Once I was blind, but now I see

 

Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him."  --John 9:3

Some animals get a bad rap.  Take the badger as an example.  Badgers are small, furry carnivores native to the northern United States.  The state in which I now reside is known as the Badger State.  The University of Wisconsin has the badger as their mascot.

Somewhere around the 16th century the term "badgering" was coined.  Badgering is believed to be inspired by the behavior of this harmless furry creature, known for its persistent digging.  The term "badgering" evolved from an earlier meaning related to trading and haggling, eventually taking on connotations of annoyance.

If you have ever seen a courtroom drama on television or in movies, you may be familiar with a certain phrase:  "Objection!  Badgering the witness."  I think of this phrase every time I read the ninth chapter of the Gospel of John.

One of the pitfalls of doing a verse-by-verse Bible study is that sometimes you lose context.  When you break down Scripture into tiny segments to glean nuggets of wisdom, you sometimes overlook the big picture.  You may even miss the point entirely.

With that in mind, today I am going to break out of my usual routine.  I like digging into Scripture.  But if you keep digging incessantly and miss what God is saying, it can be annoying.  So let's take a broader view, shall we?

With the exception of a mis-placed passage about a woman caught in adultery, John chapter 7 and 8 are all about Jesus being on trial.  No, it's not set in a formal courtroom, but rather on the Temple steps.  The Pharisees and Jewish lawyers keep interrogating Jesus while He is trying to teach openly.  They keep badgering Him about who He is, where He came from, and what He is doing.  

Their main objection is not His healing people, but rather His desecration of the Sabbath.  The Scriptures command that the Sabbath should be a day of rest.  No work should be done on this day.  There are many writings in Jewish literature documenting debate on the definition of the word "work" for purposes of keeping the Sabbath.  "Keep the Sabbath holy" was the fourth commandment.  The Mosaic law went on to say anyone who goes out and gathers from his field or works the ground on that day should be cut off from His people, and even stoned to death.

Scripture gives us seven miracles that Jesus performed specifically on the Sabbath:

1. Withered hand--Matthew 12:9
2. Demoniac at Capernaum--Marck 1:21
3. Simon's mother-in-law--Mark 1:29
4. Woman bowed down 18 years--Luke 13:14
5. Man with dropsy--Luke 14:1
6. Paralytic at Bethesda--John 5:10
7. Man born blind--John 9:6-7

These acts were considered so dangerous that the Pharisees truly believed that Jesus must be stopped.  In fact, at the end of John chapter 8 they took up stones to kill Him, but He walked away.

It is in this context that, when the followers of Jesus come upon a man begging near the steps of the Temple, they start asking questions.  The poor blind beggar probably was calling out, "Please help me.  I was born blind.  I've never been able to work, to support myself.  Can you please give me a little money?"  This is most likely how they knew that the man had been born blind; because he told them.

So the disciples are asking Jesus about the blindness, which to them was obviously a result of sin.  In verse 2, they ask Jesus, "Who sinned, this man or his parents?"  Jesus answered in verse 3, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him."  In other words, this man was born blind so that Jesus could make a point right here in front of the Temple on a Sabbath.

Remember the passage in Ruth, where she was worried about some testimony she had to bring before the king?  She was told, "Perhaps you were born for such a time as this."  I believe this poor blind man was there that day to become a witness for Jesus.  As we will see in the coming verses, testifying for Jesus was not all sunshine and roses.  Sometimes following our calling will require us getting outside our comfort zone.  Instead of Jesus gently calling, He sometimes has a message of, "Buckle up--it's going to get bumpy up ahead!"

Jesus heals the man by spitting on the ground and making mud, then applying the wet dirt to the man's eyes.  Some commentaries say that in ancient times, they believed that applying spit (especially saliva from a righteous man) had medicinal purposes.  Anyway, Jesus asks the man to go wash the mud off at the pool of Siloam.

When the man does this, he can see.  So instead of going back to begging in front of the Temple, the man goes home.  Verses 8 and 9 say that the neighbors saw him and started talking.  "Is this the same guy that was born blind, the one who sits by the road and begs?" They were perplexed.  "Sure looks like him."  This is the first opportunity that the man has to testify to what Jesus did for him.

When he tells his neighbors about Jesus, they want to see Jesus, too.  They ask him where Jesus is.  He answers truthfully.  "I don't know."  So the next day they take him to the Temple, where he last saw Jesus.  The Pharisees were sitting in session at the Temple gate, and they took note of him.  They probably recognized him as one who had been begging for alms, and now he can clearly see.  They question him.  Was he lying all this time to get sympathy, to prey upon people's sympathy?  What caused the change in his life?

This is the second time the man gets to testify about what Jesus did for him.  As soon as the Pharisees hear the name Jesus, they warn the man: this Jesus is a bad guy.  There is some discussion--how bad could Jesus be if He was able and willing to make a blind man see?  The Pharisees then ask the man what he thinks of Jesus, since He had opened the man's eyes.  The man identifies Jesus as a Prophet.

The Pharisees launch an investigation as to whether this man was truly born blind.  They get his parents and interrogate them.

"Is this your son?"

"Yes, he is our son."

"Was he born blind?"

"Yes, he was born blind."

"Well, then, how is it that he now clearly can see?"

"We don't know.  Ask him, he is of legal age."

The parents didn't want to be expelled from the synagogue.  They had heard that anyone who spoke in favor of this Jesus would not be welcome to worship there anymore.  They were afraid.  Fortunately, their son had more confidence.  He was willing to speak truth to power, and even give them a little lip, a little sass.

He was called back before the Pharisees and was told, "Give glory to God."  This was basically telling him to swear to the truth, even if it resulted in his death.  You can find this same phrase in Joshua 7:19 when Achan had disobeyed God's direct command and had kept some spoils of war.  Joshua adjured him to "give glory to the God of Israel and confess what you have done."  In Achan's case, that confession would mean the death penalty.  In the blind man's case here in John 9, it would mean his excommunication from the Jewish synagogue.

The Pharisees let him know what they thought of Jesus.  He was a sinner, in that He didn't honor the Sabbath.  The man gave this memorable answer:  "Whether He is a sinner or not, I do not know.  One thing I do know--I once was blind, but now I see."

He told the truth.  His testimony is sung about in churches even today.

The religious leaders pressed him.  Think about what you are saying, they seemed to warn him.  What exactly did He do for you?  The man answered, "I told you once already, and you didn't listen.  Why do you want me to tell you again?  Do you want to be His disciple, too?"

After some harrumphs and well-I-never's, they cast him out of the synagogue.  He was cut off from his family, his community, and his former faith.  All because he told the truth.

In John chapter 8, amidst the same harassment and accusations from these same Pharisees, Jesus said to those who did believe in Him, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free."  For the man born blind, he was free now to exercise his new-found faith.  This idea was scary to his family, who had held their opinions of Jesus to themselves for fear of being ostracized.

Sharing your faith may come with consequences.  You may be expelled from school or lose your job because of your testimony.  In some countries today you could be jailed (or worse) for testifying to the truth.  God calls us to speak the truth anyway, no matter the cost.

At the end of John chapter 9 Jesus finds the man, and gives him some encouragement.  He says the man who was born blind can see the truth of Christ clearly, but those who reject Him are in fact blind.  The Pharisees asked stupidly, "Are You talking to us?  Are You saying we're blind?"

Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin."  After all that they had seen, however, they were compelled to believe in Him.  If they did not believe, then they were stuck in their sinful ways.

Following Christ may come with a cost.  

We should testify of all He has done for us, whatever the cost may be.

Evidence that demands a verdict

For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.  --1 Thessalonians 2:13

Mahatma Gandhi once said, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians.  Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."  He also wrote, "You Christians look after a document [Bible] containing enough dynamite to blow all civilization to pieces, turn the world upside down and bring peace to a battle-torn planet.  But you treat it as if it is nothing more than a piece of literature."

The Bible is powerful when applied correctly, but powerless when ignored or misapplied.  When we see that the entire Bible points to Christ and His supremacy, then God can affect a change in our hearts, and we can affect change in our world.  Rejecting Christ means rejecting the word of God.  Rejecting the word of God makes you an enemy of God, like those Jews who confronted Jesus in John chapter 8.

We have seen in the first half of this passage the Jewish leaders confronting Jesus and questioning His authority.  Jesus made some bold claims, and some believed.  Those who did not believe turned a spirited debate into a life-and-death struggle with the Savior.

Let's take up our reading in verse 28:

Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift us the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.  And He who sent Me is with Me.  The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him."  As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.  --John 8:28-30

If you looked at an inter-linear Bible, you will see that Jesus did not say, "I am He."  Bible translators and editors changed it so that it would make more sense grammatically.  What Jesus actually said was, "I am." 

Now any self-respecting Jew would know that I AM refers to Exodus 3:14, where God told Moses, "I AM that I AM; tell [the people of Israel] that I AM has sent you."  If they were having a light theological discussion up to now, at this point it became serious.  Jesus was actually identifying Himself with God, not as a mere follower or disciple of God, but as the Son of God.  

When Jesus self-identified as "Son of Man", He was referencing the prophet Ezekiel.  Jewish leaders knew that the book of Ezekiel explores such profound themes as the glory of God, judgment and restoration, divine sovereignty, and the consequences of disobedience.  "Son of Man" is a name that God Himself gave to the prophet Ezekiel, and it was a name that Jesus gave to Himself.

When Jesus referred to God as His Father, He was claiming not only a relationship with God, but that He was equal to God, having the same authority as God and exhibiting the same power as God.  This is why we will see later in our passage that the Jews questioned His lineage, calling Him an illegitimate son and a Samaritan.

So the crowd was divided.  On the one hand were people who believed in Him: believed that He was the Son of God, the Messiah.  On the other hand were people who believed that He was a liar and a blasphemer.  Jesus addresses each group in turn.

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."  --John 8:31-32

Jesus wants to encourage believers to seek the truth.  In John 14:6 Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me."  Jesus wanted His true disciples to listen to His words and put them into practice.  In short, He wanted them to live as He lived.

His detractors in the crowd challenged Him in a crazy way.  "They answered Him, 'We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone.  How can You say, "You will be made free'?" (John 8:33).  You can tell that the Jewish leaders are getting desperate now, because their argument does not hold water.  Weren't the Jews slaves in Egypt?  Weren't they carried off into exile in Babylon?  Weren't they even now forced subjects of the Roman Empire?  How can they say, "we've never been in bondage to anyone"?

Jesus overlooks their historical inaccuracy and makes a different point.

Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.  And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.  Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.  I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.  I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father."  They said to Him, "Abraham is our father."  Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham.  But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God.  Abraham did not do this.  You do the deeds of your father." --John 8:34-41

Jesus calls them slaves to sin, and sons of the devil.  Over their objection that they are not subject to any master, Jesus rightly points out that their master is sin.  NT Wright in his commentary John For Everyone, writes, "When people rebel against God in whatever way, new fields of force are called into being, a cumulative effect builds up, and individuals and societies alike become enslaved just as surely as if every single one of them wore chains and was hounded to work every day by a strong man with a whip."

They claimed to be children of Abraham, who was a faithful follower of God.  Jesus was sent by God, and they did not listen to Him.  Therefore their Abrahamic lineage counted for nothing if they did not do the work of God.  Jesus was doing the works of His Father, and He was faithful.  The Jews could not impeach His character, so they resorted to calling Him names.

Then they said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father--God."  Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.  Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.  You are from your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.  He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand for truth, because there is no truth in him.  When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.  Which of you convicts Me of sin?  And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?  He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.  --John 8:41-47

It has been said that when logic fails, an argument turns into name-calling.  They knew that Jesus claimed to be born of a virgin, and that Joseph was not His father, so the Jews reverted to name-calling.  "We were not born of fornication," they said, implying that Jesus's mother had been unfaithful.  Then they claimed that they were the true children of God.  Jesus overlooks the personal dig and exposes their lying. Satan is the father of lies, so their lying reveals their ancestry.  Satan is a murderer, so their plotting to murder Him is further evidence of their lineage and allegiance.

Then the Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?"  Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.  And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges.  Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death." --John 8:48-51

Continuing their name-calling, they threw a racial epithet at Jesus.  Jews hated Samaritans because they descended from unfaithful Jews who had inter-married with Gentiles during the Assyrian occupation in 721 BC.  Calling Jesus a Samaritan was another dig at His paternity, as there was a rumor that His mother Mary had been impregnated by a Roman soldier.  Jesus again ignores this dig and goes to the other accusation, that He was demon possessed.  

As proof that He was not possessed by a demon, Jesus points out that His whole life had been spent honoring God.  Demons do not honor God; they engage in self-promotion.  Jesus says He does not seek His own glory, as demons would.  Then He makes a bold claim: anyone who keeps His words will not face death.  Note that He is not saying that His followers will never die.  Of course we know that all mortal men die.  It is the spirit that lives on beyond death.  Followers of Jesus will not face the second death called Hell.  Further, we will not fear death, as it is not our final destination.

Then the Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon!  Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.'  Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead?  And the prophets are dead.  Who do You make Yourself out to be?"  Jesus answered, "If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing.  It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God.  Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him.  And if I say, 'I do not know Him,' I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.  Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad."  --John 8:52-56

Jesus made a bold claim of immortality, something that most orthodox Jews believed in.  However, the Jews twisted His words.  Did you see it?  Jesus said His followers would not "see" death--they would not face it with dread.  The original Greek word has a meaning of pondering it or mulling it over.  The Jews thought He had said they would never "taste" death--never experience it.  The Greek word used here literally means partake of or enjoy.

They again invoke the name of Abraham, stating that he was dead.  Jesus had claimed to be a prophet, and all the prophets were dead.  Just who did Jesus think He was?

Jesus doubles down.  This Abraham you keep talking about?  He knows Me.  He foresaw My coming and rejoiced in it.  The Jews were taken aback by this statement.

Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?"  Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."  Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by." --John 8:57-59

Abraham lived about 2000 years before Jesus.  Jesus was just over 30 years old.  The Jews stated the obvious--You are young, so You could not have seen Abraham alive.  Jesus answered that He Himself was alive before Abraham was even born.  In fact, before Abraham existed, Jesus co-existed with God. The New Cambridge Bible Commentary says,

The key to 8:58 is our recognition of two forms of existence.  All mortals come into existence and die; they are created in the past and perish in the future.  But God, the Immortal One, has no beginning or ending; God is uncreated and imperishable.  God eternally "is."  And this, too, the author [John] claims for Jesus.... Here, the claim is made that Jesus's "life in Himself" extends into the past, such that, unlike Abraham, Jesus did not "come into being" but always "was" or, more accurately, always "is."

The Jews correctly ascertained that Jesus was making a claim to be God.  This was heresy, a blasphemy deserving of death.  They picked up stones to execute Him, but He walked out through the midst of them.  It was not yet His time, but He had thrown down the gauntlet.  The Jews had picked it up, choosing to believe in their traditions and not in Jesus.

They had considered the evidence and were ready to act, based on their idea of "justice."  When you consider the evidence, are you moved to act?  You can't be impartial.  Either Jesus is the Christ or He is not.  If He is not, then you want to silence Him once and for all.  If He is, then you must side with believers, who placed their trust in Him.  If you believe He existed before time, that he has the power to lay down His life and take it up again, that He has the power to save--if you believe all of that, then you must be changed, transformed into a child of God, ready to lay down your own life for Him who laid down His life for you. 

 

Jesus and the Court of Public Opinion

 

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.  --Psalm 119:105

Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a prominent American politician and sociologist, is often quoted as saying, "Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts."  We as a society often rush to judgment, deciding the guilt or innocence of a prominent person involved in a scandal, often without having heard both sides.  Canadian-American lawyer, writer, and journalist once said:

“In the Court of Public Opinion there are no rules of evidence, no burdens of proof, no cross-examinations, and no standards of admissibility. There are no questions and also no answers. Also, please be aware that in the Court of Public Opinion, choosing silence or doubt is itself a prosecutable offense…the Court of Public Opinion is what we used to call villagers with flaming torches. It has no rules, no arbiter, no mechanism at all for separating truth from lies. It allows everything into evidence and has no mechanism to separate facts about the case from the experiences and political leanings of the millions of us who are all acting as witnesses, judges, and jurors.”

In our passage today out of John chapter 8, we see that the Pharisees were attempting to try Jesus in the court of public opinion.  You will recall that in the 7th chapter of the book of John, they had sent men to arrest Jesus and bring Him back to the Sanhedrin, where He would be questioned.  They wanted to kill him, John says, so this formal "trial" in the halls of the Sanhedrin would not have been a fair trial at all.  They had made up their minds already that He was guilty of blasphemy and deserving of death.

You will also recall that the men they sent to arrest Jesus came back empty-handed.  When asked why, the men responded, "No one speaks like this Man."  John goes on to say that Jesus was in charge of His destiny, not the Pharisees.  The reason He was not arrested yet was that "His time had not come."

So the Pharisees sent men to listen to His sermons.  Imagine listening to the greatest preacher of the age, and having well respected religious leaders heckle the sermon, interrupting every point.  This is what was happening in John 7 and 8.  In chapter 7 we saw that Jesus used the occasion of the Feast, where ceremonial water was poured out on the Temple steps, to say that He was the Living Water.  In our text beginning in John 8:12, Jesus uses the occasion of lighting up the Temple to proclaim Himself the Light of the World.

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world.  He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."  The Pharisees therefore said to Him, "You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true."  Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going.  You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.  And yet if I dot judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me.  It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true.  I am One who bears witness of  Myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness of Me.  Then they said to Him, "Where is Your Father?"  Jesus answered, "You know neither Me nor My Father.  If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also."  These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no on laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.  Then Jesus said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek Me, and you will die in your sin.  Where I go you cannot come."  So the Jews said, "Will He kill Himself, because He says, 'Where I go you cannot come'?"  And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above.  You are of the world; I am not of this world.  Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."  They they said to Him, "Who are You?"  And Jesus said to them, "Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning.  I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him."  They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.  --John 8:12-27

 Jesus stood before the people and tried to preach the Gospel to them.  He used an object lesson that many of them were very familiar with.  Light was an important symbol in the Feast of Tabernacles. During the feast, many emblems and ceremonies remembered the pillar of fire that gave light to Israel during the Exodus. Now, Jesus took this important symbol and simply applied it to Himself when He said, "I am the light of the world."  Commentator David Guzik writes:

i. Barclay and several others connect the light of the world sayings with a ceremony associated with the Feast of Tabernacles known as The Illumination of the Temple. “It was the custom during the first night, if not during every night, of the feast of tabernacles, to light up two large golden chandeliers in the court of the women, the light of which illuminated all Jerusalem. All that night they held a festal dance by the light.” (Alford)

ii. This was a strong and eloquent contrast to the darkness of those opposing Jesus, those who just brought to Him the woman caught in adultery.

iii. “‘I am’ is emphatic. It is the very style of deity which we have seen employed before in this Gospel.” (Morris)

You Don't Know What You Are Talking About

The Pharisees start throwing up objections, intended to impeach the testimony of Jesus.  They start with a legal principle: in order for someone's testimony to be believed, it must be corroborated by two or more witnesses.  In our modern court system, an accused person cannot be forced to testify--the Court must prove its case against him without a confession of guilt, and most of the jury might think that the accused was lying anyway if he denied the charges.  In some cases, though, an accused man will take the stand, because he could be the only one who knows all of the facts.

In this case, Jesus does bear witness of Himself, because He is the only One who knows the end from the beginning.  He is the very Word of God, as John reminded us at the beginning of his Gospel, present with God from the beginning of time.  His words are true, but if you need a second witness, you have God the Father who can speak on His behalf.

Who's Your Daddy?

In a debate, whenever one side starts to lose on facts, they will often try to besmirch the character of their opponent.  This is called an ad hominem attack.  Since Jesus mentioned His Father, the Pharisees brought up His questionable parentage.  They all knew that Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus.  They had likely spread rumors that Jesus was the bastard child of some man, probably a Roman soldier.  

They did not believe in the virgin birth, so they used this opportunity to demand that Jesus produce His biological dad.  "Who is your father?" they asked.  "Name him.  Bring him out to us, we want to question him."

Jesus responded that they didn't know what they were talking about.  They did not know Jesus, and they certainly did not know God the Father.  There was no point in engaging them further on this topic.

Suicide Is An Unpardonable Sin

Jesus begins to speak prophetically about His death.  He also alludes to the final judgment of the Pharisees, saying they will seek after Him but will die in their sins because of their unbelief.  The Jewish leaders miss this point, or ignore it completely, and go directly to the point that He predicts His own death.  No one knows the day or the hour that they will pass away, so if Jesus predicts His own death, it must mean He is suicidal.  David Guzik writes, 

The Jews of Jesus’ time taught that the lowest levels of Hades were for those who committed suicide. Here the Pharisees tried to twist Jesus’ words to imply that He will commit suicide and therefore be damned. “According to Jewish thought, the depths of hell were reserved for those who took their own lives.” (Barclay)

So if Jesus was having suicidal thoughts, they argued, then He could not be counted on for spiritual guidance.  His words were to be discounted and not followed.

Jesus takes the idea of the lowest level of Hades and turns it back on them.  "You are from beneath," He says.  "I am from above."  Your thinking is rooted in this world, but I am not of this world, He tells them.  Then He doubles down on the curse that their sin brings down on them: if they don't believe in Him, they will die in their sins.  If they die and their sins are not forgiven, where will they spend eternity?

Just Who Do You Think You Are?

Jesus has just condemned the Jewish leaders to hell.  They are appalled.  "Who are You?" was not a cry for help--it was an accusation.  How dare He condemn them, the religious leaders of their day?  How can He claim that they would die in their sins?  Just who did He think He was, anyway?

Jesus responds that He speaks the truth, and if the truth condemns them, then He will act as their judge by His words alone.  The words He spoke come directly from God Himself, and they did not understand it or believe it.

What about you?  Do you take Jesus at His word?  Do you believe in Him with all your heart?  Or do you side with the Pharisees?  Do you question His veracity, His lineage, His message, or His deity?  If so, you are in danger of dying in your sin.  Trust in Jesus, believe in His words, and repent of your sin today.

Isaiah 9:2 says, "The people wo walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined."  What is your response to the Light of the World? Will you be drawn toward the Light in faith? Or will you shield your eyes and look away.  Will you run back to the shadows and die in your sins because that is what you know and are more comfortable with?  Do not gamble with your eternity, my friend.  Trust in the One who died in your place, who bore your sins upon Himself, so that you can take on His righteousness before God.  Then and only then will the Holy God allow you into His presence for eternity.

Something's not right here

 

Qui alterum incusat probri, ipsum se intueri oportet. (He who accuses another of improper conduct ought to look to himself.) --Plautus (Roman playwright, ca. 200 BC)

 "Houston, we have a problem."  These words attributed to the Apollo 13 mission are part of our national consciousness.  They symbolize unexpected challenges and human resilience in the face of crisis and adversity.  This phrase, at least as we know it, was never actually spoken by any of the crew of that ill-fated mission.  It is a mis-quote, a mash-up of what was actually said by Jack Swigert and John Lovell in April, 1970.  Swigert actually said, "Okay, Houston, we've had a problem here," followed by Lovell confirming the issue with, "Ah, Houston, we've had a problem."

I bring this up because many who read our passage today, found in John 8:1-11, have a serious problem with it.  There is manuscript evidence that John did not include it in his Gospel.  Although it may have been an anecdote that the disciples all shared, a memory of Jesus that they all cherished, it was not part of the original Greek manuscripts in any of the four Gospels.  It appears to have been added later, and when they did add in this account, there was some confusion as to where to put it.  Bible commentator David Guzik says that one group of manuscripts inserts this passage after Luke 21:38.  Other manuscripts have it after John 21:24.  “All this evidence suggests that scribes were often ignorant of its exact position, though anxious to retain it as part of the four Gospels.” (Tasker) They knew it belonged, but they didn’t exactly know where.

Some ancient Christians (such as Augustine and Ambrose) omitted this story, not so much because of the textual evidence but because they thought it made Jesus appear to approve of sexual immorality, or at least not regard it as serious.  At the same time, the character of the story makes it seem obvious that it is genuine, and many scholars note that it is historical and factual. Early Christian writers mention this account as soon as the early second century (A.D. 100). We have good reason to believe that this actually happened, and that John really wrote this. There is some debate as to where it belongs in the Gospel accounts, but there is good reason to believe it belongs.  “If not John’s it was a very early interpolation: it may possibly have had the sanction of Simeon or Jude (early 2nd century), the second and third bishops of Jerusalem, ‘brethren’ of our Lord, the last survivors of the Apostolic age. These two seem to have been connected with the editing of this gospel, for they are probably the ‘we’ of John 21:24 and the two unnamed disciples of John 21:2.” (Trench) “If we cannot feel that this is part of John’s Gospel we can feel that the story is true to the character of Jesus.” (Morris) --David Guzik, Study Guide For John 8

 I love this passage.  I'm sure many of you do as well.  That's why many are disappointed in some modern translations, like the NIV, that place this passage in the footnotes.  It makes sense to separate it somehow from the main text, since John's narrative flows so much better if you go from the end of chapter 7 to verse 12 of chapter 8.  It has caused some fundamentalist Christians to become adamant KJV-only readers.  They think that the editors of the more modern translations "left out" passages like this (it also happens at the end of Mark) for nefarious reasons.  Their reasoning is that the KJV is the older English version, therefore it should be afforded more respect.

The flaw in this reasoning is that the New Testament was not originally written in English.  In 1611, when the KJV was published, the oldest Greek manuscripts available were from around the year 1200 AD.  Today, over 400 years later, we have discovered manuscripts from the second century AD, over 1000 years earlier.  There is no conspiracy by modern editors to leave out portions of Scripture.

So let's get to the Scripture.

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.  Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.  Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery.  And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.  Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned.  But what do You say?"  This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him.  But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.  So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."  And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.  Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last.  And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.  When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours?  Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord."  And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."  --John 8:1-11

Most of the time when this passage is preached, the emphasis is on the forgiveness of Jesus. We like the message of no condemnation, no matter our past.  We appreciate Jesus's ability to "stick up for the oppressed" and "stick it to" those in authority.  I've even heard it preached that when Jesus stooped down to draw in the dust on the ground that He listed the names of the Pharisees and their specific sins.  There is no evidence whatsoever to support this assumption scripturally.  No one knows what marks He made on the ground--whether it was pictures or doodles, shapes or letters, we just don't know.

What we do know is that by stooping down to the accused woman's level, he diffused a volatile situation.  By ignoring their shouts of accusation and calls for "justice" according to the law of Moses, Jesus forced them to step back, and take a moment to think about what they were demanding.  It also made them consider the conspiracy it took to arrest the poor woman in the act and own up to their part in it.  Let me explain what I mean here.

 Yes, the Mosaic law did condemn adultery, and there were severe consequences associated with it.  The consequence of this particular sin was death, since the Old Testament law was set up so that the people of Israel would be "set apart", distinctly different than the other nations around them.  In actuality, however, this law was very seldom enforced.  Because adultery is such a personal act, hidden from public view, there were very few instances where anyone would be caught in the act.  Nor would they normally be subject to a public trial.

So then, to what lengths did these men go in order to present this case to Jesus, and thereby trap Him in His words?

• They had to agree together that one of them would either seduce a young woman to lie with him, or else to take her by force.
• The one among them who was appointed would have to find such a woman and initiate sex with her.
• At least two of them would have had to observe them in the act. Morris points out that legally speaking, the standard of evidence was very high for this crime. There had to be two witnesses, and they had to agree perfectly. They had to see the sexual act take place; it wasn’t enough to see the pair leaving the same room together or even lying on the same bed together. “The actual physical movements of the couple must have been capable of no other explanation…. conditions were so stringent that they could have been met only on rare occasions.” (Morris)
• In the end, only the woman should be charged.  The man who was also caught in the act would not be accused and set before a judge, thereby saving his own reputation.

“Under these conditions the obtaining of evidence in adultery would be almost impossible were the situation not a setup.” (Boice).  When Jesus heard the accusation and the case that these co-conspirators had brought against the woman, He immediately knew what had happened.  He realized right away that these men were as guilty as the woman they had accused, if not more so.

Matthew Henry's commentary says this:

The crime for which the prisoner stands indicted is no less than adultery, which even in the patriarchal age, before the law of Moses, was looked upon as an iniquity to be punished by the judges, (Job 31:9-11; Gen. 28:34). The Pharisees, by their vigorous prosecution of this offender, seemed to have a great zeal against the sin, when it appeared afterwards that they themselves were not free from it; nay, they were within full of all uncleanness, (Mt. 23:27-28). Note, it is common for those that are indulgent to their own sin to be severe against the sins of others.

Let's look now at the reaction of Jesus to this situation.  Before Him were a group of men, shouting accusations and demanding a verdict, along with one lone woman, probably half-dressed, dragged from her bed, guilty of the charge yet helpless to do anything but lie prostrate at Jesus's feet.  The men had brought her as a test, a Hobson's Choice for Jesus, who would be indicted by whichever way He decided.  Matthew Henry described the conundrum facing Jesus in this way:

[1.] If he should confirm the sentence of the law, and let it take its course, they would censure him as inconsistent with himself (he having received publicans and harlots) and with the character of the Messiah, who should be meek, and have salvation, and proclaim a year of release; and perhaps they would accuse him to the Roman governor, for countenancing the Jews in the exercise of a judicial power. But,
[2.] If he should acquit her, and give his opinion that the sentence should not be executed (as they expected he would), they would represent him, 

First, As an enemy to the law of Moses, and as one that usurped an authority to correct and control it, and would confirm that prejudice against him which his enemies were so industrious to propagate, that he came to destroy the law and the prophets.

Secondly, As a friend to sinners, and, consequently, a favourer of sin; if he should seem to connive at such wickedness, and let it go unpunished, they would represent him as countenancing it, and being a patron of offences, if he was a protector of offenders, than which no reflection could be more invidious upon one that professed the strictness, purity, and business of a prophet.

 Jesus responded with silence.  His silence was at first seen as though He were not listening, or even that He might be stumped, unable to appropriately decide the matter before Him.  When they pressed Him for an answer, He responded with infinite wisdom.  "Let the one who is without sin cast the first stone."

His response did not exonerate the woman.  She was indeed guilty as charged and could have been subject to severe punishment.  Indeed, her reputation was forever tarnished, as she was an adulterer.  This may have resulted in her losing her husband (if she was married) or forever losing any hope of marrying (if she was single).  It may have cost her standing in her own family, as her parents may have rightly disowned her for bringing shame upon the family.

However, she realized that Jesus had shown her grace.  Her response was to call Him Lord.  I believe this was the moment she was saved from her sin.  Psalm 32:1-2 says, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit."  David, you will remember, wrote this psalm after his own sexual sin had been found out.  Yet he repented, and called out to the Lord his God.  In the same way, the woman did not deny her sin, she did not make excuses, she did not point to others as worse sinners.  She confessed in her heart and called Him Lord.

What about the men's response?  David Guzik writes, "Instead of passing a sentence upon the woman, Jesus passed a sentence upon His accusers. He didn’t say, 'Don’t execute her.'  He simply demanded that justice be fairly and righteously applied."  Verse 9 says they were convicted by their own consciences.  One by one, from the oldest and most mature, to the youngest and most impetuous, they dropped the stones they were about to throw and silently left.  The woman they accused was still guilty, but that didn't matter so much to them anymore.  While they were not quite ready to follow Jesus as Lord, at least they weren't caught up in a riot or a mob rule situation.  Each of them was convicted of his own sin, as well as of their collective sinning.  

The conspiracy to trap Jesus by His own words did not work out for them.  They had no more use for the woman, so they turned their backs on her, and on Jesus.  Jesus then addressed the woman.  

"Woman," He said, "where are your accusers?  Is there no one left to condemn you?"

"No one, Lord," she replied.

"Then I won't condemn you, either.  Now go home, and don't get caught up in any more sinful situations."

The woman was not perfect; she would commit more sins.  She was, however, forgiven.  We also, who are called by God according to His purpose, are encouraged to avoid sinful situations and conduct.  John 2:1 says, "My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin.  And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

My wife showed me a meme this week that popped up in her Facebook feed.  It said, "If you believe in Jesus but do not obey His words, you are doing just what Satan does."  In this passage, the men were no different than Satan, the accuser.  They called Him "teacher" but would not follow His teaching; they asked Him to judge others but would not accept His judgment on themselves.

Let's all be more like the repentant woman who acknowledged Jesus as Lord, and less like the "righteous" men who followed the letter of the law but rejected Jesus as Lord.

 

Jesus controls the narrative

 

I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.  --Job 42:2

My father used to tell a story of a time he was in Seminary.  He, along with the other 30 or so students, were listening to a lecture and were taking notes.  A fellow student raised his hand.  The professor, annoyed with being interrupted, called on him.  "Professor," the student asked earnestly, "that last point you made--was that subsection 4 of point B, or was that point C?"  He was trying desperately to structure his notes into a proper outline form on the fly, while the lecture was going on in real time.

The instructor shook his head.  "Son," he said dryly, "don't worry about the skeleton.  Get the meat."

I was thinking about that story as I prepared for this blog post today.  My mind kind of jumps around, so try to follow me here.  I am kind of a drama nerd.  Sometimes when I read Scripture, I see a movie in my mind, with actors playing all the parts.  So when I read our passage today in the last part of John 7, my mind went immediately to the stage or screen.

So here is my summary of John 7:32-53:

Scene 1

In the halls of the Sanhedrin, adjacent to the home of the High Priest Caiaphas

Caiaphas:  This Jesus is sowing discord among the people!  He must be stopped.  Guards!

Moishe and Sh'muel approach

Sh'muel: Yes, my priest?

Caiaphas: Go, arrest this Jesus.  Bring Him in for questioning.  Go quickly!

Moishe and Sh'muel exit

Scene 2

Outside the inn where Peter and the other Disciples are staying

Moishe: Listen, Peter, your boy Jesus is in trouble.  The High Priest has sent us to arrest Him.  Just give Him a heads up, okay?

Peter: All right, thanks for the heads up.  We'll tell Him.

Jesus from inside the room : It's all right, Peter.

Peter opens the door a little wider, and Jesus appears in the doorway

Jesus: I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I will go to Him who sent Me.  You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come.

Moishe exits, scratching his head

Moishe: Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him?  Does He intend to go to the Diaspora among the Greeks and teach them there?  Hmm, I wonder.

Scene 3

On the Temple steps, in the Temple courts

Jesus: If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of His heart will flow rivers of living water.

Sh'muel: Truly this is the Prophet.

Moishe: I agree; this is surely the Christ. Let's get out of here.

Scene 4

 Back at the home of the High Priest

Caiaphas: Why have you not brought Jesus?  We told you to arrest Him!

Moishe: No man ever spoke like this Man!

Caiphas: Are you also deceived?  Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him?  But this crowd that doesn't know the law is cursed for following Him.

Nicodemus: Wait a minute.  Does our law judge a man before we hear him and figure out what he is doing?  Let's not be so quick to judge.

Caiphas: Are you also from Galilee like this Jesus is?  Search the scrolls, look at the Scriptures; no prophet has ever arisen out of Galilee.  Or are you one of His disciples, too?

Now, the problem with turning Scripture into a movie or a play is that, in order to flesh out the story, you have to add things that are not there, in order to have continuity in the story.  And you need to make some assumptions.  For instance, verse 32 says "the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him."  Then verse 33 says, "Jesus said to them, 'I shall be with you a little while longer.'"  Now who is Jesus talking to? His disciples? The men who went to arrest Him?

In my little script above, I made the assumption that Jesus spoke to the men who were going to arrest Him, because of the syntax.  The "them" in verse 33 refers back to the antecedent, the "men" in verse 32 who were sent to arrest Him.  If that was true, then why didn't they arrest Him then and there?  Jesus's words seem kind of cryptic, and I wouldn't think they would change the minds of the soldiers, unless the Holy Spirit convicted them right at that moment.  That's why I made the editorial decision to portray the soldiers as giving the disciples a warning, even though the text doesn't actually say that. It makes more sense that Jesus would have said those words to the disciples, when they heard that the Pharisees were looking to arrest Him.  John leaves out little details like this, in order to get to the meat of His message.  Even here, Jesus controls the narrative, and if we are left wondering about the details, then we miss the point.

So let's take a quick dive into what the Scripture actually says, shall we?

The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priest sent officers to take Him.  Then Jesus said to them, "I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me.  You will seek me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come."  Then the Jews said among themselves, "Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? What is this thing that He has said, 'You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come'?"  --John 7:32-36

Jesus knows that His time has not yet come.  He will eventually be arrested and tried and found guilty, but not this day.  John remembers the words of Jesus, which to him are much more important than the context.  A lot is apparently going on here--the Pharisees are trying to arrest Jesus, the crowds are all abuzz about His teaching and His miracles, and all the while there are multitudes in Jerusalem during the Feast of Booths (which the Jews now call Sukkot), where everyone builds a temporary shelter and sleeps outside for 7 nights to commemorate the Jews in the Old Testament who lived in tents and tabernacle. In the chaos, Jesus's words are what's important. Sometimes we need to remember to focus on the words of Jesus rather than the chaos around us.  There will always be debates among Bible scholars about the context and what it means, but details are less important than the actual words of Jesus.  We must always remember this when we pick up our Bible to read and understand.

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."  But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.  --John 7:37-39

Apparently, according to the commentaries I read, one of the traditions during the Feast of the Tabernacles was that the priests would take great big pots of water to the Temple steps and pour it out in front of all the people.  This would happen daily for seven days, but on the eighth day there was no water poured out.  The pouring out of the water was meant to commemorate Moses striking the rock and providing water for the people of Israel while they wandered in the wilderness. On the final day, no water was needed, just as when the people of Israel arrived in the promised land, there was no further need for manna or quail.  God's provision lasts as long as it is needed, and no more. 

Jesus used this opportunity to preach the Gospel to the people.  Just as He had told the woman at the well in John 4, Jesus calls Himself the living water.  There are many Old Testament references to water flowing from the Temple to bless all mankind, one of which is Ezekiel 47:1-12.  Many of the Jews there may have been thinking of these Old Testament scriptures as being fulfilled in Jesus.  They weren't wrong, but John adds a little commentary of his own here.  He says that Jesus was not only looking back and fulfilling Old Testament prophecies about Himself (He was), but He was also looking forward to the celebration of Pentecost in Acts 2, where the Holy Spirit flowed out like water and filled all believers.  John is essentially saying that the best is yet to come.

Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, "Truly this is the Prophet."  Others said, "This is the Christ."  But some said, "Will the Christ come out of Galilee?  Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?"  So there was a division among the people because of Him.  Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.  Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why have you not brought Him?"  The officers answered, "No man every spoke like this Man!"  Then the Pharisees answered them, "Are you also deceived? Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed."  --John 7:40-49

The crowds believed, but they misunderstood.  They had heard that Jesus came from Galilee, not knowing that He was actually born in Bethlehem.  The Scriptures they had read stated clearly that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, but Jesus and most of His disciples grew up in Galilee.  This is why it is important to study all of Scripture, not just selected verses.  Both Matthew and Luke go into great detail about the birth and ancestry of Jesus to show how the Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled in Him.  John, however, only hits the highlights.  His gospel emphasizes the works and words of Jesus.

We see here the confession of the guards who had been sent to seize Jesus and arrest Him.  When asked why they had failed in their mission, they replied in such a way as to indicate that they believed Jesus was the Messiah.  Psalm 105:15 says, "Touch not My anointed."  They did not want to follow an illegal order, for fear of God's retribution on them.  The Pharisees, on the other hand, doubled down on their anger: they accused the crowds that followed Jesus of not knowing the Law, and assigning a curse on them.

Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, "Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?"  They answered and said to him, "Are you also from Galilee?  Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee."  And everyone went to his own house.  --John 7:50-53

Nicodemus stands up and encourages them to not be so rash.  He wants them to slow down and think about what they are doing, to consider the potential consequences.  They accuse him of being one of the disciples.  Then they say something that shows they are not infallible.  They demand that Nicodemus search the Scriptures, because they are sure that no prophet ever came out of Galilee.  They are wrong on this point, for at least two and maybe more of the Old Testament prophets were, in fact, from Galilee: Jonah, who was called to preach against Ninevah; and Elijah, considered one of the greatest prophets in history, were both from Galilee.

Even in their error, Jesus controls the narrative.  Just as Jonah was sent to a wicked people, so Jesus was sent to preach repentance to the Jews.  And just has Elijah spoke the truth, healed the sick and even raised the dead, so Jesus came with signs and wonders to show He was sent from God.  That they did not believe in Him showed that they did not really believe the Scriptures at all.

What about you?  Do you follow vain traditions or rely on your own belief system to discount the works and words of Jesus?  Do you fall into the trap of trying to focus on the context rather than the message of Christ?  I would encourage you to read the Bible, not with your own preconceptions, but to allow Jesus to control the narrative. 

 

Driven to distraction

 

 

You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.  --Isaiah 26:3

We are often warned against distracted driving, and for good reason.  If we are barreling down the road at 10 miles above the speed limit and we hear our text tone jingle out from the cell phone we pay entirely too much attention to, we are tempted to pick it up and see the message.  When we see who the message is from, our minds are immediately flooded with such thoughts as: 

• our opinions on the sender, 
• our obligations to reply or not, 
• whether we remembered to do something that they had asked us to do,
• if our schedule will allow us to take that person to lunch,
• where we might like to go to lunch today,
• our need to go grocery shopping so we can have dinners next week,
• the need to put detergent on the grocery list...

and a thousand other rabbit trails that our minds might wander toward.  With our minds thus engaged, we may drive past a school bus without noticing its flashing lights, or we may run a stop sign.  If we see a policeman behind us, our minds immediately flood with a thousand other thoughts.

Such is life.  Wherever we are, whatever we are doing, we are driven to distraction.  As it is today, so it was in Jesus's day.  In today's study of John 7, we see Jesus trying to preach to the people, to teach them sound doctrine, and at every point in the story the people miss what He is saying and start voicing their own thoughts, chasing their own rabbit trails.

Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up to the temple and taught.  And the Jews marveled, saying, "How does this Man know letters, having never studied?"  Jesus answered and said, "My doctrine is not mine, but His who sent Me.  If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.  He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.  --John 7:14-18

Here Jesus is preaching in the temple, probably about what it means to keep the Sabbath.  We know that later in the passage Jesus refers to His healing of a man on the Sabbath (see John chapter 5) and being confronted by the Pharisees for it.  His message is interrupted by some murmuring about His curriculum vitae.  Some readers might think they were wondering about how this Son of a carpenter could read, as many in the trades in that day were illiterate.  Some Bible scholars might think they were asking about His academic credentials, as in which great teacher did He study under, and what school of thought He followed.  They were more concerned about whether He followed the line of thinking of the House of Hillel, or of the House of Shammai.

In present day terms, we might ask whether a speaker has a degree from a prestigious university like Harvard or Yale.  If he has no degree, or if he went to a lower ranking university, or--worse yet--if he went to an unaccredited college, his teaching may be subject to criticism.  In much of Jesus's ministry, He was confronted with questions meant to pigeon-hole Him in the camp of the Pharisees or of the Sadducees.  Most of the time Jesus was able to answer in such a way as to keep them guessing as to which school of thought He most favored.

In this case, Jesus said that His doctrine, His teaching, was from God and not man.  People who flaunt their resumes or their credentials were more concerned about being popular, whereas Jesus was more concerned about righteousness.  His wisdom--the wisdom of God--was shared by the ancient prophets.  Isaiah 54:13 says, "All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children."  Jeremiah 31:33-34 says,  "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  For no more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord.  For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."  Micah 4:2 says,  "Many nations shall come and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.'  For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem."

Next, Jesus references Moses, who did not subscribe to the two prevailing schools of thought either.  Moses's words pointed to Jesus.  Deuteronomy 18:15, 18-19 says, "The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren.  Him you shall hear.  [The Lord said] I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among your brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.  And It shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My Name, I will require it of him."  Thus Jesus says this:

"Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law?  Why do you seek to kill Me?"  The people answered and said, "You have a demon.  Who is seeking to kill You?"  Jesus answered and said to them, "I did one work, and you all marvel.  Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.  If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath?  Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."--John 7:19-24

Again, Jesus was referring to the confrontation with the Jews after He had healed a man who had been sick or lame for 38 years.   Jesus healed him completely, but the Jews wanted to stone Him to death because He had done this work on the Sabbath.  Not only that, but Jesus had told the sick man to pick up his bed, meaning that He was instructing others to break the Sabbath as well.

Apparently, not all the people at the temple that day were aware of this incident or this confrontation.  They objected, saying, "Who is trying to kill you?  You must be crazy!"  Jesus let the accusation slide, and did His best to stay on topic.  His message was righteousness, not rules; His concern was obedience to God, not observation of good works.

Those in the know, who lived in and around Jerusalem (and therefore were familiar with the incident that Jesus was referencing and the confrontation with the Jewish leaders) started debating among themselves.

Now some of them from Jerusalem said, "Is this not He whom they seek to kill? But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him.  Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ?  However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from."  Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, "You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have no come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.  But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me."  Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.  And many of the people believed in Him, and said, "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?"  --John 7:25-31

Jesus was able to speak to the hearts of some of them, convincing them that He was the Messiah, the One sent by God to save the people from their sins.  Some wondered why the Jewish leaders were trying to arrest Him; others wondered why the Jewish leaders would not arrest Him, for He was making some outlandish claims.  Somehow they had in their minds that when Messiah came, He would appear from heaven suddenly.  These were likely the same ones who had been looking for a military leader, someone who would overthrow the tyranny of Rome.  But this Jesus?  They knew Him; they knew His family, His hometown, they knew everything about Him.  How, then, could He be the Christ?

The counter argument came immediately: "When the Messiah comes, will He do more than Jesus has done?  Will He do more signs, more wonders, more miracles?  Will He speak with more authority?  I don't think so!" 

I want to go back to Deuteronomy 18:19, a verse that I referenced earlier.  God told Moses that He would raise up a Prophet, and that the people should listen to Him, for He would speak the very words of God.  "Whoever will not hear My words," God said, "which He speaks in My Name, I will require it of him."  It means God will hold them accountable who do not listen to the words of Jesus and follow them.  At the final judgement, God will ask each of us, "Did you believe the words of Jesus, and did you follow them?"  Jesus will vouch for His own.  Like a Good Shepherd, Jesus knows His sheep.

Unbelievers and scoffers will be cast off, doomed to everlasting damnation, because they did not follow Jesus.  If you find that hard to believe, then you don't know the nature of God, that He will always keep His word.  "Whoever will not hear My words which He speaks in My Name, I will require it of him."  The message of Jesus will only be rejected at a great penalty.  

Do not be distracted by false teachers.  At the same time, do not disparage those who hold true to the word of God simply because they appear uneducated, or because you knew them (and their misdeeds) growing up.  Do not be driven by distraction away from the truth.  

Breaking a traffic law could get you a ticket, or maybe even a prison sentence.  Disregarding the law of God brings a much stiffer sentence.  "Depart from Me, for I never knew you."

Making waves at a family gathering

 

I have become a stranger to my brothers, and an alien to my mother's children.  --Psalm 69:8

So how was your holiday?  Was it awkward being in close proximity to family members that you only see once a year?  I hope not, but many times family dynamics can be trying.  You may have had to field such conversation starters as these:

• Gosh, I wish I could be so relaxed about housework.
• You know, it wouldn't take much decorating to get your house looking lovely.
• I wish I had the confidence you do to dress like that.
• That's not the ugliest shirt I've seen you wear.
• You're really fast for your weight.
• You look really pretty in the picture; it doesn't look like you at all.
• It's tough to underestimate you.

Would you believe that Jesus had a similar experience while He was here on earth?  In the 7th chapter of John, we are introduced to Jesus's family during a major Jewish holiday.  In fact, the whole Gospel of John seems to jump from one Jewish holiday to another.  The Cambridge Bible For Schools And Colleges commentary says this:

[The Feast of] Tabernacles was the most joyous of the Jewish festivals. It had two aspects; (1) a commemoration of their dwelling in tents in the wilderness, (2) a harvest-home. It was therefore a thanksgiving (1) for a permanent abode, (2) for the crops of the year.  It began on the 15th of the 7th month, Tisri (about our September), and lasted seven days, during which all who were not exempted through illness or weakness were obliged to live in booths, which involved much both of the discomfort and also of the merriment of a picnic.

This holiday, then, could be viewed as the  Jewish equivalent to the American Thanksgiving holiday.  Just like our sometimes disastrous family celebrations, Jesus had an awkward conversation with his family members.

After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him.  Now the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.  His brothers therefore said to Him, "Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing.  For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly.  If You do these things, show Yourself to the world."  For even His brothers did not believe in Him.  --John 7:1-5

Jesus was keeping a low profile.  The Jewish leaders had the equivalent of a warrant out for His arrest.  As we saw in chapter six, many of those who had been called His disciples turned away from Him.  His brothers here make a slight jab, saying, in essence, "Where are your disciples, Man?  I don't see any of them here in Galilee.  Maybe you ought to go to Jerusalem.  Take your show on the road--go to where the people are."  David Guzik's Study Guide for John 7 says this:

“It was widely believed that when the Messiah came he would make himself publicly known in some spectacular way.” (Bruce) The Living Bible gives a good sense of this: You can’t be famous when you hide like this! If you’re so great, prove it to the world! “His brethren were thinking that His success depended on the world’s attitude to Him: in other words, they believed in the world rather than in Him.” (Trench)

 It would be similar to you going to the home of a family member and sitting down at the piano to play or sing, and some wise-cracking sibling or in-law rolling their eyes and saying, "You should go on American Idol," or "Look out, Las Vegas, here you come."  The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary puts it this way (please forgive the olde English vocabulary and writing style):

Indeed here their language is more that of strong prejudice and suspicion (such as near relatives, even the best, too frequently show in such cases), than from unbelief. There was also, probably, a tincture of vanity in it. "Thou hast many disciples in Judea; here in Galilee they are fast dropping off; it is not like one who advances the claims Thou dost to linger so long here, away from the city of our solemnities, where surely 'the kingdom of our father David' is to be set up: 'seeking,' as Thou dost, 'to be known openly,' those miracles of Thine ought not to be confined to this distant corner, but submitted at headquarters to the inspection of 'the world.'"

Thankfully, these same brothers would later become His disciples after the Resurrection (see Acts 1:14).  But for now, they gave Him these back-handed compliments suggesting that He might be more welcome somewhere else, somewhere far away from them.

Jesus then gives His answer to them, perhaps overlooking their rudeness:

Then Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.  The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.  You go up to the feast.  I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come." When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.  --John 7:6-9

There are two Greek words translated "time."  One of those words is chronos, from which we get the English word "chronological".  It means sequential, quantitative time measured in minutes, hours, days, and years.  That's not the word Jesus used here.  “In this passage the word is kairos, which characteristically means an opportunity; that is, the best time to do something, the moment when circumstances are most suitable. (Barclay)"  As Jesus obeyed His Father, He lived out the truth that God’s timing is an important expression of His will. Something may be in God’s will but not yet in His timing.

When God's timing was right, Jesus did go to the feast, but quietly so as to not draw attention to Himself.

But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.  Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, "Where is He?"  And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him.  Some said, "He is good"; others said, "No, on the contrary, He deceives the people."  However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews.  --John 7:10-13

The brothers of Jesus probably had all kinds of people recognizing them and coming up to them saying, "Hey, where's Jesus?  Why isn't He with you?"  They probably heard the people arguing in hushed tones about Jesus--was He good? or was He a deceiver?  Some of them may have even stood up for their brother; it's one thing for family members to give each other grief--it's quite another for someone outside the family to throw shade.

Why were they complaining?  "They complained because they wanted Jesus to fulfill their wishes for the Messiah, and to fulfill them now — when they wanted them. (Guzik)"  They all had different opinions of Him.  Then, as now, Jesus divides people.  It's difficult for anyone who hears Jesus's words or sees what He does to remain neutral.  For example, Jesus did come to the feast, even after He had told His brothers that He would not come.  Does this make Jesus a liar?  No, because He only said that He would not come with the rest of the family, that He would not come openly.  “The secret departure for Jerusalem was not an act of deception. It was an attempt to avoid unwelcome publicity. Jesus’ enemies were watching for him, obviously for the purpose of arresting him.” (Tenney)

They say that to avoid conflict at these family holiday gatherings, you should avoid talking about politics or religion.  This is hard to do, as we saw in our passage today.  Jesus's brothers talked about both politics and religion, potentially causing conflict.  Jesus was not drawn into that conflict, but met conflict head-on when He went to Jerusalem by Himself.  Next time we will see that He even spoke publicly in the Temple when we continue our study of John 7.

Sometimes it is better to speak the truth in love.  This does not mean getting drawn in to whatever controversy the others at the dinner table are dishing out.  It does mean sharing what Jesus means to you.  Who knows?  This may be the last time your brother or sister may hear the gospel.  Wouldn't it be better to spend eternity in heaven with your family than to keep silent because you didn't want to make waves at the family dinner?