Why did Jesus question their adherence to the law in John 7:19? Setting the Scene John 7 finds Jesus teaching publicly at the Feast of Tabernacles. Religious leaders are stunned by His authority, yet angered by His prior healing on the Sabbath (John 5:1-18). Into that tension He says: “Has not Moses given you the Law? Yet not one of you keeps it. Why are you trying to kill Me?” (John 7:19) Why Jesus Raised the Question • To expose hypocrisy—They prided themselves on possessing the Law, but selectively obeyed it (Matthew 23:2-4). • To reveal murder in their hearts—Plotting His death violated the sixth commandment (Exodus 20:13). • To show their blindness to the Law’s intent—They missed that the Law pointed to Him (John 5:39-40). • To confront misplaced confidence—They trusted heritage and ritual more than obedience (Romans 2:17-23). Examples of Their Inconsistency 1. Sabbath healing (John 5:9-18) • They condemned Jesus for restoring a crippled man on the Sabbath, yet circumcision on the Sabbath was permitted (John 7:22-23; Leviticus 12:3). 2. Superficial judgment (John 7:24) • They evaluated by appearance, not righteous judgment, ignoring Deuteronomy 16:18-20. 3. Scheme to seize Him (John 7:25, 32, 44) • Premeditated violence blatantly contradicted God’s command to preserve life (Genesis 9:6). Underlying Heart Issues • Pride—They loved human praise more than God’s glory (John 12:43). • Fear of losing power—His miracles threatened their authority (John 11:48). • Unbelief—Though the Law testified of Christ, they refused to come to Him (John 5:46-47). Takeaways for Us • Possessing Scripture is not the same as practicing it (James 1:22-25). • Religious reputation cannot hide a heart that resists God (Hebrews 4:12-13). • True obedience flows from recognizing Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law (Matthew 5:17). |
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