God's Authority

Scripture:

The Jews therefore marveled, saying, "How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied? So Jesus answered them, "My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 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. 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. Has Moses not given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law."

Observation:

The Jews rejected Jesus because they didn't like his teaching. He didn't have the religious education that they expected a teacher to have. Even though everything Jesus said was true, they didn't receive it because it didn't line up with their own teachings. The Jewish religious leaders were all about pleasing man, instead of God. Jesus explains that there is a higher authority that we all must obey, that is God. The Jews claimed to follow the law of Moses, which is good because the law of Moses is really God's law. But the problem with the religious leaders, is that they used the law to oppress people, and Jesus told them that none of them even keeps the law themselves.

They were more like a gang than a body of believers. Look at this scripture that comes later in the chapter: "Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?" So their standard for truth was based on what their religious leaders thought. If the Pharisees didn't agree with it, then they weren't gonna agree either. If they were really looking to the scripture to please God and not man, then they would know that what Jesus was saying is true. Listen to what Jesus said prior to this encounter: "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life."

Application:

What we have here is a group of men, who were ultimately following other men. The blind leading the blind, and they had all fallen into a ditch. It is sad because they had an elaborate religious system, that was initially created to honor God. The religious leaders had turned the house of God into a market place, and they started to seek the open praise of men, instead of the secret approval of God. It just goes to show you that when you are truly following God, even people who are also suppose to be following God will turn against you. Sometimes proclaiming the truth comes with a high price. It can cause people to hate you, maybe even in your own church. I'm so glad that we all have our own Bibles, so that we don't have to put all our trust in other men. I'm so thankful that we have the liberty to know truth. I'm so thankful for pastors and teachers that aren't trying to be sovereign over us, that love us and care about us.

I found a scripture of one Pharisee who stood up to the religious leaders, a very brave man. His name is Nicodemus, this is what he says: Nicodemus, who had gone to him(Jesus) before, and who was one of them, said to them, "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?" They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee" When they asked Nicodemus if he was from Galilee too, it was meant as an insult.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank you for sending Jesus Christ to die on the cross for me. Thank you for the gift of eternal life. Thank you for turning me into a new person that loves Jesus and hates sin. Help me to avoid the trap of pleasing men over you, and forgive me for when I have done it in the past. I pray for family friends and co-workers that don't know you. In Jesus name, Amen!

2 Timothy 3:14-17

... you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.