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Proverbs 17:20-28
20 He who
has a deceitful heart finds no good, And he who has a perverse tongue falls
into evil.
21 He who
begets a scoffer does so to his
sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy.
22 A merry
heart does good, like medicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones.
23 A wicked man accepts a bribe behind the back
To pervert the ways of justice.
24 Wisdom is in the sight of him who has
understanding, But the eyes of a fool are
on the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish
son is a grief to his father,
And bitterness to her who bore him.
26 Also, to
punish the righteous is not
good, Nor to strike princes for
their uprightness.
27 He who
has knowledge spares his words, And
a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.
28 Even a
fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he
is considered perceptive.
Father God, thank you for the love you shower on us, our
needs being filled, keeping us safe in our daily tasks, etc., you are the one
and only true living God. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!
Gospel of John 7:45-53 NKJV
This lesson is about the two officers
that were sent out to arrest Jesus and bring Him before the counsel of the
Jewish leaders. Their hearts were touched by the words of Jesus and they came
back empty handed. This caused the counsel to ask questions why they didn’t
bring Jesus to them. Nicodemus also enters in the discussion in Jesus defense.
One wouldn’t think much could be learn from these verses, but there is when the
verses are broken down and meditated on. So let’s get started.
45 Then the
officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why
have you not brought Him?"
With
this verse many thoughts and conclusions can be made. These officers (verse 23
of this chapter) arrived in Jesus presence when Jesus was preaching to the
crowd. Jesus words were so eloquent and truthful these officers were awe
struck. No prophet, apostle, or minister had ever spoken the truth with such
power, grace, and beauty as Jesus. We, also, should listen to his words, and
sit at his feet and learn heavenly wisdom.
We
also see here that wicked men can be restrained from doing wrong by the power
of truthful words. The Holy Spirit was instrumental in affecting the actions of
these men by opening their ears and minds to the truth.
We
also learn that fully trusting in God for all things, God will send His Holy
Spirit to watch over us and protect us until it is time for us to leave this
earth.
Lastly
we see that the Chief Priests and Pharisees fully intended to arrest Jesus when
they asked the officers, “Why have you not brought Him?” There was questions
previously as to whether these officers were to arrest Jesus or just bring Him
before the counsel.
46 The
officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man!"
That
which Jesus was teaching about was, “Living Water”. This Living Water, being
Eternal Life is what the human heart longs for and this topic will capture the
attention of man, as it did with these officers. These words of Jesus also
identified who He was, where He came from, and where He would be going that
they could not follow Him. The Holy Spirit anointed the words of Jesus so
powerfully that the people were affected one way or the other whether positive
or negative. If a person’s heart was somewhat tender toward God, then positive
otherwise negative.
The
actions of these officers shows us they had a tender heart, therefore did not
arrest Jesus. In all their years of hearing all types of lectures, sermons, and
Scripture studies, this that Jesus said was so strikingly different, so
refreshing, so filled with life, that it caused all others to be insignificant.
47 Then the
Pharisees answered them, "Are you also deceived?
This
verse tells us that the Pharisees truly believed they had the truth, the right
interpretation of scripture, and all others that taught a religion was false,
and of a cult nature. They viewed themselves as the guardians of Israel. It also shows us that the Pharisees were the
ones mainly provoked to anger by what Jesus taught.
These
words aren’t just for the people of Jesus time, but for us also. What do you
believe in? Is the religion you are practicing a mere religion with God and
Jesus interjected here and there? Is the religion you practice based on God’s
Word or based on a book of man devised rules and regulations to get you to
Heaven? Many people claim Jesus, but have their own interpretation of what
Jesus states in the Bible and they disregard or twist the scripture to fit
their lifestyle. It is easy to think that we have the truth and that those who
disagree with us do not have any truth at all. But God's truth is available to
everyone. Don't copy the Pharisees' self-centered and narrow minded attitude.
48 Have any
of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him?
Rulers,
here is referring to those of the Sanhedrin, or of the synagogues; or the civil
magistrates, the noble, rich, and wealthy.
Those
asking this question of these two officials assumed it pertained to all of the
rulers or Pharisees, but there were two starting to believe. One being Nicodemus,
who was standing nearby listening to the conversation (John
3:1-2). He was not only
a Pharisee, but was a “Ruler” being a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin, the
highest ruling body in Israel. The other person was, Joseph of Arimathea, which
fell into the same category (Matthew 27:57).
If
these two individuals didn’t fully believe at this time, they were well on
their way of believing. Why wouldn’t they be sticking up for Jesus and trying
to persuade the other leaders of who Jesus was? Have you ever thought of that?
Fear was probably the main factor; fear of being thrown out of the Synagogue,
fear of persecution, fear of believing and then finding out they were deceived,
maybe a combination of all. Fear can cause us to do things that we regret at a
later time.
49 But this
crowd that does not know the law is accursed."
What
the Pharisees are saying here is this massive crowd that was listening and
believing in what Jesus was preaching was not the law they believed in and
therefore they were accursed for believing. In reality the Pharisees had no one
to blame but themselves because they failed in teaching the truth of the scriptures.
Therefore they supposed that any who believed on the humble and despised Jesus
must be, of course, ignorant of the true doctrines of the Old Testament, because
they expected a very different type of Messiah.
One
of the things that angered the Pharisees, among all the other things, was Jesus
kindness toward the multitude of people. He spoke to them with dignity and
respect, treating them with love, ministering to even the most humble of those
who came before Him. This showed up the Pharisees, so now they will vent their
temper at this unwashed; unlearned crowd.
50 Nicodemus
(he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them,
Nicodemus
finally speaks up here in defense of Jesus. Nicodemus was an elite member of
the Sanhedrin, he greatly outranked the Pharisees. It had been about three year
since he visited Jesus in the dark of night.
God
often places one or more pious men in legislative assemblies to vindicate His
honor and His law. He often fills a man with the Holy Spirit on such occasions to
boldly defend his cause and to confound the proud and the domineering. We see
in this case, also, that a man, at one time timid and fearful (compare John
3:1), may on other
occasions be bold, and fearlessly defend Jesus and the truth. We saw this in
Peter also when he denied Jesus, but in Acts he stood and proclaimed the
Gospel. These examples should lead every man to defend the truth of God, and
when people are pouring contempt on Jesus and His cause, to stand forth as its
fearless defender.
Three years prior Nicodemus
came to Jesus with questions and in reading the conversation that took place,
there is no haughtiness in Nicodemus words, only humble questions of a curious
heart. John 3:1-9 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus,
a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him,
"Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do
these signs that You do unless God is with him." 3 Jesus
answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say
to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 4 Nicodemus
said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second
time into his mother's womb and be born?"
5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of
water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is
born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said
to you, 'You must be born again.'
8 The wind blows
where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes
from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." 9 Nicodemus
answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?"
51
"Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is
doing?"
Here
Nicodemus is reminding the counsel that they were breaking every law of
justice. They were to be impartial in their judgment whether the victim was
poor or rich. Leviticus
19:15 'You shall do no injustice in
judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the
mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.
They
were spreading false accusations against Jesus; they were joining with the
unrighteous; they were inciting the crowd; they were testifying counterfeit
incidents to pervert justice. Exodus
23:1-2 "You shall not circulate a
false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous
witness. 2
You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute so
as to turn aside after many to pervert justice.
The
counsel was to make careful investigations, which they weren’t, concerning the
allegations being made. If the accusations were false then the accuser was to
receive the punishment in place of the accused. Deuteronomy 19:18-19 And the
judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is
a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother, 19 then you
shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so you shall put
away the evil from among you.
Based
on the laws this counsel was breaking they should have all been placed on a
cross. Nicodemus demanded that justice should be done, and that he should, not
be condemned until he had had a fair trial. Every man should be presumed to be
innocent until he is proved to be guilty. Oh how that old sin nature can raise
its ugly head and cause us to be unrighteous at times.
52 They
answered and said to him, "Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for
no prophet has arisen out of Galilee."
They answered and said to him, "Are
you also from Galilee; What
a condescending statement from these leaders. What they are actually asking Nicodemus
is, “Are you a follower of Jesus?” These leaders referred to the followers of
Jesus as being from Galilee just because Galilee is where Jesus made His
headquarters.
Search and look, for no prophet has
arisen out of Galilee;
Here again this counsel failed to check out the facts as to where Jesus was
born, which was Bethlehem, just at the prophets foretold. If these leaders knew
of Jesus birthplace, they were ignoring the facts to promote their own wants
and desires. We see this today in many forms, some politicians, some teachers,
some supervisors, some coworkers, etc. These kinds of actions are due to pride
and the promoting of self, meaning climbing the corporate ladder, sustaining a
current position, haughtiness, arrogance, and conceit. These are all sinful
from the view of Jesus. This type of personality is not love thy neighbor as
thy self.
53 And
everyone went to his own house.
With
the close of this chapter all went home, referring to this counsel of leaders,
but I wonder where Jesus went to rest his head?
Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created that
are in heaven and that are on earth,
visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.
All
things were created through Him and for Him.
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of
the glory of God,
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly, I say to you,
unless one is born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God."
The Lighthouse
Full Gospel Church
Sinners Prayer; Pray this, and if you
believe it with your heart, Jesus will save you!
“Lord
Jesus I know I am a sinner. I confess my
sins to you; I am sorry for my sins; I repent (Meaning, desiring to turn from a
sinful lifestyle.) of all my sins, and I am asking for your forgiveness. I believe that only you can forgive sin. I commit my life to you and ask you to come
into my heart, direct, and take charge of my life. I believe that you died to set me free from
my sinful lifestyle and you rose from the dead to give me eternal life, and
right now you are seated at the Right Hand of God Almighty. I believe you are
the Son of God; the only Way, the only Truth, the only Life, and my
Savior.” I believe this and have faith
you will make a new person out of me, by sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in my
heart and lead me in a new life. In Jesus name I pray Amen.”
(John 3:16,17; Romans
3:23; 6:23; 5:8; 10:9-13; Ephesians 2:8-10;
1 John 5:11-14; 1:6-10) (Sin: Rom. 1:22-32; Gal.
5:19-21; Eph. 5:3-7)
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