Christ's Challenge to Unbelievers
John 7:14-20
If you knew there is a place where people want to kill you, would there be something that could make you go there anyway?
#willofgod
#knowledge
Published April 28th, 2020; Updated April 28th, 2020
Notes
Main point summary
Arc
Phrase
Notes
The Lord Jesus was in danger of being murdered yet he went to the feast upon His Father's will. He was motivated by love. It was not fear that drove Him to do that but love to His Father and people. 7:15-17 Uneducated: The Lord Jesus had not the credentials for teaching the scriptures. He was a carpenter. And yet His teaching exceeded the educated leaders in all respects. Divine teaching exceeds the school of men. There are humble Christians with no formal theological education who exceed educated Pastors, Priests, and MDivs in their knowledge of God and Scripture. There is a place for dedicating time in a school to learn but it cannot replace the one-on-one teaching the Lord gives when Christians spend time in Scripture. 7:18 My way or God's way: The Lord Jesus and the Fathers will were 100% in unity from all eternity. But the Lord did everything for the Father and in the authority of the Father. All timing and location of His presence and actions were in the will of the Father. He did not puff up His ego as people do who think and act selfishly. 7:19-20 Doing and desiring God's will: The hindrance to do God's will is fundamentally moral, not intellectual. People do not believe God because they love and desire sin - a moral problem. Therefore, turn from sinful and selfish ways to God's redemptive offer of sins forgiven and a new spiritual life in Jesus Christ.
notes
Main point summary
Halfway through the feast, Christ taught in the temple and the Jews marveled about His knowledge. Christ declares the validity and origin of His teaching and Himself. He points out the leader's unlawful desires against a righteous one. The people are deceived and perceive Christ as a lunatic.
Arc
editing
NT
John 7:14-20
nkjv
mine
Now about the middle of the feast
Jesus went up
temporal
into the temple
locative
and taught.
actionresult
And the Jews marveled, saying,
“How does this Man know letters,
How does this Man know the Scriptures so well
having never studied?”
without formal education?
ideaexplanation
Jesus answered them and said,
“My doctrine is not Mine,
What I teach is not my own doctrine,
but His who sent Me.
but it is the teaching of the one who sent Me, i.e. God the Father.
negativepositive
If anyone wills to do His will,
Those who desire to do God's will,
he shall know concerning the doctrine,
know concerning the teaching,
whether it is from God
or whether I speak on My own authority.
alternative
conditional
He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory;
One who seeks His own honor may twist the truth for his honor and ego sake. But the one who seeks the honor of the one who sent him is trustworthy because he has no underling and conflicting motives for himself. I seek not My honor,
but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true,
but God the Fathers. He send Me and therefore I'm true,
and no unrighteousness is in Him.
and no unrighteousness is in Me.
inference
bilateral
Did not Moses give you the law,
Speaking of knowing, Moses gave you the law,
yet none of you keeps the law?
yet none of you keeps the law,
Why do you seek to kill Me?”
because you seek against Moses law to kill Me.
ground
concessive
progression
questionanswer
The people answered and said,
“You have a demon.
You must have a demon whispering it in your mind,
Who is seeking to kill You?”
because no one seeks to kill you.
The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” (John 7:46 ESV) And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. (Luke 2:47 ESV) And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” (Luke 4:22 ESV) Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13 ESV)
So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. (John 8:28 ESV) For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. (John 12:49 ESV) Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. (John 14:10 ESV) Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. (John 14:24 ESV) For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. (John 3:34 ESV)
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him... (John 3:17 ESV)
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, [32] and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32 ESV) Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” (John 14:21 ESV) Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. (John 14:23 ESV)
Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. (John 8:43 ESV) He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. (Psalms 25:9 ESV) Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. (Daniel 12:10 ESV) Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. (Philippians 3:15 ESV)
“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. (John 5:30 ESV)
I do not receive glory from people... (John 5:41 ESV) Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. (John 8:50 ESV)
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17 ESV)
After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. (John 7:1 ESV)
The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” (John 8:48 ESV) The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ (John 8:52 ESV) Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” (John 10:20 ESV) And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” (Mark 3:22 ESV)
discourse
Phrase
John 7:14-20
Now about the middle of the feast
Temporal
Jesus went up ... and taught.
into the temple
Locative
And the Jews marveled, saying,
“How does this Man know letters,
Content
having never studied?”
Context
Jesus answered them and said,
“My doctrine is not Mine,
Negative
but His who sent Me.
Ground
If anyone wills to do His will,
Condition
he shall know concerning the doctrine,
Content #1
whether it is
Result #1
from God
Source
or whether I speak
Result #2
on My own authority.
He who speaks from himself
seeks his own glory;
but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him
is true,
and no unrighteousness is
Explanation
in Him.
Did not Moses give you the law,
Concessive
yet none of you keeps the law?
Why do you seek to kill Me?”
Content #2
The people answered and said,
Answer
“You have a demon.
Who is seeking to kill You?”
Here is something you know but don't keep anyway
phrasing
Comments
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