1) Have any of the rulers believed on him?
Do you believe the leaders or the experts? If you do, think again! The Bible allows us to see raw human nature. It hasn't changed. We often have these cameos of authentic experience, which has direct equation to experience in modern life. The leaders and experts made a huge mistake, 2000 years ago, and it's a warning to us!
The Gospel record of John has lots of lengthy arguments. Despite amazing miracles as verifiable evidence, there was dispute as to the role of Y'shua of Nazareth. On one hand John the Baptist, who was seen as a prophet, proclaimed he was the Son of God and redeemer of his people and future king the Messiah. On the other hand the rulers and religious leaders said he was breaking the religious rules. It was a war for the hearts of the people.
Back in those times, dissent was heresy and resulted in death. In any society naturally dissent results in argument and, where human nature and pride is involved, the debate leads into ever polarising positions and hatred. At the time of Christ, when the leaders said they wanted their enemies dead, they really meant it. Y'shua, born King of the Jews, from the despised Galilean Nazareth arrives as an unwelcome threat to entrenched political power in Roman Judea, which rested on its religious authority. What authority can a young untaught carpenter of Nazareth have to challenge the aged trained Lawyers of Jerusalem immersed in a life of scholarship?
The Pharisees and Lawyers lost a few arguments in front of the ordinary people due to the amazing wisdom of the 'unlearned' carpenter, so the leaders in Judea wanted Y'shua dead (John 7:1). Y'shua makes a relevant point as to why the leaders hated him so much.
The world cannot hate you; but me it hates, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. (John 7:7)
Y'shua was calling for repentance into his name, and requiring acceptance of his God-given authority to forgive sin and grant salvation. There was the position of absolute moral right and wrong. Fundamentally at the bottom of all argument is the question as to what is the truth, or rightness. To be objectively wrong (a God's eye view) is to be the maker of a lie which is evil. But to repent requires the acceptance that one was a sinner, an evil doer. The religious scribes and lawyers, had power as they declared who was a sinner. The rulers ruled on the basis of their authority and expertise. The dispute between Y'shua and the Judean ruling class was about who was the expert, who was the authority on God's law.
It was now a feast time and all male Jews, by law, were required to come to Jerusalem. Then we see how the Rulers in power ask people where Y'shua is, to find him to kill him, and in doing so they spark a debate among the people.
Then the Judeans sought him at the feast, and said, “Where is he?” And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, “He is a good man”: others said, “Nay; but he deceives the people.” (John 7:11-12)
Y'shua then comes out of hiding and we have the key matter of dispute opened up, that of authority –in effect which school he was taught at.
Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. And the Judeans marvelled, saying, “How knows this man letters, having never learned?”
Jesus answered them, and said, “My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.” (John 7:14-16)
The most humble servant of the living God, is taught of Yahweh Elohim. We have learnt nothing of importance except we have learnt it directly from Yahweh Elohim from His Word. Then next through his wisdom many are convinced.
Many of the people believed on him, and said, “When Christ comes, will he do more miracles than these which this man has done?” (John 7:31)
This was a terrible thing for the leaders and rulers who ruled by dictating to the unthinking. They wanted nobody to question their authority, and nobody to follow any who may question their authority! They send out officers immediately to seize him, and to shut him down!
The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him. (John 7:32)
But the officers themselves are forced to listen. They hear something remarkable! It's a remarkable enough moment in the feast already:
When the Temple in Jerusalem stood, a unique service was performed every morning throughout the Sukkot holiday: the Nisuch ha-Mayim (lit. "Pouring of the water") or Water Libation Ceremony. According to the Talmud, Sukkot is the time of year in which God judges the world for rainfall; therefore this ceremony invokes God's blessing for rain in its proper time. The water for the libation ceremony was drawn from the Pool of Siloam in the City of David and carried up the Jerusalem pilgrim road to the Temple. The joy that accompanied this procedure was palpable.
Afterwards, every night in the outer Temple courtyard, tens of thousands of spectators would gather to watch the Simchat Beit HaShoeivah (Rejoicing at the Place of the Water-Drawing), as the most pious members of the community danced and sang songs of praise to God. The dancers would carry lit torches, and were accompanied by the harps, lyres, cymbals and trumpets of the Levites. According to the Mishnah, (Tractate Sukkah), "He who has not seen the rejoicing at the Place of the Water-Drawing has never seen rejoicing in his life." en.wikipedia.org
the water-drawing was said to be accompanied by a great awareness of G-dliness, to the degree that it is said that, along with water, people would “draw” prophetic revelation. Chabad
This was called Hoshana Rabbah 'great save now'.
In the last day,
that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, “If
any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on
me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall
flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37-38)
This idea of drawing out prophetic revelation expresses and summarises the core idea of Joel 2
It shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. (Joel 2:28-29)
Water as revelation of God is found in the context of a prophetic condemnation,
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:13)
No ordinary man can say that if they believe in him, they will become prophets also! No ordinary man could even get that close to events, to “stand up” when all were standing and leaping about could only mean he stood by the priest! This is the claim of a man who has Authority as a Great High Priest, and it was known Y'shua wasn't even a Levite let alone a Priest. It was as if he was holding the bowl and pouring out the water of blessing and revelation, not the Priest! More so as they weren't to drink that water as it was poured out into the altar from where it would flow with oil! More so as nobody could modify the way things were done, without pain of missiles being thrown at them!
Though not explicitly mandated in the Torah, the water libation is part of the oral tradition passed down from Moses. For this reason, the Sadducees, who rejected the Oral Law, bitterly disputed the practice. Once the priest honored to do the libation was sympathetic to the Sadducees and, instead of pouring the water into the hole in the altar, he spilled it on his own feet. The onlookers were horrified and pelted him with their etrogim. From that time on, whoever poured the water libation lifted the jug of water high in the air, so that all could see him perform the mitzvah properly. Chabad
Imagine it, there would have been an uproar, but there is no record that there wasn't a pelting, it was that authoritative. We are given some of the argument that arose because of it.
Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, “Of a truth this is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Messiah.”
But some said, “Shall Messiah come out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said, That Messiah comes of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?”
So there was a division among the people because of him. (John 7:40-43)
We are told there was something powerful about the witness of Y'shua, that established an authority, as if he was the ultimate expert.
Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, “Why have ye not brought him?” The officers answered, “Never man spake like this man.” (John 7:45-46)
These officers were explaining that they had heard something that convinced them. Then we see the leaders appeal to expert authority over evidence. They appeal to leadership consensus.
Then answered them the Pharisees, “Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.” (John 7:47-49)
They are saying, “Not only are you the mere officers, (dumb as you are), not experts in the law as we the Leaders are and the Pharisees are, but those deceived ones who don't know the law are cursed.” Be very wary of those who tell you, that you are too ignorant to know.
One of the Pharisees themselves was a hidden dissenter. He was so afraid he came to listen to Y'shua only at night. This is what happens when a dominant theory takes hold of the thought leaders who have power, so that even among themselves, they victimise any who may dissent.
Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) “Does our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he does?”
They answered and said unto him, “Are you also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee arises no prophet.” (John 7:50-52)
Well there it is: a dissenter disproving the argument, except that being repressed due to fear he is silent and the officers can't see that he dissents. Nicodemus reasonable argument is that they should listen to evidence and make wise judgement. It was brushed aside with an insult! He was called an ignorant, uneducated Galilean! To add insult they appeal to a very weak argument, to the authority of their interpretation of scripture, as if it was the only answer!
Galilee is referenced in the Scriptures, which if they were truly expert, they should have known!
Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. (Isaiah 9:1-2)
As if in response to this argument, that nothing good can come out of Galilee, Matthew a mere despised publican, points out how Y'shau fulfilled Scripture in being from Galilee.
He came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. (Mathew 2:23)
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. (Matthew 4:14-16)
The
reference to being a Nazarene, is correct as on many occasions he is
called Y'shua of Nazareth (Matt 21:11, 26:71, Mark 1:9, 24 10:47,
14:67, Luke 4:34, 24:19 John 18:5, 18:7, 19:19)
John 1:45 is the only occurrence of the title where it is clarified as 'the son of Joseph'. The word Nazareth is close to a Hebrew word which was well known as a title of messiah!
There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch (Netzer) shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; (Isaiah 11:1-2)
According to
Matthew, the despised 'uneducated' tax collector, the evidence for
Y'shua being Messiah was that he was said to be “of Nazareth”.
The rulers, ignoring the evidence of Isaiah and having a prejudice
against Galilee, based only on their authority, said that Messiah
can't come from Galilee.
The rulers may seem to have won, as they did manage to persuade Pilot to carry out the execution of the challenge to their authority. But Pilate seems to have gained pleasure from upsetting the Jewish leaders:
Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, “The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” (John 19:21-22)
More disturbing for the Jewish leadership of that era was that the death of their enemy didn't end the spread of the ideas. There was a resurrection. Then it was pointed out that the so called Experts, had failed. Their actions showed were ignorant of the very thing they had pride in being expert in and these ignorant actions provided evidence for the Authority of Y'shua!
Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. (Acts 13:26-27)
Be very wary
of those who in an argument appeal to expertise or mere authority,
rather than evidence! Be wary of name callers who by labelling seek
to be-little others. Be wary of those who make others in their midst
fear to seek out a matter openly. Be wary of those who quash open
debate and investigation of a matter.
In such a way the Roman Church ruled the dark ages, pointing out to the people that none but the experts could know the Bible, and yet the so-called experts were themselves more ignorant of the Bible than the farmer boys who became the lead priests of the reformation. They forced into hiding all those who would seek to search out the evidence. They would label those who didn't accept their authority with denigrating names, and kill heretics.
In such a way there is an 'intellectual' clique of scientists and politicians who maintain such ideas as Past Evolution and Future Climate Change, not having seen either occur (the first being in the past and the second in models of the unseen future). People are not encouraged to seek out the evidence for themselves, they are told that the leaders, the experts, are in consensus. Dissenting scientists, who have no power to speak out without affecting their jobs, are forced into hiding their doubts or true beliefs in the face of 'consensus'. Those who do break ranks are called names, such as 'sceptic' 'creationist', 'denier' of accused of being funded by despised 'Big Oil'. There is nothing new under the sun, as human nature remains the same...
Be wary of the 'wise' and 'prudent' who have power.. and use knowledge as power.
At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.”(Matthew 11:25)
In the end truth only prevails. We have 2,000 years of evidence that truth has prevailed, though many more have since attempted to argue, as experts or authorities, that a Galilean couldn't be the Messiah, and some argue that God doesn't exist. Marx has been discredited in practice, Darwin has been discredited by evidence, Freud has been found a fraud by advance in knowledge and even Einstein when he was 'great' in his own estimation, failed to allow for the Greatness of God who might just play dice. Every idea that is not truth, has and, will fail.
The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them? (Jeremiah 8:9)
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? (1Corinthians 1:19-20)
True wisdom and knowledge is not vested in the 'wise' of the world but is given as a gift to the humble, to those who are wise to seek wisdom and in understanding seek to understand.
Daniel answered and said, “Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changes the times and the seasons: he removes kings, and sets up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He reveals the deep and secret things: he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. (Daniel 2:20-22)
We are not to give our powers of thought to 'expert' others, but are asked to use our God-given faculties to discern. Then we will see the truth of the deep and secret things. Then from us will flow living waters of the great and small matters of truth.
Then we will see further than our teachers, and be wiser than our enemies (who likely are fools as enmity is a place of the fool, as Y'shua showed.)
Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. (Psalm 119:98-100)
