New Life Bible Fellowship Church
1-12-25
      • Bible Trivia
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      • Psalm 19:1–6ESV

  • Because He Lives
  • What If It Were Today

      • Psalm 119:33–48ESV

  • Introduction:

    The last time we were in the book of John was in November, right before our advent series. At that time we saw how Jesus positioned himself to complete all that the Father had given him to do. Not only to teach, but also to rely on the timing of God’s plan even in opposition to what would have been a great marketing strategy to boost his popularity. For, if you remember, his brothers wanted him to go to the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem and to no longer work in “secret” but, “show yourself to the world”, as they put it, and advertise your ministry to gain a following. To which Jesus responds by reminding them about the Father’s timing and the purpose of his coming was not to show himself but to complete the work he had been given to do, even if the that work would result in hatred not popularity.
    You will remember however, that Jesus do eventually go to the feast, and used it as an opportunity for teaching once again about his purpose, which in context as their messiah, he would actually fulfill the symbolism contained within the Feast of Booths. In so doing, he emphatically would answer the question, Is Jesus the Messiah?, which we shall answer this week and next. This week we will look at the answer provided in John 7:14-31.

    Text: John 7:14-31

    John 7:14–31 ESV
    14 About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. 15 The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” 16 So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 17 If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. 18 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. 19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” 20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” 21 Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it. 22 Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well? 24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” 25 Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? 26 And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? 27 But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” 28 So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. 29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” 30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”

    Main Idea: All those who are children of God the Father, will believe that Jesus is the true Messiah.

    Background:

    The context of this portion of scripture if you will remember is during the Feast of Booths. As a reminder, according to Lev. 23:33–44 and Numbers 29, it is the longest festival of the Jewish year (lasting seven days), from the fifteenth to the twenty-first or twenty-second day of the seventh month, which approximates our October. It was a feast of thanksgiving for both the harvest and a joyful commemoration of the divine guidance granted to their forefathers in their wilderness-journey.
    Following hard upon the day of Atonement (10th day of the seventh month), the idea of joy after redemption was naturally very prominent. In a decreased daily scale a special sacrifice of seventy bullocks was made (starting with 13 on the 1st day, down to 7 on the 7th day). The temple-trumpets were blown on each day.
    There was the ceremony of the outpouring of water, drawn from Siloam, in commemoration of the refreshing stream which had come forth miraculously out of the rock at Meribah (Ex. 17:1–7), and in anticipation of blessings both for Israel and for the world. There was the illumination of the inner court of the temple, where the light of the grand candelabra reminded all of the pillar of fire by night which had served as a guide through the desert (Num. 14:14). There was a torch-parade.
    And above all, everywhere in and around Jerusalem, in the street, the square, and even on the roofs of the houses booths were erected. These leafy dwellings provided shelter for the pilgrims who came from every direction to attend this feast. But most of all they too were reminders of the wilderness-life of the ancestors (Lev. 23:43).

    I. Messiah’s Marvelous Teaching (14-19)

    A. Questioned Credentials (14-15)

    (14) About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching.
    All of a sudden Jesus appeared in the temple. The feast which lasted fully a week (Lev. 23:33-36) was already half over.
    A crowd of listeners quickly gathered, whom he started to instruct. This time there was no miracle, as on the previous (recorded) occasion (chapter 5). But the people will soon discover that whatever the Lord does is amazing, his teaching as well as his miracles.
    (15) The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?”
    The Jews may include both the Judean crowds and the Jewish authorities.
    he has never studied. Jesus lacked formal rabbinic training (as did his disciples, Acts 4:13), but his teaching and authority came from God (John 7:16; 8:28; cf. Matt. 5:21ff.; 7:28–29). This of course was important to the Pharisees who flaunted not only their own formal training but influenced the multitude to not accept those who had none.

    B. Ultimate Authority (16-19)

    (16) So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.
    My teaching is not mine - emphasis was that his teaching was not taught by man, nor self-taught, but…
    his… Jesus indicates the source of His teaching…comes from His Father, the one…
    who sent me - Not only had he derived the contents of his teaching from his Father in heaven, but he had also been divinely commissioned to convey it to the people on earth.
    (17) If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.
    If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know. A true perception of the divine nature of Christ’s teaching is granted to those who earnestly desire to do God’s will (Ps. 25:14
    Psalm 25:14 ESV
    14 The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.
    In other words, whether people follow Jesus depends on whether they are willing to obey him. Those who are morally willing to follow Jesus will be intellectually convinced that he is the way, the truth, and the life (cf. 14:6).
    Jesus now explains this in greater detail…
    (18) The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.
    one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory. A contrast is established between self-seeking messengers and Jesus, whose guiding principle is to be true to His mission. This is in sharp contrast with Satan who is “a liar” (8:44).
    but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood -
    If this glory of God be the listener’s ideal, he will also be able to detect whether it is the speaker’s ideal. Would a self-appointed prophet do what Jesus is always doing; would he show in all his words and actions that he is seeking the glory of his Sender? Would not one who is merely uttering his own private opinions be doing the exact opposite; i.e., would he not seek his own glory?
    These words serve a double purpose:
    a. they show the utter groundlessness of the scoffing remark of the leaders, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” and,
    b. they expose the sin of these leaders. They were the very people who were always seeking to promote their own glory, in spite of all their outward show of zeal for the law, which was nothing but a false pretense, which Jesus reveals next…
    (19) Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?”
    Has not Moses given you the law? - Moses the very one who they say they followed, and whose law they say they keep…
    none of you keeps the law - The blessing of having received the law as the revelation of God’s will bring great distress and punishment through disobedience .
    Why do you seek to kill me? - The offended One is now taking the offensive. The double denunciation, aimed at the leaders, comes like a thunderbolt and a lightning flash. It shows that Jesus was at this very moment reading the hearts of these men. He knew that while they tried to pose as the guardians of the law of Moses, a law which is summarized in the one word love, they had hatred and murder in their hearts (cf. 5:18).

    II. Crowd’s Incredible Response (20-24)

    A. Crowds Misguided Attention (20)

    (20) The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?”
    You have a demon! - This is one of several instances where Jesus is falsely charged with demon possession (cf. 8:48; 10:20; Matt. 12:24 par.), it’s like our saying, “What are you crazy or something?”
    Who is seeking to kill you? - Their attention was misguided in that they looked at the outward actions instead of the wicked hearts of those who hated Jesus, because he dared to challenge their revered tradition and the authority of the entrenched religious establishment. Jesus is reminding them that the outward action of sin always begins in the heart.

    B. Crowds Misguided Judgment (21-24)

    (21) Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it.
    I did one work. Jesus refers to the one work He has done in their region, the healing of the lame man at the pool of Bethesda (5:1–15) on the Sabbath.
    (22) Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. (23) If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well?
    This recalls Gen. 17:9–14 (the fathers, i.e., Abraham), Ex. 12:44, 48–49, and Lev. 12:3 (Moses). Jesus’ argument is “from the lesser to the greater”: the Jews were to circumcise their males on the eighth day even if that day fell on the Sabbath (the “lesser” issue); if “perfecting” one part of the human body on the Sabbath was legitimate, how much more the healing of an entire person (the “greater” issue).
    whole body well. Jesus calls attention to the inconsistency of His accusers. There were a number of activities permitted on the Sabbath, including circumcision. He compares these activities with the work of healing.
    (24) Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” - an appeal to what is actually right, not what is perceived by manmade traditions to be right.
    As a result we see the…

    III. Crowd’s Mixed Verdict (25-31)

    A. Verdict: Is Not the Messiah (25-27)

    (25) Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? - obviously, some in Jerusalem did know that the religious leaders were trying to kill Jesus, but the question seems to be asked in amazement that Jesus is able to teach in sight of those who desire to kill him, as we see next…
    (26) And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?
    And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! - to their amazement, he is speaking in full sight of the authorities (probably the sanhedrin) this statement shows the integrity and the true authority of the sanhedrin. They feared Jesus but had no way of stopping him!
    Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ - the crowds not understanding why the sanhedrin did nothing began to wonder if indeed they themselves were beginning to believe. But they decided that it can’t be as they reasoned…
    (27) But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.”
    But we know. Some rabbis taught that the Messiah would be wholly unknown until he set out to procure salvation for Israel. Others, however, were sure about his birthplace (v. 42; cf. Matt. 2:1–6).
    where this man comes from. The people knew that Jesus was from Galilee (vv. 41, 52), and this seemed to conflict with the prevailing view that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem (v. 42; Matt. 2:5, 6) or that His origin would be unknown. Jesus in response points to His divine origin rather than an earthly location. In failing to acknowledge His divine mission they showed their ignorance of God’s plan, in spite of the miracles, which were proof of God’s endorsement (v. 31).

    B. Verdict: Is the Messiah (28-31)

    (28) So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. (29) I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.”
    “You know me, and you know where I come from. - One can also read the exclamation as a question; thus: “So you know me, and you know where I am from?” Either way, the meaning is the same. Jesus ridicules the very idea that these biased, legalistic materialistic citizens of Jerusalem would actually know him and his origin! And when he now says “So, you know me, and you know where I am from!” he means, “So that is what you think!”
    He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. - Instead of having come of his own accord, Jesus was the divinely commissioned One, having been sent by the Father, thus exposing his true origin. This of course infuriated the religious leaders since he once again is calling God his father…
    (30) So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. - just as it was not his hour to show himself at the feast, so it was not his hour to be arrested. Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of Man, was in complete control at all times of his Father’s plan!
    Because his hour had not yet come shows Jesus’ strong awareness of God’s providential direction of the circumstances of his life; his enemies could not capture or harm him until “the hour” of his arrest, crucifixion, and death, as ordained by God. God the Father would not allow these things to happen until the earthly ministry of Jesus (God the Son) was complete.
    (31) Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”
    Since the Messiah would be a prophet like Moses (Deut. 18:15, 18) and Moses performed many miraculous signs at the exodus (Exodus 7–11), the Messiah was expected to perform miracles as well (cf. John 6:30–31). In any case, it would have been natural for people to wonder, after witnessing Jesus’ miracles, if he was the Messiah.
    They believed that Jesus’ miracles indicated Him to be the Messiah. “We expect the Christ to do miracles when He comes. Could we expect Him to do more miracles than this man has done? Therefore, this man must be the Messiah.” However, this miracle-based faith is not necessarily saving faith.

    So What?

    Do we understand that Jesus is the Messiah, sent to declare to us all that his Father wanted us to know, and that our reaction to his declaration shows whether we belong to the Father or not?
    Do we understand also, that God the Father’s timing in Jesus’s earthly purpose was meticulously carried out in the same way that God’s plan for all of history is carried out?

      • John 7:14–31ESV

      • John 7:14–15ESV

      • John 7:16–19ESV

      • Psalm 25:14ESV

      • John 7:20ESV

      • John 7:21–24ESV

      • John 7:25–27ESV

      • John 7:28–31ESV

  • Blest Be The Tie That Binds
New Life Bible Fellowship Church
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