Last week we saw the conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders begin to grow in John 7. John 7 is full of differing reactions/responses. Some wondered if Jesus could be the Messiah or perhaps the prophet to come. The religious leaders increasingly viewed Jesus as a threat to their ‘authority’.
Some of the people were aware the religious leaders were trying to kill Jesus:
At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?
The reason they had not arrested or killed Jesus yet or at that time is because:
At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.
His hour, his time had not yet come. Jesus was aware of the hour that was coming, but it was not at this incident. Jesus knew he was here for a purpose. In his writing, John mentions hour/time not yet come repeatedly.
Many people wondered if Jesus was the Messiah:
“When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs than this man?”
Others wondered if he was the prophet Moses spoke of:
On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”
The religious leaders sent guards to arrest Jesus, but: they didn’t because they were amazed by Jesus.
“No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied.
Nicodemus tried to speak up:
Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”
Then the religious leaders showed they were actually the ignorant ones who did not know the word of God by saying:
They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”
How can I say that? You know the popular verses from Isaiah 9 at Christmas time about Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace, Almighty God, etc?
Well Isaiah chapter 9 begins with:
but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan
Galilee is mentioned as being honored right before the verses about Wonderful Counselor….
They claimed to be the educated and wise ones but they missed a simple verse at the beginning of the chapter about the Messiah.
So who do we think Jesus is?
What is our response/reaction to Jesus?
Thank you for reading. God Bless.
Jesusluvsall's Blog 
Leave a comment