John 7:46-49 "The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. (47) Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? (48) Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? (49) But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed."
Do you remember what was said about Jesus when He concluded His Sermon on the
Mount? "And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the
people were astonished at his doctrine: (29) For he taught them as
one having authority, and not as the scribes." (Matthew 7:28-29)
These officers had been sent to arrest Jesus. His time had not come. They
came back without Him. "Why have ye not brought Him?" They
answered, "Never man spake like this man." These officers had
listened to many people speak. To begin with the elementary: Their parents had
spoken to them. Teachers had spoken to them. Their higher ranking officers had
spoken to them. No doubt, they had listened to higher dignitaries speaking.
They had certainly heard the Pharisees speaking. But they had never heard
anyone speak as Jesus did.
We do not know everything the officers heard Jesus speak, but we do know they
heard Him say: "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said,
out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." I have to
believe these officers had thirsty souls. I also believe as they listened to
Jesus, they found that thirst being relieved as the living waters flowed into
them. That had never occurred before. They knew what took place in their very
lives as they listened to the words of Jesus. Have you ever drunk from that
fountain? Have you ever felt the dryness of your soul being relieved as the
Word of God flows into your deepest being? Then you also know "Never man
spake like this man." Do not simply allow the Word of God to be a
"head matter". Ask the Lord to allow His Word to settle down into the
very depth of your soul and enjoy the refreshing that is found.
These men still had to face the Pharisees. They were sent to do a job and came
back empty handed. At their answer, the Pharisees began to brow beat them.
"Are you also deceived? Do you see any of US believing on that man? The
people who do not know the law are cursed. We are the elite and have all the
answers." They may not have said all those words (most of them were
said), but that was their intention in talking to these officers.
"But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed." I probably
should save this for another devotion. But it is part of the answer given by
the Pharisees. May I simply say, "The people may not have known the law,
but they were getting to know the Redeemer." The One Who was speaking to
them was the very One Who came to be made a curse for them. "But when the
fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made
under the law, (5) To redeem them that were under the law, that we
might receive the adoption of sons." (Galatians 4:4-5)