Sunday, July 5, 2009

John 7

Chapter 7

Isn't it interesting that in Galilee he can walk and teach in the open, but in Jerusalem, he can't. People in Jerusalem are even afraid to talk about him.


I have learned in my life that one of the most important keys to having a testimony, to knowing, is given verses 16-17.


Jesus heals on the sabbath, and he declares he is the son God; he tells the people that they do not know God and keep the traditions of the elders instead of the Law of Moses; they say he has a devil. Well, lots of people are possessed, or crazy, why are they so bent on killing him? Why don't the pharisees just say he's crazy and move on? I think the answer is in verse 28. They know who he is, but can't admit it. They can't stand the idea of being wrong and losing their power over the people.


In verses 40-43, the leaders and people argue that Jesus can't be the Savior because he has come out of Galilee, or of Nazareth, and others that he can't be the Savior because he isn't a descendent of David and has come out of Bethlehem. If they did their homework, they would know he is the seed of David and was born in Bethlehem. But they're looking for outward reasons when the Savior has just told them they will only know by the power of the Holy Ghost (verses 38-39).


And in all of this that is going on in Jerusalem, the people have never heard anyone teach as he does. To me, this is a people who have no ability to follow the dictates of their heart and to trust the feelings that they have deep down.

1 comment:

Stephanie said...

As a family we discussed how not only leaders of churches know the truth but fear their lose of power or position, but people in general do it. Sometimes we fear to do what we know is right because we are comfortable and enjoy the lifestyle we are living, and fear the change that is facing us, so we hide the truth and avoid what is really inevitable in the end.

If we really truly just fully trusted in the Lord in every step of the way, I wonder how much more good we could accomplish?