The Jews were amazed and asked, "How did this man get such learning without having studied?
Here everyone is surprised by Jesus’ teaching. They wonder how He came by His extraordinary understanding. They are especially astounded because they think He never studied.
They’re wrong. This Teacher is also a student. He’s been paying attention to His Father all His life.
At twelve years of age in the temple, He amazed the teachers of the law. Even then, He told them He must be about His Father’s business.
Now the Teacher reveals the source of His wisdom - My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me.
He then shares the secret to acquiring such life-changing knowledge.
If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.
Students of the Teacher take note. From the beginning Jesus made a choice. He made a decision to seek the Father’s Will.
This is His secret that opened for Him a life of wisdom and power. And the decision to seek God is still the secret to every successful student’s life.
Certainly Jesus studied and knew the Scriptures, but the secret to His amazing knowledge goes far deeper. His deep understanding did not come primarily from studying. Other rabbis knew the Scriptures very well.
No, He was given Wisdom from above because of the decision He made – a commitment to do God’s Revealed Will.
When you think about it, why would God reveal amazing, insightful truths to one who isn’t first seriously committed to follow them? Such knowledge would be wasted on one who doesn’t intend to do what God desires in the first place. That’s why the Teacher says the road to real wisdom begins with THE DECISION.
The church today has been disfigured and even polluted because of a lack of what amazed the people at this feast. We put so much emphasis on our preachers having been to the right schools and being taught by the right people that we accept whatever they teach us. Often it's just dry doctrine and not life giving water. Paul had sat at the feet of Gamaliel but was only useful for God's purposes when he was taught by Jesus. But what a humble yet bold statement to make; My teaching is not my own..... I've been taught by God! This is not just for the " spiritual elite", it's for the common person. This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel says the Lord; I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts...they shall teach no more every man his neighbor saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know me, from the least to the greatest. How do you know what you know? Where did your teaching come from? I don't know about you but I'm always amazed when the answer is always and obviously, "From the Lord".
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