(John 7:11-13) So the Jews were seeking Him at the feast and were saying, “Where is He?” 12 There was much grumbling among the crowds concerning Him; some were saying, “He is a good man”; others were saying, “No, on the contrary, He leads the people astray.” 13 Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews.
Thus, there was some division among the leadership as far as Jesus went...
(John 7:14-19) But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and began to teach. 15 The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this man become learned, having never been educated?” 16 So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone is willing to do His will, he will 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?”
This would be a miracle had Jesus been just a man, for He grew up in the home of a carpenter. He would not have had access to the scriptures. But being fully man AND fully God - Jesus was involved with writing the scriptures (see John 1). The scriptures are His own words, so of course Jesus would have known the scriptures! And Jesus challenged those who had been educated and had studied God's words that they should be able to discern and understand what was going on. Instead...
(John 7:20-24) The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who seeks to kill You?” 21 Jesus answered them, “I did one deed, and you all marvel. 22 For this reason 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 so that the Law of Moses will 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.”
Keep in mind that the Pharisees had been adding to God's words by adding many, many do's and don't's, and now they say something contrary to what God's words say...
(John 7:25-27) So some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is this not the man whom they are seeking to kill? 26 Look, He is speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to Him. The rulers do not really know that this is the Christ, do they? 27 However, we know where this man is from; but whenever the Christ may come, no one knows where He is from.”
It is clear from the prophecies in the scriptures that Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem and come out of Nazareth, etc., but now Israelite's spiritual leaders who had studied the scriptures, decide that they knew better and how it should work. Hm, let's see... we want our Messiah to be more mysterious, and, we don't think HE would mess with our religion that we've established for ourselves! In fact, the REAL Messiah would come down and and come directly to us to say what a great job we're doing! How dare this guy challenge us!!! So Jesus' reply is...
(John 7:28-31) Then Jesus cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, “You both know Me and know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. 29 I know Him, because I am from Him, and He sent Me.” 30 So they were seeking to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 31 But many of the crowd believed in Him; and they were saying, “When the Christ comes, He will not perform more signs than those which this man has, will He?”
At least some of the people were still hoping and believing that Jesus was their Messiah, and were at least trying to consider everything they had seen and heard for themselves...
(John 7:32-36) The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about Him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to seize Him. 33 Therefore Jesus said, “For a little while longer I am with you, then I go to Him who sent Me. 34 You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.” 35 The Jews then said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find Him? He is not intending to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, is He? 36 What is this statement that He said, ‘You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?”
Just - wow! They wanted someone mysterious and it's right in front of their faces. But isn't that what most people do? They want things done on their terms. They want the control, and they want to totally understand something before they will consider believing anything about God. For God to have always existed? And then speak the universe into existence in just six days? Hm... no, they'd rather believe that everything came from absolutely nothing, and then destruction, death and random mutation which defies scientific facts around the DNA process - slowly, slowly morphed and evolved into something complex and functional - without purpose - without love in mind???...
(John 7:37-43) Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. 40 Some of the people therefore, when they heard these words, were saying, “This certainly is the Prophet.” 41 Others were saying, “This is the Christ.” Still others were saying, “Surely [the Christ is not going to come from Galilee, is He? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So a division occurred in the crowd because of Him
Do we try to be "too smart for our own good"? "Wise in our own eyes?" The real question comes down to - do we really want to find Truth? Truth is a fact! Something either is or it isn't...
(1 Timothy 4:1-8) I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; 8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.
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