Year 8, Day 250: John 2

Theological Commentary: Click Here

I think the theme for me when I read John 2 is best given in the last words of the chapter.  “Jesus did not entrust Himself to them … for He Himself knew what was in man.”  Jesus knows where our hearts focus.  He knows our passion.  He knows how we can be misguided, even when we’re trying to help.

For example, take a look at the wedding in Cana.  Yes, Jesus performs a great miracle.  Don’t miss the point that what Jesus makes is finer than our greatest accomplishment!  That being said, the reality is the Jesus’ mother puts Him in a position He doesn’t want to be in.  His time has not come.  Even after He makes His point, His mother continues to insist.  To be honest, she doesn’t even acknowledge His objection!  She turns to the servants and tells them to obey Jesus.  Jesus’ mother means well, but her heart is in making the wedding better and not listening to God’s plan.

In a far more direct example, we have the temple story.  The religious leaders have turned the worship of God into a means for making money.  They are preying upon the people and using God as the element of fear!  They are behaving unjustly and their focus is clearly upon material gain and not upon their relationship with God.

This is why even when many people believe in Him, He doesn’t put His trust in them.  It seems like so many people are simply looking to use Jesus to accomplish their own agendas.  That’s still true today.  So-called religious leaders get rich off of people who are just trying to relate to God.  Other religious leaders guilt people into doing what they want.  Others use Jesus’ own words to convince people of their obligations.  Unfortunately, Jesus knew the truth.  He knows what is in the heart of man.

What I find really neat in this is that although Jesus knows what is in the heart of mankind, He still came for us.  He still died for us.  He still invites us into relationship with Him.  He knows what is in our heart and knows that we will occasionally fail Him.  Yet He still wants to be with us.  That’s God.

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