47 The Pharisees therefore answered them, "You have not also been led astray, have you? 48 No one of the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he? 49 But this multitude which does not know the Law is accursed." 50 Nicodemus said to them (he who came to Him before, being one of them), 51 "Our Law does not judge a man, unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it? 52 They answered and said to him, "You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee."
Message: The Prophet from Galilee
Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."
What the Lord is Saying: Chapter has mostly taken place over an 8 day period of the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem after Jesus' brothers asked him to go there with them, though Jesus went privately rather than publicly, focused on the idea that it is not yet His time (to be apprehended or seized). In Jerusalem he goes to the Temple and continues to speak of His origin being from the Father and the Father has sent Him. He is the living water but also mentions an important verse in 38 that those who believe in Jesus will flow forth rivers of living water. So we will pass on the water that He is, the Life that He is, the compassion that He is, the sympathy that He is. We will bear great fruit as the Spirit of God comes upon us. There are still some that think He is a prophet only, and not also the Messiah. And the last passage gives the idea the Pharisees are ready to seize Him but the officers will not apprehend Him because they seem to believe He is someone different.
Despite the officers not arresting Jesus, the Pharisees who had sent the officers were not fooled and now in these verses believe that Jesus has fooled the officers. These Pharisees will not be persuaded by Jesus and are hardened, not willing to see Him for who He is. They even remark this in verse 48 - "No one of the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he?" Meaning none of the rulers and none of the Pharisees actually believed in Jesus. And this was Jesus' outcry or plea or request always - that people would believe in Him. And reminds me once again what is wrapped up in that word belief. For Jesus it is more than agreeing He is who He said He is. It is receiving as mentioned in John 1:12 - "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God." And then his talk of being born again, of living Water, and the bread of Life - these texts signify it is more than belief but an all consuming belief that changes our lives and how they are to be lived.
And the Pharisees had a disdain for the multitude in verse 49. They state that they do not know the Law. Even today, I think we see this that accepting Christ is for the uneducated. It is for the pipe dream people that are simply holding onto a hope of the future. But it is not for the educated. It is not for the smart scientist, but it is for the simple person. But with the Pharisees is the thought it is not for the one's actually well versed in the Law. But rather, what occurred is those who knew not the Law believed in the one who authored it. We can get too smart for our own britches is the catch phrase.
But then Nicodemus comes on the scene. The one who asked Jesus about being born again in John 3:4. He, being one of the Pharisees, states that Jesus deserves a fair trial. He stated that Jesus needs to be heard. But again, the Pharisees response is the same stating that he too must have been misled, stating again what others have said (verse 41) that Jesus could not have come from Galilee. This however was only folklore, not based upon Scripture but tradition that the prophet could not come from Galilee.
Summary: The Pharisees believe the multitudes have been misled by Jesus and later state the same of one of their own - Nicodemus. Some will not believe no matter what Jesus says.
Promise: Gaining knowledge is a good think but we must be careful it does not puff us up. We must still be willing to listen, realizing that something different may still be what we need to learn.
Prayer: You are Savior and Lord. You are living water, the bread of life, and we need to be born again, all of us. Help me Jesus to always listen to You and be careful that I am not stuck in my own ways. Draw people to yourself. Give people an understanding of you, like so many around me. Thank You for the truth of who You are and the joy of discovering those truths in the reading of Your word now, today. Even now.
Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.
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