Today’s thought “Having learning when he has never studied” (April 15)

Today’s thought

“How is it that this man has learning when he has never studied”

(April 15)

Lots of people take Jesus to be God. They do forget that God knows everything whilst Jesus had everything to learn and by the end of his life still did not know a lot of things.

Though it was incredible how Jesus could speak and entertain people. During the times that Jesus stood in the populated places, the towns and villages, he was thronged by people who wanted to see him, hear him and see some miracle done by him. These were the times when most people wanted to follow Jesus. They loved to see the miracles Jesus did, but when he taught, many found it too difficult to follow. It also sometimes looked as if that man was peaking in incomprehensible riddles. him also saying that those who would come to him would never thirst (John 4:14, 6:35).

Jesus’ brothers, children of Joseph and Mary born after Jesus, (Mark 3:21, 31–35) said to him,

“You should leave here and go to Judea so your ·followers [disciples] there can see the ·miracles [works] you do.” (John 7:3)

but Jesus found that the right time for him (2:4) had not yet come, but he sent them up to go to the feast, whilst he would not yet go because ·the right time for him [my time] had not yet ·come [fully come; been fulfilled].

Today we come to read how the Nazarene master teacher when the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand, walked in Galilee, for he would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. But he did not let people see him. At the feast some people [the Jewish leaders; the Jews] were looking for [watching for] him and saying,

“Where is that man?”

Some where convinced he was misleading the people, though within the large crowd there, many people were whispering [arguing; murmuring; grumbling] to each other about Jesus. Some said,

“He is a good man.”

The Pharisees where also wondering how it could come that this simple man, son of a craftsman could know so good the Scriptures. Others also were amazed [marveled] and said,

“This man has never studied in school. How did he learn so much?” (John 7:15)

The Jewish learning consisted in the knowledge of their own scriptures, and the traditions of their elders. In this learning this man from Nazareth seemed to excel. No person ever spoke with more grace and dignity, or knew better how to make a more proper use, or a happier application, of Jewish allegories and parables; because none ever penetrated the sense of the Scriptures as he did; none ever cited them more successfully, or ever showed their accomplishment in so complete and satisfactory a manner. As these branches of learning were taught at the Jewish schools, and the son of Joseph and Mary had never attended there, they were astonished to find him excelling in that sort of learning, of which they themselves professed to be the sole teachers.

Jesus was never been instructed by ‘doctors of the law’ but showed an incredible knowledge of the scrolls that he not only surprised many but could silence some of the teachers in the temple. Having never learned — at any rabbinical school, as Paul under Gamaliel. These rulers knew well enough that he had not studied under any human teacher — an important admission against ancient and modern attempts to trace our Lord’s wisdom to human sources [Meyer]. Probably his teaching on this occasion was expository, manifesting that unrivalled faculty and depth which in the Sermon on the Mount had excited the astonishment of all.

Already as a young boy he had showed the capacity to have people hanging with their ears on his mouth. Already then in the temple all who heard him were astonished: for they reckoned it a miracle, that a child should frame his questions with such correctness and propriety. They had heard the boy, and thus acted the part rather of scholars than of teachers. He had not yet been called by the Father, to avow himself a public teacher of the Church, and therefore satisfied himself with putting modest questions to the doctors.

It should be clear that the teaching of Jesus comes from his heavenly Father, the only One True God. Let us remember

The officers answered, Never man so spake. (Joh 7:46)

And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these words, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching: for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. (Mt 7:28-29)

And when they heard it, they marvelled, and left him, and went away. And when the multitudes heard it, they were astonished at his teaching. (Mt 22:22-23)

and all that heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. (Lu 2:47)

Let us also recognise that Jesus, though a son of man got the authorisation and the power to speak in the Name of God. Never forget that Jesus did not come of himself (which would have been when he would be God),