The Enemy Of My Enemy Is My Friend Series

John 7: 25 – 53

The Enemy of My Enemy Is My Friend

25 Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to kill? 26 But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ? 27 However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.” 28 Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, “You both know Me, and you know where I Am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me Is true, Whom you do not know. 29 But I know Him, for I AM from Him, and He sent Me.” 30 Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 31 And many of the people believed in Him, and said, “When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?” 32 The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him. 33 Then Jesus said to them, “I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him Who sent Me. 34 You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I Am you cannot come.” 35 Then the Jews said among themselves, “Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What is this thing that He said, ‘You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come’?” 37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning The Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for The Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. 40 Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this Is The Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This Is The Christ.” But some said, “Will The Christ come out of Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people because of Him. 44 Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him. 45 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?” 46 The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this Man!” 47 Then the Pharisees answered them, “Are you also deceived? 48 Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” 50 Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?” 52 They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.” 53 And everyone went to his own house.

In our last study we learned that our Lord Jesus went up to Jerusalem and went to the Temple and there He taught the people. Since It is quite clear that the impact of Jesus’ ministry has been such that everyone is talking about Him. You can imagine that when they heard that He was in fact at the Temple teaching you can imagine how everyone would rush to see and hear Him. Of course this news also aroused the notice of the religious leaders who hated Him. They came to see and hear our Lord Jesus for the wrong reasons. They wanted evidence to arrest Him and their hatred was so demonic that they schemed to put Him to death.

Observing the evil herd of self righteous phonies He said this to them for all to hear - 19 Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?”

This remark by our Lord upset the people who were listening and were not aware of the dark overtones that were in the air. They thought that He was exaggerating. But the evil murderers knew exactly what He meant. They were uncomfortably aware that He was right. The people answered and said, “You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?” This statement ‘You have a demon’ was probably the equivalent of our use of ‘you’re mad’, not intended to be taken literally, but as a dismissive comment. Yet we see that not all the people were ignorant to the fact of the plan to murder The Lord Jesus Christ for they now speak up.