John the apostle wrote how in the middle of the feast, “Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. And the Jews marveled, saying, How knows this man letters, having never learned? Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaks of himself seeks his own glory: but he that seeks his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keeps the law? Why go you about to kill me? The people answered and said, You have a devil: who goes about to kill you? Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and you all marvel”, and in chapter seven and verse twenty-two of his book, John shared Jesus told the people, “you on the sabbath day circumcise a man” where we read:
Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;)
and you on the sabbath day circumcise a man.
The verse reads, “Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;)” John began with the words, “Moses therefore” or “Moses whose name means drawing out and was the legislator of the Jewish people and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion then, wherefore, consequently and these things being so” “gave unto you circumcision” which means “granted, bestowed, furnished and supplied to the Jewish people the rite of the cutting away of the foreskin to symbolize the cutting away of the flesh life”; “(not because it is of Moses” or “no and not in any way since and on account that the rite of circumcision exists from Moses”, “but of the father” which means “however and moreover by God the Heavenly Father”). John shared how Jesus said “Moses” instituted the “rite of circumcision” among the Jewish people even though the actual origin of the “rite” was from God.
The verse continues, “and you on the sabbath day circumcise a man.” John added the words, “and you on the sabbath day” which means “and you, Jewish people, upon the seventh day of each week which was a sacred festival on which the Israelites were required to abstain from all work” “circumcise a man” or “cut away the flesh of a male human being”. John shared how Jesus referred to the way the “Jewish people” carry out the “rite of circumcision” even when it is the “Sabbath Day” of rest.
When we consider John's words in this verse, we learn how Jesus directs the thoughts of the “Jewish people” who were confronting and accusing Him. He reminded them of a “work” they perform on the “Sabbath Day” which is the “rite of circumcision”. They, in other words, give exception to this “work” on the “Sabbath Day”, but they accused Jesus of “working”. God created the “Sabbath Day” for man and not “man” for the “Sabbath Day”. (See Mark 2:27) God's desire is to have a personal relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and rather than criticize Him and finding fault, a person advances their own position with God by simply believing and trusting in Him.
Next time John shares how Jesus asks the people, “are you angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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