seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
13 The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”
14 Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. 16 But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. 17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. 18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”
19 Then they asked him, “Where is your father?”
“You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.
21 Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”
22 This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?”
23 But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.”
25 “Who are you?” they asked.
“Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. 26 “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”
27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up[a] the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” 30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him.
See the title? That's what one commentary called the Pharisees and the Sadducees. In my opinion this is an excellent example of what they were and what they are..... oh we don't call them Pharisees and Sadducees anymore.... we call them preacher, priest, teacher, deacon, elder, bishop, cardinal, pope. We call them updated names but if they are leaders in the church.... any church that claims to worship God.... but they are still the same creatures Jesus was describing.
Jesus was actually saying something like "Far be it from me to call you all morons.... my Father is the judge and He told me you were morons.... but I came anyway."
So.... the four characteristics of a bum preacher and priest are really easy to spot.
Self Righteous..... Some people are convinced their poop doesn't stink. That's how they act... they "deserve" everything they have. They "do so much" for that church. It couldn't run without them. They "have saved so many souls". If God is going to do something spectacular, they will get an engraved announcement. Nothing happens without their approval..... nothing.
Self Righteous is different from Righteous in one major way.... "Self". If you think your poop doesn't stink.... you either have COVID-19 or you worship yourself and not God. Stinky poop is a weapon. My husband refreshes that fact for me often.... and admittedly I return the lesson. We are human.... we are supposed to worship God... not ourselves.
Earthbound..... The Pharisees and Sadducees just didn't understand the concept of Heaven..... They could only see their world.... it was flat and it revolved around them. The moon and the stars were there for their entertainment. Jesus was telling them they were thinking too small. Genesis says God created the heavens and the earth. Those Pharisees and Sadducees didn't get that verse. I guess they didn't have great scientists tracking down the exact location that would be pointed out and lit up like noon when all the planets aligned forming a bright bright light.... oh wait.... they had it... a legion of Angels sang about it when it happened..... but they didn't see it for themselves so it didn't happen ,.. so it was not true.
Jesus is God.... He was there when everything, including the earth, was created. He was there when God was sculpting those individual Pharisee and Sadducee souls. He counted the hairs on their heads. He knew they would be earthbound.... but He hoped the story would change... they had free will... God set it up so they could change their minds.... but they won't because in their mind... the earth is flat and it revolves around them... and they are never never never going to die.... yeah... right....
Unbelieving.... They thought they believed. They thought they were backing the right horse. They had always been taught to run heretics out of the Temple. They were taught pointing out the sins of others was helpful in choosing the proper sacrifice to be made. A big sin required an ox while a tiny sin was less expensive... it could be grain. That's what they thought.... they "believed" the rules, regulations, policies, and procedures were their shining accomplishment... they would make humans behave by cracking the whip.
Jesus is God.... He saw the sins of Adam and Eve. He knew they were going to go mess with that snake in the tree. He had a plan to deal with it... and He put that plan into action as soon as those beautiful teeth of Eve's sliced the skin of that apple. The problem is... humans think their poop doesn't stink and they were leaving poop everywhere.... so God gave Moses Ten Commandments to help the humans get along... and He talked to Moses and explained to Moses that the humans shouldn't poop where they are going to be hanging out.... they couldn't smell their own poop... but others can. The Commandments were part of the plan.
They knew Jesus of Nazareth. He was a carpenter's son from Nazareth. They did not believe that He's the one that Herod was so freaked out about. They were sure that if God was sending a Messiah.... they would be informed.... not a shepherd or a scientist.... them... They were the priests... they would know... and since that didn't happen... then it was not so.
Willfully Ignorant..... Those Pharisees and Sadducees were so sure that they were the chosen ones.... they were so sure God only talked to them and not the "common folk".... they refused to listen to anything or anyone else. Jesus told them they were in trouble... they didn't ask Him to explain... they just ignored Him. He was a nothing... a no one.... a Nazarene..... They were the head of the Temple.... the life of every human in all of Israel was dependent on the Temple. They had the power to throw people out of the Temple. They were right and everybody every where else for every reason at every time no matter who... was just wrong. They were sure they would get an engraved announcement when the Messiah came to earth... and until then... they would keep throwing those oxen on the grill and run the lives of all those ignorant humans around them.
The Pharisees judged Jesus. They knew He was brilliant. He knew the scriptures better than they did.... but He was from Nazareth... the Son of a Carpenter. They knew He was charismatic. He drew huge "dangerous" crowds. Worst of all... He flaunted their rules, regulations, policies and procedures. He healed people regardless. Working on the Sabbath [for anyone but the Pharisees] was absolutely forbidden... but He would not cease. He was dangerous.
The Temple Guard judged Jesus..... he did nothing wrong.
A lot of people believed because they heard what He said to those Pharisees.... right there in front of God and everyone Jesus argued with the Pharisees.... and a lot of people heard it and "Believed" what He said.
Some humans are just..... Self Righteous, Earthbound, Unbelieving, Willfully Ignorant
Until they decide to read the Word for themselves.... they will stay that way.
Self Righteous, Earthbound, Unbelieving, Willfully Ignorant
Oh... and yesterday turned out ok.... but I was really scared... they wanted to work on the wrong eye.... but I think once I got them all on the correct eye.... everything worked out ok. I'll know soon.... the blurry double vision is supposed to get better... I think....
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