John 7:24
Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.
Jesus rebuked the Jewish religious teachers who were angry with Him for "working" by healing a man on the Sabbath....
They weren't happy that the man was healed. Instead, they were jealous of Jesus power, wisdom, and the attention He was receiving from the crowds. Hypocritically, they themselves also worked on the Sabbath.
The brethren or kinsmen of Jesus were disgusted, when they found there was no prospect of worldly advantages from him. Ungodly men sometimes undertake to counsel those employed in the work of God; but they only advise what appears likely to promote present advantages. The people differed about his doctrine and miracles, while those who favored him, dared not openly to avow their sentiments. Those who count the preachers of the gospel to be deceivers, speak out, while many who favor them, fear to get reproach by avowing regard for them.
Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.
Jesus rebuked the Jewish religious teachers who were angry with Him for "working" by healing a man on the Sabbath....
They weren't happy that the man was healed. Instead, they were jealous of Jesus power, wisdom, and the attention He was receiving from the crowds. Hypocritically, they themselves also worked on the Sabbath.
The brethren or kinsmen of Jesus were disgusted, when they found there was no prospect of worldly advantages from him. Ungodly men sometimes undertake to counsel those employed in the work of God; but they only advise what appears likely to promote present advantages. The people differed about his doctrine and miracles, while those who favored him, dared not openly to avow their sentiments. Those who count the preachers of the gospel to be deceivers, speak out, while many who favor them, fear to get reproach by avowing regard for them.
Every faithful minister may humbly adopt Christ's words. His doctrine is not his own finding out, but is from God's word, through the teaching of his Spirit. And amidst the disputes which disturb the world, if any man, of any nation, seeks to do the will of God, he shall know whether the doctrine is of God, or whether men speak of themselves. Only those who hate the truth shall be given up to errors which will be fatal. Surely it was as agreeable to the design of the Sabbath to restore health to the afflicted, as to administer an outward rite. Jesus told them to decide on his conduct according to the spiritual import of the Divine law. We must not judge concerning any by their outward appearance, but by their worth, and by the gifts and graces of God's Spirit in them.
Jesus commands us to "judge with righteous judgment." Just a few verses earlier, the Jews who were watching and listening to Him had judged that Jesus had a demon! This is surely one of the most misguided judgments ever made. Why could they not make a better judgment than that? Because they were judging by wrong standards. They could not recognize and thus could not correctly relate to true godliness, even though in the person of Jesus it was lived in their presence and taught them truth.
Jesus rebuked them by telling them to make a righteous judgment, not the wrong judgment they made based on their own jealousy and self-interest. When we judge, aren't we often motivated by our own self-interests as well?
No comments:
Post a Comment