John 7 The brothers of Jesus did not believe in him as Messiah, so they sought to put a guilt trip on him about revealing himself to the crowds. Jesus wisely said it is not my time, so he remained home. What caused him to change his mind is anybody’s guess. But, he set out and walked to Jerusalem secretly. We often say I wish I were a fly on the wall so I could hear or see what others are saying about me. I think that was Jesus in a nutshell. He listened, and then he discerned when it was time. It was time to teach the truth that the religious leaders had not done.
He began to teach in the temple, and then the whispers started. How does He know so much?
He hasn’t been formally taught, meaning he has yet to have religious training by us Pharisees. Amid this, Jesus pointed out to the crowd that none of them was keeping the Law. That struck a nerve to the religious leaders. How dare he say such things, for we keep the Law to the letter, yet Jesus wanted them to recognize it is not the letter but a lack of obedience and love.
If Jesus came today, what would He say to us? What would you see or hear if you were that fly on the wall?
The Fly on the Wall
Genesis 34 & 2Sam 13 When we come across stories like these two chapters we would like to avoid them because they “stink to high heaven.” Yet God has placed these here to remind us that His inspired word is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction and training in righteousness.