John 7:34-52 New International Version (NIV)
34 You will look for me, but
you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”
35 The Jews said to one
another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go
where our people live scattered among the Greeks,and teach the Greeks? 36 What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you
will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”
·
The people still don’t
understand Christ because of their earthly attitude. He continued to speak
about His ascension.
·
Ironically, it is true.
Jesus would be proclaimed to the exiles and Gentiles.
37 On the last and greatest
day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let
anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of
living water will flow from within them.”[a]39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him
were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given,
since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
·
Jesus was speaking in terms
of the New Covenant in which the Holy Spirit would be poured out and indwell believers.
This was different from regeneration, this was gift of the Holy Spirit to
indwell and empower believers.
40 On hearing his words, some
of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”
41 Others said, “He is the
Messiah.”
Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come
from Galilee? 42 Does not Scripture say that
the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the
town where David lived?” 43 Thus the
people were divided because of Jesus. 44 Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.
45 Finally the temple guards
went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t
you bring him in?”
46 “No one ever spoke the way
this man does,” the guards replied.
47 “You mean he has deceived
you also?” the Pharisees retorted. 48 “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? 49 No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on
them.”
50 Nicodemus, who had
gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, 51 “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out
what he has been doing?”
52 They replied, “Are you from
Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out
of Galilee.”
·
People again begin to think of Deuteronomy 18.
·
Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
·
The Jewish leaders did all they could to undermine the truth.
·
Already, Nicodemus understands there is a process by which a man
is to be examined.
Footnotes:
a. John
7:38 Or me. And
let anyone drink 38 who believes in me.” As Scripture has said, “Out of him (orthem) will flow rivers of living water.”
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