jcnr@hisurfer.net

Many things that could be written about the people mentioned in this chapter would be repetitious of previous chapters. But two verses stand out as most able to teach us about the nature of unbelief, verses 17 and 23.

Verse 17 hits on one of the most important principles of true biblical learning and sanctification. The will is bound by the mind. The will in itself does not have the capacity for hearing, learning, or thinking. Two major implications emerge: 1) The will should not be approached independently of the mind. This is why you never will read in the Bible of any prophet or teacher making mere emotional appeals that press for immediate action. Some truth, historical or doctrinal, is placed before the listener first before action is encouraged. God never subverts His creatures’ capacities. False prophets and teachers do! 2) A rebellious will sustains itself with wrong beliefs and consequently rejects truth in order to maintain its independence. Often people hold tightly to incorrect (not correct), wrong (not right and moral), and false (not true) beliefs not simply because they are mistaken or victims of bad teachers, but because they do not want to believe what is correct, right, or true due to personal self-interest in and prior commitment to the incorrect, wrong, or false belief.

After mentioning doctrine in verse 16, and its source, Jesus says this in verse 17: “If anyone wants to do His will he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.” Anyone who has received certain previous teachings will receive His words now! Those previous teachings are the words of Moses (v. 19). As is the biblical pattern, Jesus presents the truth before He makes an appeal to the will (v. 22-24). He tells them to judge righteously. Paraphrasing, “If you have problems with My personal claims and are confused about the conflict between Pharisaic claims concerning the Sabbath and My own, I ask you to look at the Scriptures yourselves and notice why it was given to Israel in the first place. Judge according to good judgment, using your own minds, and you will see that what I am saying is true. Doing good has always been allowed on the Sabbath!”

In verse 23, Jesus exposes their wrong definition of good. They valued formalistic ritual over compassion. Jesus completes His point (v. 24) by exhorting them to move their religion from outward legalism to inward righteousness. The reaction of the people showed their rebellious spirit. Their wrong belief was used to push the truth away. They had a faulty image of the Messiah. They wanted a military leader. They got the Shepherd. They wanted political power for Israel and relief from the yoke of Rome, not spiritual redemption from Jehovah. He was not what they wanted. They rejected Him!

Copyright 2003 by James W. Skeen