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When Jesus walked upon the earth, God did mighty miracles through Him to confirm the fact that Jesus is the Messiah. God also gave Jesus His words, as the Lord has said (John 14:30, 17:8). The authority with which He spoke was a notable difference from what the people were used to, causing some to exclaim, “No man has ever spoken like this before” (John 7:46).
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by Me.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).
Copyright 2024 by H.D. Shively
The Division
Yet, in spite of the miracles and the teaching, there were still some that doubted that Jesus was the Messiah.
If we had attended the feast of tabernacles that is recorded in the seventh chapter of John’s gospel, we would have overheard the comments of the people standing around us as Jesus said, “If any man thirst, let him come to Me, and drink. He that believes on Me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”
(But this He spoke of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, ‘Of a truth this is the Prophet.’
Others said, ‘This is the Messiah.’ But some said, ‘Shall Messiah come out of Galilee? Has not the scripture said, that Messiah comes of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?’
So there was a division among the people because of Him (John 7:37-43).
It is apparent that the people were familiar with some of the scriptures that God had implanted in His word to help the people recognize the Messiah when He came; but as the evidence of their words confirms, their knowledge of both the scripture and Jesus was incomplete.
Those who were closest to Jesus of course had more knowledge of His background. They knew through Mary that although Jesus was raised in Nazareth, He was actually born in Bethlehem as the prophet Micah foretold, (Micah 5:2). The general populace did not know that Joseph and Mary had to make a special trip back to Joseph’s birthplace to register for a census for taxation that was ordered by Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1-5).
Apparently the people also did not know that both Mary and Joseph were of David’s lineage, another fact that Mary would have shared with Jesus’ disciples. Matthew records Joseph’s lineage up from Abraham through David to Joseph (Matthew 1:1-16). Mary’s lineage is listed under Joseph’s name in Luke’s gospel,(Luke3:23-38) as it was the custom to list the mother’s genealogy under the name of the husband. This is where our modern day custom comes from when the wife takes the husband’s family name in marriage.
Mary’s lineage is traced from her, all the way back through David to Adam. Scientists have discovered that the DNA of anyone is carried by the female, thus Mary’s lineage is miraculously distinguished from Joseph’s in the Biblical record.
Even the Pharisees, with all of their knowledge of scripture, overlooked the prophecy that the Messiah would arise out of Galilee, declaring, “No prophet arises out of Galilee” (John 7:52).
After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to two men on the road to Emmaus, and taught them who He was from the scriptures (Luke 24:13-27). So apparently this knowledge was conveyed by Jesus Himself through His many encounters with His disciples after His resurrection.
Taught to recognize who Jesus is from the scriptures by the Lord directly, the Apostle Matthew knew that the Messiah would arise out of Galilee as prophesied by Isaiah.-
Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first He lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the light shined (Isaiah 9:1-2, Matthew 4:12-15).
Just as some of the people in Jesus’ day failed to recognize the brilliance of the Light of Messiah that was shining upon them, so also today the people who reject Jesus do so for the same reasons. Their knowledge of who Jesus is as revealed in the scriptures is inadequate. Most are content to parrot what they are told by a biased leadership and do not search the scriptures for themselves.
The arguments that are presented against Jesus being the Messiah are easily refuted when people take the time to do their own research; and most importantly, ask the Lord to reveal Himself to them as they read.
I encourage all who read this to determine to become good miners of the truth, searching the depths of God’s word from Genesis to Revelation. You will discover the riches of knowing who Jesus really is, and that knowledge of Messiah Jesus is the treasure that opens the door to eternal life.