Jesus the Theologian

Well if you have your bibles this morning please turn with me to John 7 Starting in verse 14 today.. I have titled this message this morning, “Jesus the Theologian”

Last week we had seen that the time that was on hand was the Feast of Booths, and people from all around the world would come to Jerusalem during this time of year. And we saw that Jesus brothers would encourage Jesus to visit there, and do all his signs and wonders to the people there. So he could have has biggest crowds ever, and his following would grow. But as we learned last week Jesus accomplished all his goals in due time.

And today we find ourselves today during the middle of the feast and Jesus entering into the fold. And teaching the people in ways they did not expect in a hostile environment. Before we read our text this morning let us pray.

John 7:14–31 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.” 25 Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? 26 And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? 27 But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” 28 So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. 29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” 30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”

For those taking notes this morning the main point I have for you is this…

Jesus the Theologian’s teaching is heavenly, righteous, and true.

When I think about theologians I think about people like, Augustine, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, but none of these men are not the theologian Christ is.

A theologian is a a person who engages or is an expert in Theology. Your pastor is what is known as poor man’s theologian compared to the men the listed, and especially compared to the greatest theologian of all time, Christ.

Christ was an expert Theologian, lets look today why this was the case…

If you are taking notes the first point I have for you is this…

Jesus teaching is heavenly

Jesus was going up to the temple to teach, we dont know what Jesus was teaching we only know that the teaching that Jesus was doing marveled them. They were astonashed this man could teach so well? He seemed to be a season scholar, a seasoned theologian. One who could handle the scriptures rightly.

And the Jews wondered how could this be the case if he was not trained by the great rabbis of the time. How could a man not trained handle the scriptures so well, do so as masterfully as Jesus did.

He never had a bible college degree, he never went to seminary, but he did not need to because his teaching was heavenly.

It had come directly from God. Jesus said his teaching was not his, but from the one who sent me. I love what one theologian said, “Earlier prophets could thunder, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ But Jesus’ words and deeds are so much at one with the Father’s, not only because of his unqualified obedience but also because he does everything the Father does (5:19ff.), that Jesus can legitimately and repeatedly presage his remarks with an authoritative, ‘I tell you the truth”

He does not need to say thus says the Lord, because he is Lord.

Jesus spoke with authority that they have never seen before. In a way they have never heard, they thought he was unlearned, but his origin is heavenly. It was authoritative. In the gospel of Mark it explains the kind of teaching he had.It it says in Mark 1:22

Mark 1:22 ESV

22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

Jesus teaching was different, and people took note of it. Because of the authority in which he taught. And one of those impactful things he says is in verse 17. John 7:17

John 7:17 ESV

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.

Jesus is telling the people in the temple. This teaching that I have is from God, and you would know this if you were seeking God’s will. You would know what I am saying is from God, you would know that my words are heavenly, believers in this room or listening online know that the teachings of Jesus are from God. Its plain, because they are not of the world. Jesus teaches us about God from heavenly perspectives. With power and truth, and for the glory of God.

and Jesus drives this home even more in verse 18.

John 7:18 ESV

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.

Jesus makes it known that he is here to glorify God, and not himself. He is about the fathers business, and not just his own. Something they did not yet understand. Jesus was about the glory of God, and we should be as well.

His example of glorifying God is a model for us how we should live! Jesus the Theologian teaching is heavenly. He is the expert not the Jews, He is, He has the authority to speak of what the scriptures mean.

It would be like today someone who invented something explaining how it works, and his authority on the subject would be greater, be the most accurate, that person would have the greater authority not someone who studied how it works. Jesus teaching is from the source heaven, and those who recognize that are children of God.

Second thing I want you to take note of is this…

Jesus teaching exposes self righteousness

You see this beginning in verse 19. John 7:19

John 7:19 ESV

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

Jesus as we have seen many times in this gospel is coming after the self righteous. Moses as we have seen many times brought up by Jesus gave the people the law. But Jesus reminds them they don’t follow the law, and because of that they want to kill him.

Seems odd doesn’t it. Why would they want to kill Jesus because they themselves dont follow the law, they even thought this was insane, they accuse Jesus of having a demon, because of this…

They could have thought that Jesus was paranoid, because no-one just then told him they wanted to kill him, but Jesus is exposing there hearts. Exposing there wickedness, before there very own eyes. Exposing the fact that they wanted to kill Jesus.

and we see this as we continue in text.

He says....

John 7:21–23 ESV

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?

The work Jesus did, was referring to the healing of the man on the Sabbath. If you were not here during that sermon you can go back and listen online, but in John 5 we seen that Jesus healed the paralytic man and as a result the Jews were persecuting Jesus because he did it on a certain day. Even though they marveled at what he could do.

But what Jesus is about to do, is expose them for doing good and doing the right things during the sabbath themselves.

He gives an example about circumcision, and said to them it wasn’t really moses that gave you this, even though he states it in his law to circumcise someone on the 8th day.

One theologian said, “Whether the circumcision law came from Moses or from the time of the patriarchs, the result was the same: you circumcise a child on the Sabbath. The law required that circumcision take place on the eighth day. If a child were born on the Sabbath, the eighth day (in an inclusive system of reckoning) fell on the subsequent Sabbath. The question, then, is which law takes precedence: the command that the child be circumcised on the eighth day, or the prohibition against all regular work on the Sabbath day. Jesus’ words record the conclusion: the Jews regularly circumcised their children on the Sabbath, if the Sabbath was the eighth day”

So after looking at the previous verses there has to be some some sort of conclusion that there is a hierarchy when it comes to following the law. And Jesus was following that hierarchy when he healed the man on the Sabbath, he didn’t have to wait until the next day just to do good, just like the Jews were following the law when they circumcised on the 8th day.

I love what one man said, Jesus’ healing of the whole man thereby becomes a fulfillment of Old Testament circumcision, on the very day that served as a signal of God’s Old Testament purposes of redemption and rest. Jesus’ reasoning is not the pettifogging- thats your word for the day, but what that means is placing undue emphasis on petty details of a theologian determined to exonerate his own mistaken practice at all costs, but insistence that his activity is the fulfillment of the redemptive purposes of God set forth in the old covenant, and therefore an anticipation of the argument not only in Galatians 3 but also in Hebrews 4. It is further evidence that Moses wrote of Christ which we have already seen in John 5:46

Which means Jesus did not break the law healing the man, thus there accusations against him are not valid. He didn’t break the law by doing good, he only did what was right, and what God called him to. They had an improper view of Judgement and Jesus says this in verse 24.

John 7:24 ESV

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

They were judging Jesus wrongly during this and he set them strait. He exposed there own self-righteous, there own legalism, there own justification to vilify Jesus Christ.

Luckily for us Jesus doesn’t have to expose our self-righteousness, because Christians don’t have that struggle. Right.. That’s wrong just making sure you were paying attention.

Jesus exposes our own self righteousness often, probably for most of us daily basis. Now our self righteousness comes out in a variety of different ways. Most of us struggle with some sort of legalism looking at certain sins, and not others.

Saying I don’t do what this person does therefore I not guilty like they are. Its crazy to think they tried to do this to Jesus, but were sorely mistaken. Jesus exposed the Jews in this text who wanted to kill him, because they thought he did something that he should not have done. He exposed there self righteousness.

Jesus is harsh on the self righteous, and we should take note of this… We see this most in Matthew 23.

But for the sake of time I wont read it today, its a pretty long chapter, but encourage you to look it up later in your own time. But one article I read said Pharisees have these common traits of self righteousness. Let me read you those 6 and briefly talk about how they apply to us and this text..

1. Pharisees know what to say, but do not do what they say. ( The Jews were not unlearned, they they often did not follow through with what they believe. ( they tried to trap Jesus for doing something they did.) Christians don’t always have a knowledge of God problem, we have a problem following Christ.

2. Pharisees practice their faith to be seen by others. ( They wanted to be known as the most religious of all people, and have others see that very thing ) While believers are called to be light, I believe we need to be authentic, thats what my name now is, to be who I am at all times whether I am alone, or with others.

3. Pharisees keep people from Jesus and his grace. ( the Pharisees questioned Jesus at every turn they guilted others into not following him) Christians must be active in showing grace, and not turning people away from Christ.

4. Pharisees add their convictions and traditions to the word of God. ( they had so many laws, that went beyond the word of God ) It was so exhausting I am sure to make sure that you never broke one of these laws. They made living for God such a burden rather than freedom ) This point is a double edged sword.. Professing Christians are going in both directions with this. One compromising the word, because of the direction of society, buying into lies that are not true, and making them Christian, but another adding so much to the word that distorts the word of God.

5. Pharisees lack love for people in need. ( The man in the text that Jesus healed was a man who was invalid, he needed compassion, yet they did not love him properly ) Christians are called to love people in need. James 1:27

James 1:27 ESV

27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

6. Pharisees cover sin instead of confessing and repenting. This is a big one.. The Pharisees failed to understand there own sin. Failed to understand that they needed a Messiah, they needed salvation. Failed to see that they were as Jesus says whitewashed tombs. though they were knowledgeable about God, they were not knowledgeable about there sin. The greatest freedom that comes for the believer is when they themselves understand they need forgiveness, and they have a savior who can give them that very thing. Don’t cover your sin, take it to Jesus, confess it to him repent of it, turn away from it, and be free.

Don’t let your own self-righteous keep you from a relationship with Jesus. Don’t let it effect with your relationship with Jesus. Let Jesus teach you that you are not righteous, and that you need him. Jesus exposes self righteousness and helps us grow as believers.

Dont let your self righteousness get in the way of being a witness for Christ.

Third thing I want you to take note of is this.

Jesus teaching is true.

After Jesus had said a few things.... some of the people of Jerusalem were like is this not the man they seek to kill? He is just out here teaching in front of everyone. He is wanted man, and yet he here amongst us. Speaking openly and no one is saying anything to him.

Can this mean that the authorities really think this man is the Christ?

Jesus was like those men you see on the wanted posters, people wanted him captured, wanted him dead, yet he is openly teaching truth among them.

Yet for the people they thought they knew where this man was from. They thought he was from Galilee, but we know he was born in Bethlehem.

Now this text says something interesting, says that no one will know where where he comes from. The Jews had different ideas of where the Messiah would come from. Some said he would come from Bethlehem like it says in Micah 5:2

Micah 5:2 ESV

2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

But others think his origin would not be known. He would come from out of no where, yet be born like all others. To come and rescue them, so if that was the case, then in their minds Jesus would not be the Messiah, but we know something they did not know and that was Jesus was from Bethlehem as it says in Matthew 2:1-2

Matthew 2:1–2 ESV

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

So Jesus continues speaking to them, maybe by overhearing them or knowing their hearts…

He says this. John 7:28-29

John 7:28–29 ESV

28 So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. 29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.”

He isn’t acknowledging that they know his origin, he is crying out that he comes from God, and they don’t know God. Jesus knows God, he is God, and as we have seen many times in this book, he has been with God for all time, and therefore he knows the truth. Not them, he reminds them He who sent me is true, there is no falsehood in God, but he tells them him you do not know. There is false belief among these people. Because they don’t know God.

A common factor we have seen in this book, the biggest problem is not what Jesus is teaching though they say it’s the issue , the biggest issue is that they don’t know God, and there sin manifests itself into a variety of different ways including claiming to being wiser than God, self righteousness, and as we have seen unbelief.

Jesus coming from God was true, he is sent from God, and as we have seen he is about the Fathers work.

Jesus teaching is true. The great thing we learned from last week was Jesus accomplishes all his goals in due time. And as much as they wanted to arrest them they could not do so because the hour had not yet come. Another fascinating thing about Jesus which I believe validates his ministry is how things worked during his time. Showing that his teaching was true.

Yet even through the hostility that was going on, many believed in Jesus. They could not imagine someone else who could do the things Jesus did.

Jesus is the ultimate theologian. They tried to test him like teachers do to their students, and he passed with flying colors, despite not going to the most elite, schools, or learning under people like Gamaliel. He knew all the answers, because he was sent from God.

One man said, I know the Father, and not just from a distance—I’m from Him. He sent Me.” Do you hear the warning? “If you won’t hear the One whom God sent, whom will you hear?”

If we dont hear Jesus words, see what he is saying is from heaven, see that he exposes our sin, and self righteousness, and see that his words are true, then we will never truly know God. Where are you at today? Have you seen that Christ’s words are from heaven. Seen that he exposes self-righteousness, and that his words are true. If you have keep the faith, but if you have not seen that in your life today.

God is gracious, and he died on the cross for sinners, he died for his children, and his children are those who repent of there sins, and put there faith in Christ alone. If you do that today, you to can become his child.

Every week we have a time of response. I want to invite you to respond today. If that means you want to know Christ by faith, then praise the Lord, if you want to take a step of obedience and be baptized, or join this church or just need prayer. Respond how the Lord leads you today.

And remember Jesus the Theologian’s teaching is heavenly, righteous, and true.

Let us pray…