Verse 19, Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law?  Gasp!  The Jews hang their hat on the thought that they keep the law and that is what makes them righteous, that is what saves them, but Jesus just openly says here, you don’t keep the law.  They must have been stirred immediately and Jesus knows that, He knows the contemplations of mans’ heart and so He says, next sentence, Why do you seek to kill Me?

 

The Jews scoffed at Jesus saying “that He didn’t have letters” and now Jesus has turned the tables on them by saying there is no unrighteousness in Him because He seeks the glory of God the Father yet they have the letter of the law but don’t obey it! 

 

Why not?  Because the law, the 10 commandments were not given so that man could obtain righteousness but rather so that man could recognize his hopeless state.  (Galatians 3)  Salvation is not something to be gained, it is something to be given, you see.

 

So they are enraged and Jesus is murdered right there on the spot in their hearts.  But “Adam, where are you?” they attempt to hide in their sin…hide even from God…watch this…

 

Verse 20, The people answered and said, “You have a demon.  (attack) Who is seeking to kill You?”  Jesus answered and said to them, “I did one work, and you all marvel.  Insults don’t faze Him.  The petty playground taunts don’t push any buttons with Jesus, why?  Because they are preposterous and pitiful.  He ignores them and continues in grace and love to reach out to them.  That is our example folks…but that is so difficult if you are reproachable…so be above reproach!

 

1 Peter 2:21 reads, For to this you were called because Christ also suffered for us; leaving us an example that you should follow His steps:  Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.

 

So He doesn’t bomb back when He’s dissed…that would be sinful; no He simply says “I did one work, and you all marvel.”  Referring to the healing of the man poolside there in Jerusalem back in the beginning of Chapter 5…He’s testified of His intentions – His mission, they don’t believe.  He’s testified of who He is…they don’t believe.  And so now He says, ah, but remember how you marveled at the work!  Believe!  He is still wanting to meet them where they’re at and free them.

 

Verse 22 continues, Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it was from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.  If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath?

 

Notice, Jesus doesn’t get personal…He doesn’t take the discussion into “subjective land” even after He is openly dissed…He could have…easily, they were easy pickins!  All busted up and angry and sinful and stiff-necked and just blinded with their pride.  Yet He objectively, calmly and truthfully exposes how completely unreasonable their criticism of Him really is….why unreasonable you say?

 

The Law of Moses stated that a newborn Jewish baby boy was to be circumcised on the 8^th day.  Well if the 8^th day landed on Saturday, the Sabbath, then they would take up the tool, the knife, and they would get busy!  And so Jesus says here, your anger is kindled against Me because I made a man completely whole on the Sabbath?  You should be rejoicing!  How many babies were operated on, on that same day?  You strain at a gnat and swallow a camel!  Man perceived sin looks so much worse on others doesn’t it!

 

 

Verse 24, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”  Turn to Deuteronomy 1:16 - 17 with me and lets settle this thought of judgment…

 

The judgment of the people was hasty and partial and emotionally driven, subjective…and thus unrighteous, why?  Because for real, for really real, they were just looking for something in Him that they might condemn.  (stain on the shirt syndrome)

 

You ever do that?  You ever just find yourself noticing every little thing about someone that isn’t the picture of perfection?  Of course you do, we all do.  But it’s been said that even a nugget of gold has been known to be covered in dust. 

 

The Bible says to take every thought captive unto obedience to Christ and to dwell on, to look on, to choose to see whatever is good, whatever is pure, whatever is noble, whatever is of good report…why?  Because look, if you do that, Philippians 4 says that the God of peace will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus…which is the definition of righteousness.  And the ways of righteousness, the Bible says, leads to life! 

 

 

God desires to lead you in the ways of righteousness not so that you can be bland and boring and a stepping stool for the wicked, no!  So that you might have life!  And have it abundantly!  Exactly what He wanted for this crowd, but they wouldn’t have Him.  Will you?  Will you choose to believe?  A good test is if you’re willing to obey His word…choose His ways…look at Hebrews 3:18 – 19.

 

Verse 25, Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to kill?”  But look!  He speaks boldly (parresia) and they say nothing to Him.  Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ?

 

So word had apparently gotten out in Jerusalem that the religious rulers desired to kill Jesus, which is interesting because just a minute ago we saw them denying that, (back in verse 20)…and the people were stunned because here He is, speaking boldly, openly…speaking freely in the Synagogue and no one spoke against Him or stepped to Him.

Verse 27, However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.  Wrroonngg!  Here we see tradition stepping right in the way of truth.  Happens all the time. 

 

Col 2: 8 tells us that men are taken captive by tradition and for real, one of the hardest things to do is break tradition…but let me help…ask yourself this question > does truth come from man, or does it come from God?

 

The Jews had a tradition that the Messiah was just going to appear, suddenly appear, out of nowhere.  That idea probably developed from the 53^rd chapter of Isaiah, which says, “And who shall declare His generation?”  That is “who is able to declare His parentage” so they had developed this false idea…this tradition…

 

But the truth is that the scriptures were clear then and they are clear now as to where the Messiah would come from and Jesus clearly fulfilled those scriptures. 

 

Micah 5:2 says that the Messiah will come out of Bethlehem and we know from Luke 2:4-7 that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.  Matthew records for us a prophecy that was fulfilled by Jesus…in Matthew 2:23 it says, “And Jesus went and lived in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”  Jeremiah 23:5 says that the Messiah will come from the line of David, and we know from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke that both Mary and Joseph were descendants of David!

 

So it was clear where the Messiah would come from but their traditions had blinded them…they were cheated as Paul would write to the Colossians….which is what tradition apart from truth will always do…

 

Verse 28, Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, “You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.  But I know Him, for I am from (para) Him, and He sent Me.”

 

So He raises His voice and He says NO!  Recall the scriptures!  You know them and you know Me! I am the One, the Messiah…and what’s more, I and the Father are One!  He’s being very clear with them now.  Calling out to them to believe and be freed…and now they are at an action point…either believe and hear Him, or disbelieve and Hate Him.  Look at what they do…they divide…

 

Verse 30, Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.  And many of the people believed, and said, “When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?” 

We will see this several times…man seeking to do something yet God’s invincible will triumphing.  No one laid a hand on Him because God was and is in immediate control of the situation. 

 

Many in the crowd sought to kill Him, they were filled with indignation and aggression, yet they were powerless to do so because God would not permit it!  How comforting to believe Proverbs 19:21, that “there are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lord’s counsel, that alone will stand!”

 

It is the Lord who opens doors that no man can shut…and it is the Lord that shuts doors that no man can open…and not a hair on your head can be touched by an enemy or an illness or a spirit of depression or a difficult situation…without His permission.   And with His permission comes His purpose.

 

The demon possessed Saul might hurl his javelin at David, but hurling it and killing him are two very different things.  Daniel might be cast into the den of lions, but God mysteriously sealed their mouths.  The three Hebrews were cast into the fiery furnace but to what end?   The flames could not touch them as they were upheld by the Lord Himself.  Joseph was cast into the pit and sold into slavery, only to become second in command to Pharaoh and ultimately save His entire family and people.

 

God’s ways are higher.  And the moment all is made clear to us, when we are standing in His presence, you won’t have a better idea as to how your life should have gone.  It will be a divine a-ha moment!  Yes times may be tough now but rest in faith in God the Father that all things are part of God’s good plan, working out for His glory, His honor and also your holiness, your sanctification, and your freedom!

 

But many here did not believe, and they sought to kill Him…yet there were many who did believe and reasoned among themselves…they said, “What more do we need?”  “When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than this Man?”

 

Romans 5:8 says that “God has demonstrated His love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  What more do we need?  He has given us all He ever had…He has provided a way for us to inherit, to be gifted salvation and everlasting life…is there anything more needed?  I’ll tell you this…on that day, when we stand in His presence, the answer will be a resounding “no!”  When all that is temporary has passed away…all that will matter is Jesus.  That should be the case today as it will be forever.