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There Was Division Over Jesus - John 7
There Was A Division Over Jesus John 7
If Jesus was anything it was controversial! "I came to cause division" (Luke 12:51). He accomplished this. As Jesus preached in the temple area at the feast of booths, John simply says: "So there was a division among the people over him" (John 7:43). Jesus had been to Jerusalem before and taught in the temple and did great wonders and signs among the people. Leaving Jerusalem and traveling throughout the land He continued to teach in all their synagogues and perform such works. Now it was time for another great feast.
With great anticipation then "the Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” 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.” (John 7:11-12). BOTH opinions cannot be true. A religious leader who leads the people astray cannot be a good man!
Listen to the people:
“How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” (15).
“You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” (20).
“Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! (25).
"Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? (26).
"… we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” (27)
“This really is the Prophet.” (40).
“This is the Christ.” (41).
“Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” (42).
“No one ever spoke like this man!" (46).
“Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed" (47-49).
How can there be so many opinions about Jesus? Because opinions are based upon reasoning from what people know. Many of them had limited knowledge of the facts. This doesn't stop people from drawing conclusions it only means that such conclusions are usually wrong! Some refused to acknowledge obvious facts. Some were more concerned on the 'credentials' of the teacher and not the content of His teaching. Others were more concerned with what the 'leading authorities thought'. Yet in all of these opinions, truth was openly there to be believed.
He was Jesus. The Son of David. Born in Bethlehem. A prophet from Galilee. The Messiah. The prophet that Moses promised. A man who cast out demons and opposed the kingdom of darkness. A teacher of truth. A good man.
Things haven't changed much. There is still a great division over Jesus. People are still saying 'he is a good man'… BUT …. They then deny some aspect of Jesus' teaching.
"Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (John 20:30-31). Hugh DeLong
