Bible Reading for January 18 – John 7:1-24

Why has Jesus Christ always been so controversial? Simply put, because of what He says and because of what He does. Because His words and deeds don’t fit neatly into our human understanding, many people reject Him.

But this is nothing new. John tells us in verse 12 that many thought that Jesus was leading the people astray with His teaching. And why? Because He refused to gloss over the problem of human sin. He was bold enough to point out how even those who thought they were so righteous were actually breaking the Law of Moses (v. 19). And because He continues to tell the world that its works are evil, the world wants nothing to do with Him (v. 7).

And Jesus’ actions are often just as confusing as His words. After all, Jesus Himself pointed out one of the main reasons that the religious leaders objected to His ministry – His willingness to bring healing into people’s lives on the Sabbath (v. 23). But people still call His actions into question today, especially when healing doesn’t come to their loved ones in the way they think it should. Those who insist that they know better than Jesus will always have a problem with Him.

So, what should we think about Jesus’ words and works? We must remember that everything He says comes from God (v. 16), so it’s simply not our place to sit in judgment on His teachings. And instead of insisting that Jesus do only the things that make sense to us, we must use right judgment (v. 24), recognizing that He wields His sovereign power in His way and in His time. There’s just no other way to see Jesus clearly.

John 7:1-24 (ESV)

After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him.
2 Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand.
3 So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing.
4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.”
5 For not even his brothers believed in him.
6 Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here.
7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.
8 You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.”
9 After saying this, he remained in Galilee.
10 But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private.
11 The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?”
12 And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.”
13 Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.
14 About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching.
15 The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?”
16 So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.
17 If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.
18 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.
19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?”
20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?”
21 Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it.
22 Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.
23 If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well?
24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”