Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Today's Scripture
John 7:14–36

About the middle of the festival Jesus went up into the temple and began to teach. The Jews were astonished at it, saying, “How does this man have such learning, when he has never been taught?” Then Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine but his who sent me. Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own. Those who speak on their own seek their own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is nothing false in him.

“Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why are you looking for an opportunity to kill me?” The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is trying to kill you?” Jesus answered them, “I performed one work, and all of you are astonished. Moses gave you circumcision (it is, of course, not from Moses, but from the patriarchs), and you circumcise a man on the sabbath. If a man receives circumcision on the sabbath in order that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because I healed a man’s whole body on the sabbath? Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

Now some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is not this the man whom they are trying to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, but they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Messiah? Yet we know where this man is from; but when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.” Then Jesus cried out as he was teaching in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I am from. I have not come on my own. But the one who sent me is true, and you do not know him. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.” Then they tried to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come. Yet many in the crowd believed in him and were saying, “When the Messiah comes, will he do more signs than this man has done?”

The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering such things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent temple police to arrest him. Jesus then said, “I will be with you a little while longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. You will search for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.” The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? What does he mean by saying, ‘You will search for me and you will not find me’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?” (NRSV)

Reflection

Have you ever heard someone speaking and been so impressed that you wondered “Where in the world did this person come from?” Imagine what was going through the Jewish leaders’ minds as they listened to Jesus talking to them in the temple. We know from this passage what was going through some of their minds: they were so astounded by his teachings that they thought he was a demon and wanted to kill him!

In an environment where credentials, class, and social standing were extremely important, here is Jesus — lacking educational credentials and from Nazareth (think “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” from John 1:46) — telling them his knowledge comes from somewhere else. They couldn’t grasp that true spiritual wisdom doesn’t always come from traditional teachers. The Holy Spirit is our ultimate teacher.

And as they challenge him, Jesus lays down a map for discerning truth. If they were truly following the will of God, then they would find out whether his teachings came from God or from himself. The act of discerning the truth is not just an intellectual one; it is a moral one. Our ability to trust in God is connected to our willingness to obey God.

As I contemplate this passage, I am asking myself, do I have any preconceptions that may be preventing me from recognizing God’s truth in unexpected places?

Prayer
Holy Spirit, help me remember that you are the ultimate teacher. Help me keep you at the center. Forgive me when I judge and let my preconceptions get between me and you.

Written by Anthony Hipp, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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