14 But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and began to teach. 15 The Jews therefore were marveling, saying, "How has this man become learned, having never been educated? 16 Jesus therefore answered them, and said, "My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the one who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. 19 Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why do you seek to kill Me?" 20 The multitude answered, "You have a demon! Who seeks to kill You? 21 Jesus answered and said to them, "I did one deed, and you all marvel. 22 On this account Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you, circumcise a man. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath that the Law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."
Message: Judging with Right Judgment
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: Jesus is in Jerusalem, having arrived there at the petition of his brothers as all Jews journeyed there for the Feast of Booths. Jesus had stated to his brothers that he would not go with them because he did not want to be at the center of attention as the Jews were seeking to have him killed and this was not yet His time. But here in verse 14 records Jesus going to the temple and people are alarmed at his knowledge and education.
And as Jesus speaks he mentions once again that He speaks not on His own, but what the Father has sent Him to speak. And the teaching that then is most important is teaching from God. Otherwise a person speaks for His own glory. Jesus' teaching is one to give God all of the glory and there is therefore no unrighteousness in Him. The focus is on obedience to what God has delivered. And so therefore why would someone want to kill Him if He is about His father's business and wanting to give glory to God?
The multitude respond with surprise, perhaps wondering why someone would kill Jesus over this.
Jesus then speaks of circumcision and how the Jews did it on the 8th day of the child's life even if that day fell on the Sabbath. Jesus is trying to help them see the hypocrisy of what they state, bothered that He has healed on the sabbath and yet they perform the act of circumcision at times if the 8th day falls on the Sabbath. And so Jesus doing a work of healing on the Sabbath (healing the paralyzed man on the Sabbath) making the point that he should not be judged by which day it is on, but rather the motive of wanting to heal a person and make them well. His point is to not stare at the day of the week, but instead to look at why something is done. In essence, false judgment was Jesus' accusation toward them.
Can we apply this in other ways? What about the Sabbath day and worshiping on Sunday or Monday or Friday night or some other time than the Sabbath day? Is the day important or is it the motives of the people that gather and worship? The same people want to practice the same thing - worshipping God, so why should it be so important that it is on a certain day. We need to look at the motives. We need to look at what is the intention or overall purpose in doing what we are doing rather than focusing on the letter of the law. There is a danger in this in that we get focused on following the letter of the Law and we start to think that this is all that is really important because we are the only one's that are practicing it correctly.
I am thinking of a conversation I had with a woman in my office that attends the 7th Day Adventist church that believes that worship can only occur on the Sabbath day. They believe that is the only day. I am fine with them holding on to that day but I don't believe that it is proper then to say other days of worship are invalid. Because then I think we are coming against what Jesus is saying. The day of the week does not matter, but what is the intent of the heart.
Summary: In Jerusalem, Jesus speaks in the temple, speaking from the will of God, and defends healing on the Sabbath reminding people that we need to remember motives and intention over rule-keeping.
Promise: By seeking to apply God’s law justly and holding others to the same standard to which we hold ourselves, we can judge with right judgment.
Prayer: O Lord, conversing with people sometimes is difficult and the difference we have in applying and understanding scripture in a certain way is strong. We have so many different brands of churches and beliefs in our world today that I think all have the right focus - to love God and be obedient to Him and yet so many have different definitions of what that means. I pray we as a people can put aside the differences and see what we have in common. Help us to judge rightly and not say one thing and do another. Repair our church body throughout the World and these United States. Help us understand how to be more united. Strike our pride. Thank you for speaking truth here and pricking our heart to understand rightly what You are telling us from the Father.
Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.
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