Good Wednesday morning! Nice morning, I wonder when autumn starts around these parts? Is it even possible for a season to be late? Praise the Lord for the new day! Whatever comes today we will praise the Lord. No football games to worry about today, but there is one tomorrow... We will have some food and something to drink, and gather together to sort of watch the Nebraska-K State game. I use "sort of" to indicate that there will probably be a fair amount of conversation going on at the same time.
In studying today's verse we must be careful not to read too much into it. We have run into temple officials and religious leaders before, but who are these Pharisees?
Jesus knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John. John 4:1
Why did John the writer note that the Pharisees had learned about Jesus baptizing more people than John the Baptist? In Matthew we can find out more about the Pharisees. Jesus mentions them in the Sermon on the Mount in 5:20 when he compares their way of keeping the law externally with His way that involves a perfect inward and outward compliance. In Matthew 22:15 we find the Pharisees plotting with the Herodians, a group they were normally in opposition to. In Matt 23:13 Jesus turns the tables on the Pharisees, who had plotted to trap him with words from Scripture by showing how little they understood the Scriptures. In many verses of Matthew and Luke, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for their emphasis on the outward appearance and religious ceremony while ignoring the attitudes of the heart. What the Pharisees heard is that a change had arrived and people were flocking to hear this good news.
In Luke we read how Jesus amazed the temple scholars from the young age of 12. The Pharisees and Sadducees would be threatened by the coming of one who taught with authority. In John's gospel, this verse is the start of the problems Jesus would have with the Pharisees. Some possible outcomes from today's verse are that:
The Pharisees will be envious of the seeming success of Jesus in the eyes of the world. Even though Jesus was baptizing more people than John the Baptist, John has already lamented to us how few people truly believe in Jesus.
The Pharisees would give God the glory for sending the Messiah. I know; but that is a possible outcome if we just read today's verse.
The Pharisees might plot to discredit the ministry of Jesus.
The Pharisees could believe in Jesus as the Messiah and come be baptized themselves.
The Pharisees could gather with their own followers and lead them to the Messiah as John the Baptist did.
The Pharisees had the opportunity of a lifetime right before them. Messiah had arrived, John the Baptist had said it, and Jesus had acknowledged it himself by telling Nicodemus that the Son of Man had come down from Heaven. Only Messiah could do that. Would the Pharisees acknowledge Jesus, and put aside their ceremonies and lists of rules to follow the Good News? Or would the Pharisees cling to their religion and seek to condemn the Messiah they claimed to be watching and waiting for?
Have a great new day in Christ!
Bucky
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