In John 7:19-24, Jesus continued teaching in the Temple during the Feast of Tabernacles. He purposefully picked at an old scab when he asked the crowd why they wanted to kill him. And although they responded by expressing confusion, the question was really addressed to the religious leaders in their midst who knew exactly what he meant.
It had been a year and a half since the healing of the lame man at the pool of Bethesda on a Sabbath day. That had stirred up a hornets’ nest of hatred among the Jewish elite and resulted in their determining to find a way to execute Jesus (John 5:9-16). And now, eighteen months later, the Lord’s inquiry pulled the curtain back on their secret plan and revealed the intense animosity that still festered in their hearts.
It’s clear Jesus wanted to get this out in the open and address it publicly. But not just to settle a score. He wanted to teach them the right way to relate to biblical commands so they can become gifts to welcome not regulations to come under.
He pointed out that the Jewish leaders themselves routinely violated their rigid application of Sabbath restrictions. The Mosaic law required them to circumcise Jewish boys on their eighth day of life. But if that fell on a Sabbath, they didn’t hesitate to perform the circumcision. They prioritized its importance over a strict interpretation of rest. So, Jesus asked them to explain why healing a man would not be at least an equal priority.
And at first, it almost sounds like he’s asking to be excused for what he’d done because it wasn’t any worse than what they do. But he hadn’t done anything wrong. He’d done something very right, and he wanted them to do the same by exercising righteous judgment not based on appearance. In other words, he was inviting them to look beneath the surface of the law for its roots of righteousness before making judgments based on it.
What did he mean by that?
Well, he wasn’t suggesting that scriptural commands are merely suggestions that can be overridden or adjusted based on whim or changing circumstances. But he was clarifying that they aren’t oppressive, unyielding shackles either. They’re ultimately about the orientations and intentions of the heart not mere compliance.
It’s entirely possible to go through the motions of obedience without the soul being aligned with the actions. In fact, that’s exactly how the scribes and Pharisees could harbor their deep hatred of Jesus behind a façade of strict legalism.
2 Corinthians 3:6 tells us, “…the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” When we look beyond the surface – or letter – of the commandments and embrace the Holy Spirit’s purposes behind them, something life-giving starts to emerge. We begin to see them as expressions of God’s compassion.
And this can radically change the way we read, understand, and apply Scripture. As the Holy Spirit enables us to see it through the lens of God’s commitment to help us experience his righteousness – or rightness – we begin to discover his gifts of grace behind every command. We then find ourselves longing for those blessings, and it motivates our obedience.
Is there a specific scriptural directive, restriction, or regulation that you struggle with today, finding it difficult to understand or obey? If so, I invite you to take another look. Welcome the Spirit to help you see beyond the surface into the loving heart of God who offers it to you as a pathway to rightness.