John 7:28-31, Can This Be the Christ?

28 So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, "You know me, and you know where I come from? But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know.  29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me." 30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, "When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?"

“You don’t know what I’m talking about because you do not know God!” In essence, Jesus accuses his detractors of their ignorance. Yes, they know his human origins, but they are clueless as to his divine origin. They do not recognize the Father in the Son. They do not recognize his messianic mission established by the Father. This stems from their failure to have the Scriptures in their hearts. Instead of hearing God’s voice in God’s Word, they use God’s Word to argue about the messiah, who is to come, from a human point of view. Instead of contemplating the evidence as the people do, the leaders are more concerned about their own position, power, and privilege and see Jesus as a threat rather than a savior.

Again we see two reactions to Jesus. There are those who truly look at him understand that no one can “do more signs than this man has done,” and those who want to arrest him and get him off the street. Contention is growing between the Jewish leaders and the people. Nothing will happen to Jesus yet. The Father is in control, and the time for Jesus’ death, while approaching, has not come.

Do you remember a time in your life when you looked at the evidence of who Jesus is from a human point of view rather than seeking divine understanding? Give God thanks for bringing you to his Son and helping you to understand his greatness as your Savior. And then pray for those who do not understand who Jesus truly is.