One Cannot Simply Keep all the Rules

John 7:10-24 
 
10 But after his brothers left for the festival, Jesus also went, though secretly, staying out of public view.  11 The Jewish leaders tried to find him at the festival and kept asking if anyone had seen him. 12 There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. Some argued, “He’s a good man,” but others said, “He’s nothing but a fraud who deceives the people.” 13 But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders.

14 Then, midway through the festival, Jesus went up to the Temple and began to teach. 15 The people[b] were surprised when they heard him. “How does he know so much when he hasn’t been trained?” they asked.

16 So Jesus told them, “My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me. 17 Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. 18 Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies. 19 Moses gave you the law, but none of you obeys it! In fact, you are trying to kill me.”

 

20 The crowd replied, “You’re demon possessed! Who’s trying to kill you?”

21 Jesus replied, “I did one miracle on the Sabbath, and you were amazed.

22 But you work on the Sabbath, too, when you obey Moses’ law of circumcision. (Actually, this tradition of circumcision began with the patriarchs, long before the law of Moses.) 23 For if the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it so as not to break the law of Moses. So why should you be angry with me for healing a man on the Sabbath? 24 Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.”

Since the day we were born or maybe since we can learn to walk and talk we are given a set of rules to follow by. Where we’re allowed to go and where not to, what’s ok to say and what isn’t, rules for home and rules for school, a lot can be similar and some different. Your mom says it’s your turn for dish duty tonight you need to get that done before too long. If a teacher says no running in the hallway probably shouldn’t then. In the old testament there was moses law that people were to follow before Jesus.

A lot of the verses are  just follow up from the festival of  what Jesus is doing by “working” on the sabbath. In John 7:19 and on to 24 it mentions Moses law of circumcision as well as the Sabbath. Meaning keeping it holy, meaning no one is to do work on the Sabbath day or pretty much anything including healing a person. In a lot of ways it’s true as you see most businesses closed mostly in small towns, but sometimes Jesus had to help someone with something to fulfill their need. 

The 10 commandments do state to keep the Sabbath Day holy, meaning to take some time out for God and worship, learn and fellowship, but if you need to do something on the Sabbath God’s not going to punish you for it, if you're doing something for the right reasons. 

Jesus Healed people on the Sabbath and did miracles. He saw a need and He fulfilled that need! The Jews did not like that, they didn’t look into the law the way Jesus said it’s supposed to be. So whats the point for laws then if they are simply being broken? The law reminds me that they are more like guidelines like in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean the pirate code seem to be merely guidelines. The law is simply there  in order to show us our need of a Savior. Jesus basically says that it’s believing in Him gets you saved and not follow a set of rules “the law”. The law is there to help us live good lives, such as when the law says do not steal, obey it, simply because it will keep you from being in trouble and out of jail, teacher says no running in the hallway, simply to keep you and others safe from being hurt, doing dishes teaches you responsibility, but as humans one cannot simply keep the law because they are often broken. Laws are to be obeyed, but not to get us Saved!

 

One thought on “One Cannot Simply Keep all the Rules

  1. Good reminder!  Of course, we should try to obey the Law of Moses and of God for sure!  I agree 100%, but for sure they don't get us saved.  They don't make us more holy either.  Holiness comes from God's atoning sacrifice – Jesus Christ – and nothing else.  The Bible says all of our "good deeds" are like "filthy rags" to God.  Only Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the LIFE!  Amen!

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