The testimony of the scriptures v39-44
“Search the scriptures for in them ye think ye have
eternal life and they are they which testify of me.”
The meaning appears to be “Ye search the scriptures…”; they
thought that in the practice of searching the scriptures, this gave them Divine
privilege. In fact what they searched
was the Talmud, the Rabbinical interpretation of scripture(the Torah). However Jesus did not labour that, instead
focusing on the fact they had missed the whole point of scripture, which was a
testimony to the Messiah. It is not in
the ritual reading of the texts that one as eternal life, it is in the true understanding
of them, and obedience to them. Scriptures are in essence a revelation of God,
in which the Messiah is the primary subject, and they did not recognise Him before
their very eyes. They thought that in
having them, in reading them in hearing them, that just by having the
scriptures as a religious symbol, their ability to speak the words of scripture,
they were right with God. What a warning
to all in the present time who depend on the external form of religion. The
scriptures are a testament to Jesus Christ, and you will not come into me because
I am the life giver. There is no life in external religion. The only life is in
me; I am that eternal life, I am the subject of all scriptures, I am the Son of
God, the Son of man, to whom has been given all judgment, who will raise all dead,
and who will decide the eternal destiny of all men. I receive not honour from men, which I am due,
because of who I am. I know you-the love
of God is not in you. I am come my Father’s name and you receive me not. Another will come in his own name, and you
will receive him. How Can you believe?
You seek honour from man, you seek honour from one another. You do not seek the
honour that comes from God.
The witness of Moses v45-47
I am the judge of all the earth. You want to judge me, but I
will judge you. But in the judgment,
don't think that I will accuse you to the Father; for it is the word that
judges you- even the word written by Moses, the same Moses in whom ye trust.
What you don't understand is that Moses wrote of me. If you don't believe his writings, you will
not believe me. This must be one of the
most solemn endings to a discourse in all of scripture. The favoured nation of
Israel, who were so privileged by God, have failed to realise their condition
before Him. Moses categorically stated
that they were not fit for heaven; that only by keeping the law in all its
facets will they be accepted with God. They
knew the standards of blessing and cursing and chose ignore them, for none of them had kept
the Law. Their only hope is Christ. No need to wait for the day of judgment, for
the standard of judgment is written in the word of God already and we can read
it for ourselves. There is no need to wonder what the proclamation will be in
the future for the word explicitly tells us. Moses testified of me, says Jesus; therefore I
am the only way of salvation for the nation and for the whole world.
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