Scripture Daily

Context No. 3071 of 4322 · John

Context · Reflection

John 5:39-47: in context

39“You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. 40Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life. 41I don’t receive glory from men. 42But I know you, that you don’t have God’s love in yourselves. 43I have come in my Father’s name, and you don’t receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45“Don’t think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you, even Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote about me. 47But if you don’t believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

Jesus makes a sobering charge to the leaders who oppose him. You search the Scriptures, he says, because you think that in them you have eternal life, and it is these that bear witness about me, and yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. You receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from God, and that is why you cannot believe.

These men studied the Scriptures diligently, and yet missed their whole point, which was to lead them to Christ. They had the words but would not come to the One the words were about. It is possible to be an expert in the Bible and still refuse the Savior it reveals. And Jesus names the reason: they craved human approval more than God's, and the love of others' praise blinds faith. How can you believe, he asks, when you receive glory from one another? Chasing the applause of people is a barrier to trusting God.

Do I read Scripture in a way that actually brings me to Christ, or can I know the words while refusing the One they reveal, held back by my craving for human approval?

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