Last week, we saw that
Jesus attended the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem but didn’t reveal Himself
publicly until 3 ½ days had passed. He had to wait for the Father’s timing. The
hostility toward Jesus is increasing. The Jews want to know where Jesus got His
wisdom of the scriptures since He had not been taught by the master rabbis as
required by Jewish custom. The Jewish religious leaders present are impressed
with Jesus’ spiritual knowledge.
Jesus
responded to their curiosity, “My
teaching is not My own. It comes from Him who sent Me. If anyone chooses to do
God’s will, he will find out whether My teaching comes from God or whether I
speak on My own. He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself,
but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there
is nothing false about him. Has not Moses given you the Law? Yet not one of you
keeps the Law. Why are you trying to kill Me?” John 7:10-19
Jesus,
the Father and the Holy Spirit have one voice, one mind, and one heart. Jesus
tells those questioning His spiritual knowledge that He only speaks what He has
learned from His heavenly Father. His words are righteous and truth. There is
no deceit in Him in spite of the fact that some had accused Him of being a “deceiver.”
Notice in the above
scripture that Jesus said if anyone “chooses to do God’s will.” It is a choice
made willingly by every individual. It is not just speaking truth, but also
doing it. Those who are willingly committed to God’s will will be taught and
guided by Him especially in speaking truth. Jesus was in the midst of those who
were hostile toward Him but He boldly spoke Truth. The Spirit of God will also
prompt us to willingly obey God from our hearts of love and speak the Truth. Those who willingly do God’s will embrace Truth because they believe in
Jesus and know that His Word is truth.
Honor
Jesus also wants those
present to understand that those who speak on their own do so to gain honor for
themselves. Followers of Christ are to always give all of the glory and honor
to Him, not to ourselves. Jesus came to earth to bring glory and honor to the
One who sent Him – the Father. Since those of us who believe in Jesus are also “sent”
out into the world at His instruction, we are to only speak the Truth and bring
glory and honor to Jesus through our actions, words and deeds just as Jesus did
for the Father. We give God honor and glory when we “do” His Word not just hear
it. God said in 1 Samuel 2:30, “those
who honor Me, I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.”
God honors those who honor Him.
When
Solomon had called all of the leaders of Israel together and had offered 1,000
burnt offerings for atonement to God, God said to Solomon, “Ask for whatever you want Me to give you.” 2 Chronicles 1:7 Solomon
asked for wisdom and knowledge so he could lead God’s people. Solomon saw how
enormous this task that God had given him was and understood that He needed God’s
wisdom to carry it out. God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth,
riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not
asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern My people over
whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you.
And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was
before you ever had and none after you will have.” 2 Chronicles 10-12 God
blessed and honored Solomon because he honored God and His people. God blessed Solomon even more than He did his father David and all other kinds before and after Solomon.
Proverbs 15:33: The
fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor is humility.
Proverbs 21:21: He who follows
righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness and honor.
Proverbs 22:4: By humility and the
fear of the Lord are riches, and honor and life.
Moses’
Law
Jesus reminded the crowd
of Jews present that “not one of you
keeps the Law. Why are you trying to kill Me?” Jesus knew their hearts. He
reminds them that even though they believed in the Law and sought to obey it,
He also knew that they were trying to kill Him. The 6th commandment God
had given Moses said, “You shall not
murder” and yet these Jews wanted to murder Jesus in direct disobedience to
this commandment. They wanted to put Jesus to death as a Law-breaker when they
were breaking the Law themselves! The crowd responded, “You are demon-possessed. Who is trying to kill you.” Jesus' accusers wanted
to hide their heart attitude so they falsely accused Jesus of being wrong about
them. The works of darkness likes to hide but Jesus brings it to the light and
exposes it. This no doubt angered the crowd even more.
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