Teaching Not Mine – John 7:14-24

Was Jesus formally trained?  We’ll see in this passage that he wasn’t.  But commentators have noted that Jewish apologists have claimed he must have been so trained and even name a particular rabbi as his teacher.  Does that matter?  Not really.  What he taught countered the learning of his day and brought the truth of God to bear on the falsehoods that had arisen.  If he imbibed the formal teaching of the day, he obviously did not agree with it all.  His most important instructor was God, as he claims.  As one commentator says, “He is to them as a layman and unlearned, not known in the circles of the professional expounders—a demagogue, who deceived the multitude; and they hear Him speaking with a learning and wisdom that excites their wonder, and unlocking mysteries of which they thought that they only possessed the key.”

When it was already the middle of the feast, Jesus went up to the temple and began teaching.  The Jews marveled, saying, “How is this one so learned, since he hasn’t studied?”  So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but the One who sent me.  If anyone wants to do His will, he will know whether my teaching is from God or I speak for myself.  If I’m speaking for myself, I am seeking my own glory.  But the one who seeks the glory of the One who sent him is true, and there is no unrighteousness in him.”

“Did not Moses give you the law?  And yet none of you does the law.  Why are you seeking to kill me?”  The crowd responded, “You have a demon.  Who is seeking to kill you?”  Jesus answered, “I performed one work and you all marvel. Because Moses gave you circumcision (not that it came from Moses but from the fathers), you circumcise a person on the Sabbath.  Why, if a person receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that you might not break the law of Moses, are you angry at me because I made a whole person well on the Sabbath?  Do not judge on appearances, but judge with right judgment.”  (John 7:14-24)

Jesus “risks” public teaching, no doubt at the prompting of the Spirit, and may be aware that at this particular point it will not lead to his death.  And his teaching is so powerful that the leadership cannot explain how it is without him having been formally trained in their system.  But Jesus claims his teaching is from God and that anyone who wants to do God’s will can know whether his teaching is from God.  Many of course have claimed the same thing when their teaching is critiqued by the church.  If, however, their teaching does not hold to the scriptures, and especially if they seek to introduce their own scriptures, it is evident that, as Jesus says, they are seeking their own glory.

Is there an argument here for not getting training in the Scriptures?  NO!  Jesus didn’t have the opportunity for such training, but Paul did and God used his training to great effect.  But what this does argue is that formal training is not enough.  One must also be taught by God, not just parrot what others teach.  And part of that being taught by God is critical thinking that God enables us to engage in, just as Jesus did.

Jesus is aware that the leadership faults him for healing a man on the Sabbath (ch.5).  But he points out that they themselves circumcise a baby boy on the eighth day when that day falls on the sabbath and don’t consider they are breaking the Sabbath. They are able to see that keeping a greater law (circumcision) permits breaking a smaller one (though Jesus would probably argue that circumcising a baby was not breaking the Sabbath).  But if that is true of circumcision, how much truer is that of healing a man on the Sabbath?  Jesus exposes their inconsistent thinking or judgment regarding application of the law.  God longs to bring wholeness to our lives, and the Sabbath law is part of that purpose, as is healing, so they shouldn’t be held in opposition to one another.

Jesus challenges us to judge, not on appearances, but with right judgment, with reason, with careful thinking.  Jesus’ reasoning about application of the law could not be argued with.  Ours should be no less solid.

Discussion Questions

1. What gains have you made from special training?  What gaps did special training have?
2. How do you envision Jesus’ being taught by God taking place?  What was the process?
3. What do you make of Jesus’ test, that if you are seeking God’s glory instead of your own you will be truthful?
4. Why doesn’t Jesus try to convince the crowds that the Jews really do want to kill him?
5. Does it make sense to you that solid reasoning can come from God?
6. What concerns do you have about the value of reasoning as a way to know truth?