February 5
JOHN 7
19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” 20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” 21 Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it. 22 Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well? 24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
– John 7:19-24
JOHN 7 JESUS CONFRONTS THE JUDGMENTAL JEWS
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When Jesus exposed the legalistic Jewish leaders
They reacted angrily saying Jesus has a demon
When confronted with circumcising during the Sabbath
The leaders felt ashamed at being called out.
It is interesting how legalistic people react when they are exposed with their judgmental and narrow one-track mindedness. They had to retaliate to the confrontation that exposed their hidden agendas. No one who is power hungry would want to be seen as evil, so they hide their true meanness by appearing righteous when they are actually self-righteous. The manipulation to hide their shameful unrighteous act is the covering for their evil deeds. This clearly is demonic. What an irony it is that they accuse Jesus of having a demon when they are actually the demons themselves. It is a projection of what is truly inside them that they keep hiding in order to have the respect of others. They are only concerned with their reputation and will do anything to keep it intact. No one dared to question their integrity as far as they are concerned. They think highly of themselves and have instilled fear in those who are not as learned as them. They have muted the lips of those who they think are lesser than them. Imagine how angry they must have been when Jesus exposed their true character. No one has dared to question them. They need to retaliate and stop this man to further expose their unrighteous acts. They need to save their honor and crush this man who dares question their integrity.
REFLECTION
• Why is it important to confront what is evil and expose them?
