Thoughts on the Gospel of John (150) - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2024

He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, They hated Me without a cause.
John 15:23–25

Thoughts on the Gospel of John (150)
Over the centuries, God had worked miracles at various times among the people of Israel. Think of the miracles Moses performed before Pharaoh in Egypt. Or the miracle when the Red Sea was divided and all the people of Israel passed through. Or the miracles that took place through the prophets Elijah and Elisha. None of these miracles were questioned by the Jews at the time of Jesus – unlike today when many people question even the possibility of miracles occurring.

Jesus, on the other hand, performed miracles in public that no one had ever done before: “Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind”, the man born blind rightly testified to the Pharisees (ch. 9:32).

God Himself had come to earth in the person of Jesus. Thus, the prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled: “Behold, your God will come ... Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped” (Isaiah 35:4–5). Jesus’ miracles confirmed without a doubt that He was the promised Messiah and the Son of God. Anyone who experienced the miracles of Jesus became guilty if they did not believe in Him.

How much hatred and hostility was directed at the man from Nazareth – at Him who had shown only love! There was no reason to hate Him. On the contrary, He is worthy to receive “power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing” (Revelation 5:12).

Today’s reading: 1 Kings 6:1-18 · John 5:31-47