THE NATURE OF JESUS' TEACHING.
John 7:14-18.
JOHN 7:14-15. “Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?”
What amazes them? His authority (cf. ‘not as the scribes’ Mark 1:22).
In other words the Jewish leaders meant, ‘How can this man know the scriptures so well, not having studied at one of OUR seminaries?’ This is typical of the spiritual pride of certain institutions, who imagine that THEY have the monopoly on theological insight: but they do not reckon with those whom GOD has raised up, and taught in other schools of life.
JOHN 7:16. “Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but His that hath sent me.”
Again, we are looking at the oneness of the Father and the Son. The message of Jesus is the same as the message of the Father who has sent Him. It is like what Jesus said in John 5:30 – ‘I can of my own self (by myself) do nothing… because I seek not mine own (private) will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.’
Jesus is “sent” as the word of God, out of God’s mouth (so to speak). The LORD spoke of Jesus in this way: ‘I will put my words in His mouth; and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him.’ (Deuteronomy 18:18). The incarnate Word teaches the words of God.
JOHN 7:17. “If any man will do His will, He shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of (or ‘from’) myself.”
In other words, ‘If anyone has a mind to do the will of God, then he will know that my teaching is not from myself alone.’ The true test of the authenticity of Jesus’ words is to approach them in an attitude of submission to God.
JOHN 7:18. “He that speaketh of (or ‘from’) himself seeketh his own glory; but He that seeketh His glory that hath sent Him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.”
Be wary of preachers who seek personal honour.
In contrast to these, the second half of this sentence ultimately applies only to Jesus Himself. He alone is “true” – indeed He is ‘the truth’ (cf. John 14:6).
