John 7:14–24 Sermon

Sermon Text

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.”

Outline

1. The Setting/Introduction (v.14)

2. A Question and Christ’s Response (v.15-19)

3. The Crowds answer and Christ’s Response (v.20-24)

1. The Setting/Introduction (v.14)

Verse 14 About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching.

The setting has us about the middle of the feast where Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching.

Last week in the beginning of chapter 7 we saw that Jesus, after speaking in the synagogue in Capernaum, would go about/walk around Galilee.

The setting has us about the middle of the feast where Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching.

Jesus avoided going south to Judea because according to verse 1, the Jews were seeking to kill him there.

the Jews were seeking to kill him.

Jesus’ brothers in verses 3 and 4 said to Him,

“Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

And John waisted no time telling us that they did not believe in Him in verse 5.

Which was something we looked into given that these were His very own brothers.

We spoke of how it did not matter whether we are born into a Christian family, or even a broken home.

Saving faith happens only by God granting it no matter the background.

God saves by grace which does not consider the person’s merit or achievements. Which was an encouraging truth that we found in the fact that even His own brothers did not believe.

This was an encouraging truth which we found in the fact that even His own brothers did not believe.

Jesus went on to explain how His time had not yet come and that the world could not hate those who did not believe.

John 7:6–7 ESV

6 Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.

John 7:6-

His time had not yet come, meaning that the time of His death and resurrection was already appointed and it was not at the time that His brother had asked.

If He did go to Judea He would have been killed by the people there.

He also said to His brothers that the world could not hate them. This was because they were of the world. They did not believe.

The world hates Christ because He testified that its works were evil and unbelievers could not testify that their works were evil because they themselves were of the world.

The world hates Chrst me because I testify about it that its works are evil.

His brothers would afterwards, go to the feast, which was the feast of booths, and Jesus would go not publicly but privately according to verse 10.

The setting has us about the middle of the feast where Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching.

The people there were complaining about what He had said about Himself.

Afterwards He went up to the temple there and began to teach.

The people there were complaining about what He had said about Himself.

the people there were complaining about what He had said about Himself.

And we saw that there was division among them about who He was.

John 7:12-

John 7:12–13 ESV

12 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.” 13 Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.

As He was teaching there we see the response to His teaching. They marveled at what He was teaching there in the temple.

He refused to go to Judea and He did not succumb to man’s timing. He was on divine time. And He made it clear that His time had not yet come.

He was on divine time. His time had not yet come.

We continue onto verses 15-24 where we see,

2. A Question and Christ’s Response (v.15-19)

Read Verse 15 The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?”

The question asked here was: “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?”

This came because they marveled at what He was teaching there at the temple.

To marvel meant to wonder at some event or object. It meant, to be amazed.

They were amazed at what Jesus had spoken because they said he has learning but never studied.

This may have meant that they assumed Jesus to not have studied under a Rabbi.

What we do see here is that they acknowledged that He had learning. Meaning that He knew the Scriptures.

They were marveled by it. Mainly because of the depth and knowledge in which Jesus spoke.

This reminded me of what Jesus had spoken earlier in John 6:45-46.

John 6:45–46 ESV

45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— 46 not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.

Jesus had spoken of those who heard and learned from the Father as those who would come to Him. Which proved their belief in Him.

Which proves that they believe.

But Jesus however speaks not as One who has been taught by God, but He was teaching as One sent by the Father.

as One who’s teaching is from God.

This is what He tells them in verse 16.

Read Verse 16 So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.

Anything Jesus spoke was directly from the Father who sent Him.

So the question, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?...”

Is answered with “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.”

This again highlights the humility of the Son and the reason for their marveling at it.

Jesus, the very word of God, always referred to the Father as the authority and reason for anything spoken and done by Him.

And those who have learned from the Father and have been drawn by Him, they will see and hear that this is from God!

Verse 17 tells us who it is that could understand what Jesus had spoken.

“My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.

Read Verse 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.

Anyone who’s will is to do God’s will, will have discernment.

They will know “whether the teaching is from God or whether Jesus is speaking on His own authority.”

This goes back to those who do not believe.

If you do not believe genuinely, you cannot be about God’s will. And if this is the case, you will reject the Scriptures for what they say about Christ.

This passage shows us that one without saving faith can be amazed by teaching even coming from Christ Himself without genuine saving faith.

Remember ?

John 5:39–40 ESV

39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

They were not about God’s will because they did not believe.

They were amazed by Him yet they refused to come to Him.

And the evidence of this was found in their seeing Christ as:

Only a good man

He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” 13 Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

Leading the people astray

Which proves that they did not have faith.

Jesus tethered all that He had spoken and taught to the Father who sent Him.

Jesus did not come on His own authority which we can see over and over again.

To be amazed by Jesus is not enough. One has to believe that Jesus was sent by the Father and was Himself the Christ, the Son of God!

Jesus constantly spoke of being sent by the Father.

John 4:34 ESV

34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

John 5:24 ESV

24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

John 5:36–37 ESV

36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen,

John 5:36-

John 5:30 ESV

30 “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

John 6:38 ESV

38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.

John 6:44 ESV

44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

John 6:57 ESV

57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.

John 6:

John 7:16 ESV

16 So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.

Jesus made it absolutely clear that He was sent. And that He was not about His own authority. But that He was about the Father’s will.

Question: How about us?

Question: Are we about the Father’s will accomplished in Christ Jesus?

Being about His will does not mean a trouble free life

Being about His will does not mean you do everything right in your life

Being about His will does not mean

Being about the will of God means that you believe and trust in Him who was sent by the Father and by believing you have life in His name no matter what is going on around you.

This passage shows us an amazing truth. Namely, that Jesus was in perfect submission to the Father. And for us who believe, this gives us the example to follow.

For us who believe, this gives us the example to follow.

And if we are about His will then it will be proven that our teaching comes from God.

John 6:45 ESV

45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—

John 6:45–46 ESV

45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— 46 not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.

There is a difference between good teaching and biblical teaching.

Jesus’ teaching was not left to just being good teaching. It was teaching from God. It was biblical teaching.

Good teaching can give you truths in Scripture

But biblical teaching seeks to glorify God in giving you the truths in Scripture

Good teaching can be helpful even to unbelievers and practical

But biblical teaching seeks to glorify God in exposing unbelief which also reveals that being amazed is not enough

Good teaching can be learned with no eternal reward

But biblical teaching is learned and taught by God and it is taught to those who have been given eternal life

The teaching Jesus gave was from the Father, and He taught in total submission to His will.

He did not come in His own authority. Meaning that He did not come to glorify Himself! If He did, they would have accepted Him.

If He did, they would have accepted Him.

This brings up again why people are so eager to accept someone even when teaching falsely.

If one is about their own glory, they would only want to receive someone who is about their own glory.

But one who acknowledges their total inability apart from grace, one who desires the glory of God, their teaching will only draw in those who are about the glory of God and those who are not about His will, will reject it. Which is the majority.

We see this in John chapter 5 which is still the case today.

John 5:41–44 ESV

41 I do not receive glory from people. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

Their inability to believe is proven by their desire to see someone come in their own name.

When they seek someone who is about their own glory it gives them hope for their own.

That is why people succumb to man centered, unbiblical teaching.

Jesus unpacks this more in verse 18.

Read Verse 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.

There are those who seek their own glory. And the proof of this, is found in their teaching.

They do not seek the glory of God, they seek their own. And in seeking their own they will gather people who are about their own glory.

Paul warned Timothy about this in .

2 Timothy 4:3 ESV

3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

Teaching that comes from God prioritizes His glory.

And it speaks of Jesus as true in whom there is no falsehood.

A rejection of teaching that comes from God proves that the one rejecting it is false. They will prove to have falsehood within them.

They will prove to have falsehood within them.

Which Jesus exposed in verse 19 to those who were there.

Read Verse 19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?”

They could not keep the law.

First, because no one could keep the law fully.

Second, their rejection of whom the law and the prophets spoke of revealed their spiritual condition. Which was proven in them wanting to kill the One who was sent by God.

This is proven in them wanting to kill the One who was sent by God. Who was Himself God and it was proven in their reliance upon their submission to the law.

One who truly follows Christ admits that they cannot keep the law fully.

One who truly follows Christ admits that they cannot keep the law fully.

We admit our dependency upon Jesus who fulfilled the law.

They thought they were doing so. But those who truly believe, rely on the law being fulfilled by Christ.

This brings to light the difference between moralism and holiness.

Moralism focuses on good

Holiness focuses on God

Moralism teaches adherence to the law

Holiness depends on the fulfillment of the law in Christ

Moralism calls us to action

Holiness calls us to dependency for our actions

None of them kept the law and the crowd responded to Jesus, making very clear that His teaching was directly from God, they responded with calling Jesus mad and demon possessed.

The crowds response to Jesus making it clear that His teaching was directly from God caused many of them to accuse Him.

caused many of them to accuse Him.

The Jews sought to kill Jesus, which He exposed by telling them and the crowds responded.

3. The Crowds answer and Christ’s Response (v.20-24)

Read Verse 20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?”

This was not the only time they accused Jesus of having a demon.

John 8:48 ESV

48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

Jesus refuting this in the following verse said,

John 8:49 ESV

49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.

In , it tells us what was in their minds when it came to the use of calling one to have a demon.

John 10:20 ESV

20 Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?”

Them calling someone having a demon was a way to label one insane or mad.

They assumed He was mad for saying that there were those who wanted to kill Him. They might have thought Him to be paranoid.

In , the Jews sought to kill Him because they thought He broke the Sabbath and it was because He claimed to be equal with the Father.

Later in Jesus said,

John 8:37 ESV

37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you.

Jesus knew what was in the hearts of those who wanted to kill Him.

And the crowds concluded wrong for saying that He was insane.

What we do know is that they could not see or hear what Jesus was teaching.

Jesus goes on in detail as to why they wanted to kill Him.

Read Verse 21 Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it.

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

Read Verse 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?

The Jews here must have been from Jerusalem.

Jesus making a man’s whole body well is found in John chapter 5 where He healed a man at the pool on the Sabbath.

They persecuted Jesus,

John 5:16 ESV

16 And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.

And they wanted to kill Him because He did this on the Sabbath ().

Calling Him to have a demon and seeking to kill Him proved their unbelief.

It is telling us clearly that the words of Christ found no place in them.

But a believing heart,

A believing heart [is able to discern good teaching from biblical teaching.]

A believing heart is able to discern the words of Christ as life because the words of Christ has found a place within the believer

A believing heart is able to discern

A believing heart would have said what Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life

English Standard Version Chapter 6

Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

A believing heart would have been able to judge, not by appearances only, but with right judgement

Which is the result of saving faith.

After Jesus telling them what they needed to hear, He said in verse 24,

Verse 24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

Read Verse 24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

Judging by appearances will leave one to believe Jesus to be just a good man or a lunatic.

But with right judgement, one will believe that Jesus was sent by the Father. And one who believes will rejoice in the teaching and preaching of God’s word. Which is done for His glory and our good.

We are not called to judge by what appears to be true and good.

This reminded me of the proverb in ,

Proverbs 14:12 ESV

12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

We are called to judge with right judgement. Which is done by our faith and in the words of Jesus.

Which is only found in the Scriptures.

That is why we believe in sola scriptura.

The Westminster Confession of Faith says,

“The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men.”

Article 1 - The Holy Scriptures 1-1.

The Holy Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are the inspired, infallible Word of God, a divine revelation, the original writings of which were verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit. They are the supreme and final authority of faith and conduct.

We should judge everything according to what God has spoken in Scripture.

We should judge everything according to what God has spoken in Scripture.

God has called us not to judge by appearances, but to judge with right judgment.

And the only way to do this is to measure everything with what God has spoken and taught in His word