João 7

João 7

Constable - The most important thing then is a commitment to follow God's will. Once a person makes that commitment God begins to convince him or her what is true. Faith must precede reason, not the other way around. Jesus was not saying that the accuracy of our understanding is in direct proportion to our submission to God. Some very godly people have held some very erroneous views. There are other factors that also determine how accurate our understanding may be. He was not saying that if a person happens to do God's will he or she will automatically understand the origin of Jesus' teaching either. His point was that submission to God rather than intellectual analysis is the foundation for understanding truth, particularly the truth of Jesus' teachings. Colin Kruse - This enunciates a very important fact: recognizing the truth of Jesus’ teaching is not dependent upon intellectual ability or formal learning, nor is it a reward for the noble search for truth. It depends, rather, upon a person’s willingness to do the will of God. The impediments to knowing the truth about God are more likely to be moral (lack of readiness to do God’s will) than anything else. In the Gospel of John, God’s will is that people believe in his Son (Jn 6:28-29, 40; cf. 1 John 3:23). This means that only those who believe in Jesus will recognize the truth of his teaching. Believe, that you may know! This is not surprising, for why should God reveal truth to those who refuse to believe in his Son. (The Gospel according to John : an introduction and commentary - Page 184) "His hearers had raised the question of his competence as a teacher. He raises the question of their competence as hearers." (GOTCHA!) -- Leon Morris Charles Swindoll says that know (ginosko) "refers to intelligent comprehension with an emphasis on the process or act of knowing. Throughout John’s literature, “knowing” and “obeying” are inseparable (as they are in Old Testament literature). In the Upper Room, Jesus placed great emphasis on His followers knowing the mind of God so they might become integral to His redemptive plan. The disciples struggled with lack of understanding until they received the Holy Spirit. (See Insights on John) The golden rule for understanding spiritually is not intellect, but obedience. -- Oswald Chambers Whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself (NET, ESV - "whether I am speaking on my own authority") - Jesus spoke these words during the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem. At that time, the Jewish leaders were questioning His authority to teach because He had received no formal rabbinical training (John 7:15). In response, Jesus first clarified the source of His message: “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.” (John 7:16) He then explains, in John 7:17, how a person can discern whether that claim is true. The issue is not intellectual capacity or academic credentials, but the posture of the heart. The only way to know—truly know—that His teaching originates not from Himself but from God the Father is through a willingness to do God’s will. In simple terms, obedience precedes discernment. A heart that is ready to submit to God is granted the ability by the Holy Spirit to recognize that Jesus’ teaching is of divine origin. An unwilling or resistant heart, by contrast, remains spiritually blind no matter how much evidence is presented. An obedient, submissive heart is the God-appointed pathway to recognizing divine truth. 🙏 THOUGHT - Jesus teaches a critical principle that obedience precedes understanding. God does not reveal truth to skeptical critics but to responsive disciples. Light is given to those willing to walk in it. Refusal to obey God's Word clouds discernment, while submission sharpens it. Jesus means that the truth of His teaching is confirmed not by argument alone, but by a heart committed to doing God’s will. Willing obedience opens the door to spiritual certainty, while resistance keeps that door closed. Jesus' words beg several important questions - Am I willing to do God’s will, or only willing to agree with it if it matches my preferences? Have I already decided what I will do before I know what God says? (WOE!) Do I expect to understand first and obey later, when Jesus says obey first and they you will understand? Am I waiting for more proof when God is waiting for my surrender to His will? Have I dismissed biblical truth because it challenged my lifestyle or plans? In summary, John 7:17 asks not “Is the evidence sufficient?” but “Is my heart willing to obey whatever God reveals?” Henry