Untouchable

John 7:25-31

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?”.

Notes

During the Feast of Booths, Jesus went to the temple to teach. Many marveled at His teaching, but the Lord was quick to glorify the Father. Jesus claimed that the teaching was not His own, and the authority to teach comes from the One who sent Him. One of the things Jesus addressed when He was teaching was the wrong view of the Sabbath and their faulty reason for killing Him. He raised the practice of obeying the law to circumcise a son on the eighth day when the day fell on the Sabbath. The Jews circumcised their sons even though it was a Sabbath so that they would not violate the law of Moses. Were they not violating the Sabbath? Why do they seek to kill Him when He healed a man on the Sabbath? Jesus exposed their unfounded legalism, which might have added to the fuel of killing Him.

1. People’s Response

   Some people confirmed that some of the Jewish authorities sought to kill Him. Yet they observed Him speaking openly at the temple, but no one was doing anything against Jesus. They wondered if the authorities knew that Jesus was the Christ, meaning Savior.

   
   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 (John 7:25-26)?

   
   

2. Where He Came From

   The author revealed how some people perceive the Messiah. They thought that no one knew where the Messiah would come from. Jesus confirmed that they knew where He came from on earth, but He explained that they do not know where He came from and who sent Him.
   
   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” (John 7:27-29).

3. Not Yet Time

   The Jewish authorities tried to arrest Him, but they could not. They probably hesitated because of His words and because many people believed. Some acknowledged the significance of the signs. They wondered, “Would the Messiah do more miracles than this man?”

   
   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?” (John 7:30-31).

Application

1. Respond in the Right Manner

   People respond differently to the proclamation of the gospel. Some will believe, others will not, and some will be in the process of believing. Our response is definite: we believe in who He is and who sent Him.

2. Know the Father

   We believe in the Messiah, but we also believe in the Father who sent Him. We believe it is the Father who draws people to Christ; He is the one who grants access to the Son. Without His work, we can never know Him and His Son.

3. Know the Plan of God

   God’s plan was for the Son to suffer, die, and rise from the dead, but it would only happen at the appointed time. God plans for us to believe and live the gospel and for us to proclaim the gospel. And until His appointed time to take us home, we are protected from death.

Reflection & Discussion

1. What did the people observe about those who sought to kill Him?

2. Explain the response of Jesus to the crowd regarding the origins of Christ.

3. Explain the people’s expression of believing in Him.