Where did HE go to school?"

Jan. 6

Read: John 7:1-24

“Where did he go to school?!”

“My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.” - Jesus

The people in Jerusalem marveled at Jesus and his teaching when he came for passover. The overwhelming consensus being muttered about him was this: “The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” (v.15) Humanity has such a love affair with “experts”, don’t we? These people cannot fathom that Jesus could have wisdom or knowledge that came through any other process than the human schools and systems of the day. This is what throws the people off… they are “divided” amongst themselves. (v.12) People could not deny the unique nature of his teaching and the authority he seemed to embody… but they were consistently hung up on his “origin”… where he came from… where did he “go to school” so to speak.

The point is not to discourage school and learning, there are a great many things to be learned at school. The point is that spiritual learning and the things of God are simply not delivered in the same way as the things of this world. God does not function the same way that the world functions. The “marks” of a spiritual mentor / teacher may not simply be “degrees” or having gone through the process of the spiritual “gate-keepers”. This is why Jesus was so infuriating to the spiritual leaders of the day… his authority and instruction came from ABOVE… from the Heavenly Father. Jesus openly declares, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.”

Sometimes we miss this. Take for instance those in leadership / elders / overseers of the local church; who are the people put in those positions? Is it primarily those who have shown that they “say and do what the Father tells them to”? Or is it made up of people who are “successful business men”, or “managers”, or people with advanced degrees and academic prowess? Once again - I AM NOT SAYING THAT THOSE THINGS ARE BAD in and of themselves. There are born again and Spirit filled followers of Jesus that are managers, business men, and academics. The point is - DO WE FAVOR THOSE MARKERS OVER ACTUAL SPIRITUAL MATURITY? What if some of the most “faith-filled” and “spiritually mature” people amongst us also happen to be seen as “lowly” or “on the margins” in earthly terms? Why should we think spiritual maturity cannot exist amongst the “blue collar” among us? This was exactly the issue with Jesus. He was a former carpenter who never went through the “training process” of the religious establishment. He had no advanced degrees or social “power” apart from the authority that came from God. Unfortunately, this sort of spiritual authority and sensitivity is just as likely to be shunned by the “system” as it is to be embraced and empowered!

Jesus tells us that, “If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.” The Holy Spirit will affirm within you true teaching that is from God. If we truly seek to do God’s will, he will lead us to who we ought to listen to. The other side of the coin is that “The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory…” How many of those people we give our ear to are actually “seeking their own glory”? You can tell a lot about the origin of one’s teaching by the way that it either brings them glory or it defers glory to the Lord. This was the “test” that Jesus laid our for the people.

So who is it that we are listening to? Have we given our ears to ones who speak on their own authority for their own glory, or is the Spirit leading us to listen to those who deliver a “teaching that is not their own”? Have you been leaning more into your own degrees, positional authority, or business success than the voice of the Father? Would anybody listen to you if you didn’t have your wealth / “social influence” / job position / degrees / etc.? These other things can be great “force multipliers” or tools to be leveraged for the Kingdom of God… but the TRUE wisdom that comes from the Lord stands on it’s own and is recognized by those who are born again and Spirit filled… those who “seek to do the will of God”. True teaching from God will always be polarizing… even among the “religious” leadership of the day. Seek those who give glory to God! You may find some of the most encouraging growth amongst those proverbial “carpenters” who didn’t actually come up through the spiritual “farm league”. Love you guys. - JDP