We should always be intentionally seeking the truth, but that will sometimes cause division. The divisions that Jesus caused reach all the way to the leaders of the church, the Sanhedrin. The Pharisees thought the opinion of the religious leaders was unanimous in its opposition to Jesus. Nicodemus reminds his colleagues of an important principle of law they intentionally overlooking.
“You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.” Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.” Then they all went home, - John 7:47-53
The response of the Pharisees can be interpreted in two ways:
1. They may be urging Nicodemus to search the Scripture and see that no prophet had ever appeared in Galilee.
2. They could be asking is Galilee the kind of place to produce a prophet.
The leaders were not interested in determining the truth. They wanted to discredit Jesus any way they could. With their plot frustrated and group divided “everyone went to his own home”. No change of heart or mind, but intent with doing things their own way regardless of the facts.
How should we deal with division?
How would Jesus?
Always live by God’s truth not man’s (it’s always changing). Amen?
