Wednesday, March 23, 2022
“Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man” (John 2:23-25 KJV).
Is it possible to be a believing unbeliever? According to today’s Scripture, YES!
While Christianity is frequently assumed to be in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; the Bible believer understands Judaism is still operating during Christ’s earthly ministry. Read verse 13: “And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,….” Why did the Lord visit Jerusalem for Passover? Of course, Galatians 4:4: “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,….” The Law of Moses was in force while Jesus walked in the land of Palestine.
As a good, Law-keeping Jew, the Lord Jesus obeyed God’s words spoken through Moses. “Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread [Passover]: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty: ) And the feast of harvest [Pentecost], the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering [Tabernacles], which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field. Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the LORD God” (Exodus 23:14-17). “Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose [Jerusalem!]; in the feast of unleavened bread [Passover], and in the feast of weeks [Pentecost], and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:…” (Deuteronomy 16:16).
While Christ is celebrating Passover in Jerusalem, with all those foreign Jews visiting that city, He performs miracles. The crowd’s response is worthy of our reflection….
333 Words of Grace 