In John 7 we start to see Jesus as
the fugitive and his teaching starting to cause division amongst people (v44).
Jesus is uncompromising and we are to be left in no doubt of the answer to the
question: Is Jesus the Christ?
People are trying to catch Jesus out
at every possible opportunity in this passage. They want the law to be kept,
but Jesus is in control at all times through the Father, for example, as in v8
(not the right time for Jesus to go to the feast), v14 (Jesus chose the right
moment to enter the feast) and v30 (not the time for people to seize him).
In Jeremiah 20 there is a calling to
challenge and push ourselves and not to fear insult and reproach from others
(v8). If we are carrying out the Lord’s work we can be assured that our
persecutors will stumble and not prevail (v11).
In John 7:41 testimony about the Holy
Spirit opens people’s hearts. Persecution and growth in faith go hand in hand.
This is further seen in Acts 11 where the church starts to spread and is so
successful in Antioch that Barnabas and Saul go
to Antioch
Are we intrigued by Jesus’ words and
hungry to find out more and know him deeper?
(member of student team)