A study of John chapter seven gives an amazing insight into how people of the first century saw truth, yet at the same time that truth was hidden from them. It helps us understand how people of the twenty-first century have not found the truth. The nature of mankind truly has not changed.
Some times truth is not obvious.
The teachings of Jesus were so plain that everyone could understand them. He was truly the Christ. He not only openly claimed to be the Son of God, but He also proved this by His miracles. This proof was so obvious that many said, “When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?” (John 7:31). How could anyone not see this truth? Why was this obvious truth not seen by everyone in the first century?
Truth was hidden because the people had been taught false doctrine. It was commonly believed that a prophet could not come from Galilee. When Philip told his brother that He had found the Messiah, Nathanael almost did not find Him because he had decided that nothing good could come out of Nazareth, a city in Galilee. The message on Pentecost was magnified when it was seen that every apostle came from Galilee. They struggled to believe that Galileans could be speaking in tongues (Acts 2:7). Those in John seven who asked if the Christ could do more signs than Jesus had done, struggled to deal with the false idea they had been taught that no prophet, especially the Prophet, could be from Galilee (John 7:41-42). Truth can be hidden by believing false teaching.
Truth was hidden because men had been taught to put their trust in religious leaders and follow them. The Pharisees asked the people, “Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him?” They wanted the people to ignore obvious truth by showing them that the religious leaders’ actions should be followed. Truth can be hidden by the elevation of religious leaders.
Truth was hidden because those in power used legal means to silence the messenger. As Jesus spoke in the temple, soldiers were sent to arrest Him. The leaders’ desire to hide truth was so great that they sought to arrest Jesus (7:30, 32). Yet, even the soldiers were captivated by what He was saying (7:46).
Truth is often hidden today for the same reasons it was hidden then. The prejudice created by false teaching in our day keeps people from seeing obvious truth. The concept of following religious leaders keeps people from seeing the truth. Efforts abound to hide the truth using legal means to redefine sins and make them morally acceptable.
Study John chapter seven and see that what happened in the first century is happening in our day!