Daily Devotions
John
John 6:22-71 "UNDERSTANDING THE WAY JESUS TAUGHT"
Day 91 – John 6
UNDERSTANDING THE WAY JESUS TAUGHT
Have you ever wondered why Jesus taught the way He did? His thoughts were so deep even though the words were simple enough. He used figurative language extensively. His words were full of symbolism, and you really have to think carefully before you can actually understand Him. Why did Jesus teach the way He did?
A number of reasons can be adduced. Let us consider some of these reasons:-
1. To Confound The Jews
The Synoptic Gospels presented Jesus as teaching in parables, where deep spiritual truths were hidden. Only those who were really interested would understand what He taught. They would have to take the second step. They would have to seek Jesus out and ask Him personally to explain what He meant. The parables had a special function. They were meant to hide the truth from those who disdained the Word of God in the first place.
In John’s Gospel, we discovered that Jesus had another way of preaching and teaching the truth. He would use deep figurative language. The Jews would never understand what He said, because they did not even believe in God in the first place! This discourse was an example of how Jesus preached the Word of God and how its truth would remain hidden except to those who really loved the truth.
The Jews would not be able to easily wrest what He said. Their inability to fathom His word would prevent them from abusing what was actually taught. Of course you cannot totally stop The Jews from misquoting Jesus, but at least should they misapply what Jesus said, they would really look like fools to those who understood what Jesus said and meant!
2. To Reveal Deep Truths
Jesus wanted people to know deep Biblical truths! There was much more about their faith in God than most people realized. If only they fathomed the richness and the depth of truth to be found in the Scriptures!
He had already revealed deep and wonderful truths to them. He had spoken to them of eternal life. He had told them about the New Covenant. He had revealed that God the Father was involved in helping them understand deep spiritual truths. Many more precious truths were communicated to the multitude.
He would have been interrupted on every point by The Jews had He not used deep figurative language. Deep truths were difficult to comprehend. Simple language would not be able to convey deep truths adequately. He had to speak the way He did. Those who really loved the truth would take the time to meditate on what He had said. The truth would dawn on them if they persevered in their endeavours to fathom what He had taught them.
Everlasting life was such a rich concept. Those who appreciated what it means to have eternal life, as a gift from God , would appreciate every facet of truth related to this glorious doctrine. Surely no one would mind struggling to comprehend deep and rich truth?
3. Trusting in God as The Supreme Teacher
Jesus was fully aware of who God was and how well He could teach. Perhaps in the back of His mind, Jesus remembered a passage in the Book of Isaiah that spoke of God as the Great Teacher. Let us take time to understand this passage.
“Give ear and hear my voice, Listen and hear my speech.
Does the plowman keep plowing all day to sow?
Does he keep turning his soil and breaking the clods?
When he has leveled its surface, does he not
sow the black cummin
And scatter the cummin; plant the wheat in rows,
The barley in the appointed place, and the spelt in its place?
For He (God) instructs him in right judgment,
His God teaches him.For the black cumin is not threshed with a threshing sledge,
Nor is a cartwheel rolled over the cummin;
But the black cummin is beaten out with a stick,
And the cummin with a rod.
Bread flour must be ground;
Therefore he does not thresh it forever,
Break it with his cartwheel, or crush it with his horsemen.This also comes from the Lord of hosts,
Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance.”
Isaiah 28:23-29
Isaiah the prophet in this passage described the role of God as Teacher giving good counsel and guidance to Israel. How did the farmers know how to farm? How did the bakers discover how to bake? Had they discovered and learned all that they did through trial and error? Had they been clever enough to discover everything on their own?
The prophet Isaiah taught the people and reminded them that they should be most grateful to God. It was He who had taught them to do the right things. Whether they were just ideas, or experiments that the people tried out – all came from God. The Lord of Hosts had been their Teacher without their realizing it!
Jesus knew His Father well. He knew how skillful He was in teaching people. Whether it was teaching farming skills, or revealing great spiritual truths, He knew and trusted His Father. He taught, as His Father wanted Him to teach. He would do His part, for He knew that His Father would do the rest.
“Not that anyone has seen the Father,
except He who is from God;
He has seen the Father.”
John 6:46