John 7:14-24
Jesus Teaches at the Feast
14Not until halfway through the Feast did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. 15The Jews were amazed and asked, "How did this man get such learning without having studied?"
16Jesus answered, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. 17If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. 19Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?"
20"You are demon-possessed," the crowd answered. "Who is trying to kill you?"
21Jesus said to them, "I did one miracle, and you are all astonished. 22Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a child on the Sabbath. 23Now if a child can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing the whole man on the Sabbath? 24Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment."
The Jewish people wondered how Jesus had so much knowledge of scripture without having studied...Many learned people of His day, studied under a rabbi...Jesus tells the people that His teaching is not of His own, but comes from the Father...Jesus is a disciple of God, and not a disciple of a rabbi or teacher...
One who is focused on God, as Jesus was, (and He was) always doing God's work and God's will...Jesus was so focused on God... He felt as He taught that His followers and the crowds could draw their own conclusions...His teachings were from God...Jesus heart was open to God, , committed to God, and then would then follow God...
If we speak on our own, and are talking about our knowledge and through our knowledge, and not in the honor of our LORD, we do so to gain honor for ourselves...When we honor the LORD and are obedient and humble servants of His, then we honor Him...God is in control and deserves honor...
The teachers of the Law and certain Pharisees were angry with Jesus for healing on the Sabbath...The patriarchs and Moses gave us circumcision...Circumcision was done on the Sabbath... So if we can circumcise on the Sabbath, , it should be okay to heal on the Sabbath...Sabbath was made for man, not man made for the Sabbath...
So a good rabbi, can teach his student and if the student has been a a good student and his heart is open to God, he seeks God, and follows the Holy Spirit, then there is nothing false about him...
But sometimes we get so caught up in things, we do not know what is around us...Do we just search for God, to find out He exists???...Then what???...Just personally pursuing God to find out He exists is not enough...
We are all subject to our own biases, sins, and prejudices...We my seek God personally just to know He exists...Jesus tells us to look deeper, look everywhere and stop judging by emotions, feelings, and the pursuit of knowledge...
Seeking God is not enough...Once you find Him, realize that He is the living God...He wants to be known...He wants us to seek and find and be our Father...After we find the LORD, pray to get rid of those biases and prejudices...Be pure in heart and pray constantly for His help and to do His will, so He becomes a part of your life, like He is a part of Jesus...