodus 17:3-6).\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/tissot-moses-strikes-the-rock-491ed5-small-229x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":82416,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/a-short-course-in-jesus-christ\/","url_meta":{"origin":12713,"position":5},"title":"A Short Course in Jesus Christ","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 24, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by David Gibson No chapter in the Bible probably includes more names and titles for Jesus than the first chapter of the Gospel of John. 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