Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him. Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why have you not brought Him?" The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man." Then the Pharisees answered them, "Are you also deceived? Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed in Him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed."
Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, "Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?" They answered and said to him, "Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee." And everyone went to his own house.
I will say it again, there is no one like our God. There is no other name under heaven who is greater. There is only one God, the One who has created all things, knows all things, has all power and is ever present.
The people had a hard time "capturing" Jesus. Something just wouldn't allow them. There Jesus was and they couldn't do it. His time had not yet come. There were still things that needed to be accomplished before it could happen. Knowing the Book of John, He had more healings and miracles, more words to speak, more teaching and a lot to explain to His disciples before His arrest and death.
Jesus spoke words too difficult for some. They were no doubt words more powerful than the Pharisees'. They came from an understanding much deeper than the religious leaders could grasp...because His words came from above.
The Pharisees' statement, "But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed," to me was a judgment upon themselves. They accused others for believing in Him when they did not know what they, in all their religiousness and self-righteousness, knew! I am reminded of words Jesus spoke, "Come as little children." In other words, let go of all the preconceived ideas of who I am and just believe in Me. Have childlike faith, let go of worldly knowledge. Receive what I have to give over what the world deems important.
No man ever spoke like this. No man ever will. To know Jesus we must sit with Him, at His feet, and learn what He has to say about life, death, sin, repentance, obedience, love, heaven, hell, and a myriad of other sometimes offensive issues. It may not be everything we want to hear, but I guarantee it will be the truth. And there's where I think some get lost.
Thank you, Nicodemus, for standing up for Him! If there is anyone we should not, nor dare not, judge, it is Jesus. He alone has the words of life. He preaches the Gospel, the good news. Only He can give what others think they can give. The Pharisees' final statement here could be responded to in today's terms as don't judge a book by its cover. Jesus came from humble surroundings, was humble by nature, One who probably stumped the people when He spoke such powerful, intense words. Taste and see that the Lord is good! (Psalm 34:8)
Just like then, those who stand on His promises are viewed as different. To which God has said, they are a peculiar people. Sometimes even we say things that others can't fathom. What's this about last days? What's all the brouhaha about Jesus returning? Haven't those things been said for thousands of years? Who says we must be born again? I am a basically good person... What's so important about this relationship with Jesus? Doesn't everyone go to heaven?
Romans 10:25-16 - ...As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!" But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah said, "LORD, who has believed our report?"
Isaiah 53:1-2 - Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.
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