The Doctrine of Jesus that Glorifies God and Their Wrong Judgment

Posted by Yong Joo Park on 26 February 2024 in John | ∞

John 7:15-24 [1]

15 And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”

16 Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. 18 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 in Him. 19 Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?”

20 The people answered and said, “You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?”

21 Jesus answered and said to them, “I did one work, and you all marvel. 22 Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

Message

I. The doctrine that glorifies God (15-21)

See v15.

15 And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”

Jesus taught them (John 7:14^c) without having never studied (15^c). This made the Jews ‘marveled’ (15^a). What is the response of Jesus? See v16.

16 Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.

The doctrine of Jesus is not from His own authority but from God who sent Him.

See v17.

17 If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.

This fact (16) can be verified if anyone wills to do His will.

See v18.

18 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 in Him.

Jesus does not seek His own glory but the glory of the One who sent Him. He is true and righteous. When we will to do the will of God who sent Jesus, God will be glorified. Therefore, we shall know that His doctrine is from God.

See v19.

19 Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?”

The 6^th commandment is ‘You shall not murder.’ (Exodus 20:13). But the Jewish leaders tried to murder Jesus (John 5:16, 18, 7:11, 25).

See v20.

20 The people answered and said, “You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?”

The people denied the fact that they were seeking to kill Him, by saying, “You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?” This expression shows their ‘anger’ (20, 23). ‘anger’ is also ‘murder’ according to what Jesus said in Matthew 5:21-22.

See v21.

21 Jesus answered and said to them, “I did one work, and you all marvel.

They all marveled at His work. Jesus was glorifying God indeed. However, they were angry at Him also (23).
How can they marveled at His work and be angry at Him who glorifies God? What’s wrong with their judgment?

II. Judging with righteous judgement (22-24)

22 Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.

Since God commanded Abraham to do circumcision before the law was given, the Jews circumcise every male child on the 8^th day after birth. The circumcision day could fall on the Sabbath day.

See v23.

23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath?

They worked (circumcised) on the Sabbath. The circumcision was the rule given by God before the law of Moses ever existed. How can they be angry with Jesus for doing God’s will to heal them on the Sabbath?

See v24.

24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

Jesus taught them to judge

not according to appearance
but with righteous judgment.

This tells us

not to be superficial
but to be detailed, genuine and thorough

to make the righteous judgment.

Their judgment was indeed superficial and unjust! Also, they shouldn't simply rely on what the Jewish leaders said about Jesus’ works performed on the Sabbath. They were unrighteous to make apparent judgment.

References