John 7:14-24 (ESV)

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.”

Halfway through the Feast of Booths, Jesus went to the temple, which would have been swollen with crowds, including people visiting Jerusalem. Jesus began to teach, and the Jews who heard him were astonished. They wondered how Jesus, an unschooled and untrained man, had so much “learning.” He didn’t go to the notable rabbis of the day for his education. How was he able to handle the Scriptures so masterfully? Those trained by the leading religious experts deferred to the opinions and decisions of past rabbis. But Jesus was different because he only taught what was from God. The people actually challenged Jesus’ credentials. How ironic! God took on flesh, and the people wondered what qualified him to teach! Jesus explained that he wasn’t self-taught. Instead, God taught him. Now, does this mean that Jesus “just knew” everything because he was God? Not really. As a human, he chose to limit himself and only exercise his divinity when it was to the glory of the Father. When he took on flesh, he played by the rules of humanity, suffering and learning in the same way we do. But he did it all perfectly, without any error or even slight deviation from the will of the Father.

Jesus added, “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 crowd listened to Jesus perfectly communicate the desire of God to humanity, but they didn’t believe him. Their unbelief had nothing to do with Jesus’ education, presentation, or explanation of eternal truths. Those who rejected him did so because they didn’t want to turn from their own ways and do what God asked. So too today, people will hear the word of God, yet walk away unchanged. It’s not the fault of the Scripture when God’s message makes no impact, but the fault of the hearer who honestly isn’t willing to do things God’s way. When God moves a soul to desire obedience to Jesus, that person knows the teaching of Jesus is from God.  If you are struggling today, ask God to make you willing to do his will. He wants you to want what he wants. Stop and ask him to help you do what is right.