1.4 Hard Hearts
Blindness Despite the Miracle

Read John 5:10–16. What lessons can we draw from the remarkable hard-heartedness of the religious leaders toward Jesus and the miracle He had just performed?

In John 5:10–16, we observe a remarkable reaction of the religious leaders to the miracle Jesus performed at the Pool of Bethesda. Instead of celebrating the miracle or praising God, they exhibited astonishing hard-heartedness. Rather than acknowledging the healing of a man who had been paralyzed for 38 years as a sign of divine grace, they focused on the fact that the miracle occurred on the Sabbath and that the healed man carried his bed, which they considered a violation of the Sabbath law.

Lessons from the Hard-Heartedness of the Religious Leaders:

1. Law Over Compassion: The religious leaders were so fixated on their interpretation of the Sabbath law that they completely overlooked the compassion and mercy Jesus had shown. They were more interested in adhering to the rules than recognizing the joy and miracle of the healing. This illustrates how dangerous it is when human traditions and regulations close the heart to the true spirit of the law—which is love and mercy.

2. Blindness to Divine Action: Despite the obvious miracle, the religious leaders could not recognize that God was acting through Jesus. Their spiritual blindness prevented them from seeing the greater significance of what was happening before their eyes. This serves as a warning for us to remain open to God’s workings, even when they challenge our preconceived notions or traditions.

3. Clinging to Formalism: The reaction of the religious leaders shows how dangerous it is when formal rules are placed above true faith and a living relationship with God. Jesus wanted to lead them to a deeper truth—that the Sabbath was made for man and should be a day of joy, healing, and peace, not a day of oppression through rules (Mark 2:27).

4. Danger of Hard-Heartedness: The hard-heartedness of the religious leaders shows that even people with religious authority can close their hearts to God’s truth. This reminds us of the importance of keeping our hearts humble and open so that we can recognize God’s truth, even when it challenges us or our traditions.

Overall, this story demonstrates that clinging to human traditions and regulations can lead to not recognizing God’s work. We should be open to the deeper truth of the Gospel, which places mercy and love above formalism.

What do these other accounts teach us about how people can become spiritually closed off, regardless of the evidence? (John 9:1–16; Mark 3:22–23; Matthew 12:9–14)

The accounts in John 9:1–16, Mark 3:22–23, and Matthew 12:9–14 provide a striking insight into the spiritual blindness that can afflict people despite clear evidence of God’s workings. These stories show how deeply ingrained prejudices, power-seeking, and false notions can prevent people from recognizing the truth.

What do these accounts teach about spiritual closedness?

1. John 9:1–16 – The Healing of a Born Blind Man: In this narrative, Jesus heals a man who was blind from birth. Although the miracle was obvious and unmistakable, the Pharisees refused to acknowledge it. Instead, they looked for reasons to portray Jesus as a sinner because He healed on the Sabbath. Their concern for the law was so great that they could not see the wonderful workings of God. This shows that spiritual blindness often results from a rigid adherence to traditions and prejudices that make it impossible to accept the obvious.

2. Mark 3:22–23 – Jesus Accused of Using Beelzebul: Here, the scribes accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul (Satan). This absurd accusation highlights the depth of their spiritual blindness. Despite clear evidence of Jesus’ divine authority, they preferred to defame Him rather than consider that He might be the Messiah. Their false understanding of power and dominion—the expectation of a political Messiah—closed their hearts to the truth.

3. Matthew 12:9–14 – Healing a Man with a Withered Hand: Again, we see Jesus performing an obvious miracle by healing a man’s withered hand on the Sabbath. However, the religious leaders ignored the grace and mercy of the miracle and instead planned to kill Jesus because He violated their Sabbath regulations. Their lack of compassion and emphasis on rules over human life demonstrate how spiritual hardness and self-righteousness can harden the heart.

How Could the Religious Leaders Be So Blind?

The religious leaders in these accounts were blind to the truth because their hearts were corrupted by several factors:

1. False Messianic Expectations: Many religious leaders expected the Messiah to be a political liberator who would free them from Roman rule. Since Jesus did not fit this image, they rejected Him despite His words and deeds showing that He was the Savior sent by God.

2. Power-Seeking: The religious leaders were often more interested in maintaining their own power and authority than in seeking the truth. Jesus’ teachings and miracles challenged their positions, and instead of humbling themselves and learning, they defended their power even at the expense of the truth.

3. Hardness of Heart and Pride: Many were so proud of their own traditions and interpretations of the law that they were unwilling to question their own beliefs. This hardness of heart prevented them from recognizing the signs and wonders as revelations of divine power and love.

Conclusion: The spiritual blindness of the religious leaders shows how dangerous it is when false notions, pride, and power-seeking harden the heart. Even the clearest evidence of God’s workings can be ignored if the heart is not open to the truth. These accounts challenge us to examine our own hearts and ensure that we remain open to God’s guidance, even when it contradicts our expectations.

Read John 5:38–42. What Was Jesus Warning Against? What Can We Learn from These Words? That is, What Might Be Within Us That Makes Us Blind to the Truth We Know and Need to Apply to Our Lives?

In John 5:38–42, Jesus warns the religious leaders about a deep spiritual problem: they study the Scriptures and know the law, but they do not recognize the one to whom the Scriptures point—namely, Jesus Himself. Jesus speaks of an inner blindness and a lack of love for God that prevent them from seeing the truth, even though it is right before their eyes. He says, “You do not have his word abiding in you, because you do not believe the one whom he has sent” (John 5:38) and further, “I know that you do not have the love of God in you” (John 5:42).

What Was Jesus Warning Against?

Jesus warned that mere knowledge of the Scriptures or religious formalities is not sufficient. The religious leaders knew the law and the prophets well, but they did not truly let God’s word live in their hearts. Their study of the Scriptures was purely intellectual, without leading to a deep, inner transformation. They had no open heart for God’s revelation and no true faith in the one God sent—Jesus. This highlights the danger that religious practices or external knowledge can become hollow and empty without a genuine relationship with God.

What Can We Learn from These Words?

1. Knowledge Alone Is Not Enough: Jesus warns us that mere knowledge of the Bible or adherence to religious rules is insufficient. It’s about truly embedding God’s word in our lives and having a living relationship with Him. Otherwise, there is a danger of relying on our knowledge or piety without our hearts being truly touched by God’s love.

2. Inner Attitude and Heart Condition Are Crucial: The religious leaders had a lot of knowledge, but they lacked love for God. The heart is crucial in recognizing the truth. If our heart is hard or filled with pride, self-righteousness, or false expectations, we can be blind to the truth even when it is right before us.

3. Danger of Self-Deception: It is easy to deceive ourselves into thinking we know the truth just because we engage in religious activities or are well-versed in the Bible. Jesus warns that it must go deeper—it’s about a genuine, transformative relationship with God, where we fully open ourselves to His truth and will.

What Might Make Us Blind to the Truth?

1. Pride and Self-Righteousness: If we rely on our own religious achievements or knowledge, it can harden our hearts toward the truth. Pride makes it difficult to recognize humility and dependence on God.

2. Clinging to Traditions or Prejudices: Like the religious leaders, we might cling to traditions or certain expectations that prevent us from recognizing God’s work when it differs from what we expect.

3. Lack of Love for God: If our hearts are not permeated with love for God, we can easily end up studying the Scriptures in a superficial or formal manner without allowing them to truly transform our lives. Love for God opens the heart to His truth.

Conclusion:

Jesus’ words challenge us to examine our hearts and attitudes. He reminds us that faith is not just a matter of knowledge or religious practice but of inner heart posture. Only an open, humble heart filled with love for God can truly recognize the truth and apply it to one’s life.

The Lesson on the Hardness of the Religious Leaders’ Hearts from John 5:10–16 Has a Strong Connection to Our Daily Lives and Faith. It Challenges Us to Reevaluate Our Own Attitudes and Priorities and to Question Whether We Might Sometimes Also Be Blind to God’s Work in Our Lives.

Connection with Our Daily Lives and Faith:

1. Danger of Rigid Traditions: Like the religious leaders of that time, we today may tend to cling to traditions and rules without understanding their deeper meaning. In daily life, it is important not to blindly follow religious or societal norms but to continually assess whether they align with the spirit of love and mercy that Jesus taught.

2. Recognizing Miracles and Signs: The religious leaders saw the miracle of healing, but they were so fixated on following the law that they did not recognize God’s work. This story reminds us to be mindful in our own lives, to recognize God’s actions in everyday moments, and not to become blind to them through our prejudices or expectations.

3. Prioritizing Compassion and Humanity Over Rules: In our faith and daily lives, we should always prioritize compassion and mercy over rigid rules and formalities. This applies not only in religious contexts but also in our daily interactions. People in need should always take precedence over following external regulations.

4. Self-Reflection and Humility: The hardness of the religious leaders’ hearts reminds us how easily pride and self-righteousness can harden the heart. In daily life, we should ensure that we do not become proud of our knowledge or position but remain humble, open to God’s truth, and willing to question ourselves.

5. Recognizing God’s Work in the Unusual: Often, God acts in ways that do not meet our expectations. In our lives, we should be ready to recognize God’s work even where it does not conform to the “usual” ideas or traditions. This requires an open heart and the willingness to let go of our entrenched notions.

Conclusion:

This lesson encourages us to develop a faith in our daily lives that is open to God’s work and prioritizes compassion over rules. It is about overcoming our own hardness of heart and humbly seeking the deeper truth that God wants to show us in His love and mercy. This way, we can avoid becoming blind to the miracles and signs that God continues to work in our lives today.

An open heart recognizes God’s work, even when it comes in ways different from what we expect.

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/lesson-1-signs-that-point-the-way-1-4-hard-hearts-themes-in-the-gospel-of-john-living-faith/

October 2, 2024

DAILY BIBLE READING – Luke Chapter 20

¹ And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders,

² And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?

³ And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:

⁴ The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?

⁵ And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?

⁶ But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.

⁷ And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.

⁸ And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

⁹ Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.

¹⁰ And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty.

¹¹ And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.

¹² And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out.

¹³ Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.

¹⁴ But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

¹⁵ So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?

¹⁶ He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.

¹⁷ And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?

¹⁸ Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

¹⁹ And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.

²⁰ And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.

²¹ And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly:

²² Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?

²³ But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?

²⁴ Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar’s.

²⁵ And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.

²⁶ And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.

²⁷ Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him,

²⁸ Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man’s brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

²⁹ There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children.

³⁰ And the second took her to wife, and he died childless.

³¹ And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died.

³² Last of all the woman died also.

³³ Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife.

³⁴ And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:

³⁵ But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:

³⁶ Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

³⁷ Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

³⁸ For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.

³⁹ Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.

⁴⁰ And after that they durst not ask him any question at all.

⁴¹ And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David’s son?

⁴² And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

⁴³ Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

⁴⁴ David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?

⁴⁵ Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples,

⁴⁶ Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;

⁴⁷ Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

King James Version. Public Domain

 

Commentary

Introduction

Luke Chapter 20 recounts a series of confrontations between Jesus and the religious leaders. This chapter includes questions about Jesus’ authority, the famous parable of the wicked tenants, discussions about paying taxes to Caesar, the resurrection, and the true nature of the Messiah. These events highlight how Jesus reveals the intentions and motives of human hearts while teaching profound truths about the Kingdom of God and life after death.

Commentary

The chapter begins with a challenge from the chief priests and scribes, questioning Jesus’ authority. Instead of giving a direct answer, Jesus asks them a counter-question about John’s baptism, placing them in a dilemma. This shows Jesus’ wisdom and his ability to expose the hypocrisy of the religious leaders.

The parable of the wicked tenants is a powerful illustration accusing Israel’s religious leaders of rejecting God’s prophets and ultimately killing His Son (Jesus). The stone that the builders rejected becomes the cornerstone—a symbol of Jesus’ rejection and ultimate exaltation.

In the discussion about paying taxes to Caesar, Jesus once again demonstrates divine wisdom by establishing the principle of giving to Caesar what belongs to him and to God what belongs to God—a statement that revolves around the theme of loyalty and authority.

The Sadducees, who deny the resurrection, pose a ridiculous question about marriage in the afterlife. Jesus explains that in the coming world, people will not marry but will be like the angels, and God is the God of the living, not the dead.

Finally, Jesus gives a warning against the scribes who display outward piety but are inwardly corrupt. They use their religious position for personal gain, and Jesus foretells their condemnation.

Summary

Luke Chapter 20 highlights the confrontations between Jesus and the religious leaders regarding His authority, the handling of worldly and divine authority, and the resurrection. Jesus responds wisely to their challenges, exposing their hypocrisy and emphasizing key truths of faith. The chapter concludes with a serious warning against false piety, which leads to greater condemnation.

 

 

 

WEEKLY SPIRIT OF PROPHECY READING – Ellen White | The Desire of Ages
Chapter 67—Woes on the Pharisees
This chapter is based on Matthew 23; Mark 12:41-44; Luke 20:45-47; Luke 21:1-4.
Read online here

 

Commentary

Introduction:

Chapter 67 describes Jesus’ final day, during which He teaches in the temple and delivers a powerful condemnation of the hypocrisy and sanctimony of the religious leaders. Jesus speaks bold words, denouncing the Pharisees and scribes for their false, selfish way of life in faith while simultaneously praising humility and true piety. The crowd observing Him is moved by His words, while the religious leaders are exposed and humiliated.

Commentary:

Jesus’ sharp words against the Pharisees and scribes emphasize their hypocrisy, abuse of power, and selfish motives. Although they appear outwardly pious and emphasize religious duties, they do not adhere to these rules themselves. Jesus condemns their love for titles, honors, and external recognition, highlighting true piety, which is demonstrated through humility, mercy, and service.

The episode of the poor widow who throws her last coins into the temple underscores the importance of selfless sacrifice. While the rich give out of their abundance, the widow gives all she has. This shows that God does not evaluate the material value of a sacrifice but the heart and intention behind it.

At the end, Jesus warns of the spiritual decline of the religious leadership, which will lead to the destruction of Jerusalem. His lament over Jerusalem reflects God’s deep sorrow over the obstinacy of His people, who reject His prophets and ultimately His Messiah.

Summary:

Chapter 67 reveals Jesus’ sharp criticism of the religious leaders of His time. He condemns their hypocrisy and abuse of power, making it clear that true greatness lies in serving and humility. The story of the poor widow demonstrates that God values the heart and willingness to sacrifice of His followers, while Jesus prophesies the impending judgment on Jerusalem. This chapter is a poignant call to inner repentance, genuine piety, and the fulfillment of God’s commandments with love and mercy.

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/2-10-2024-luke-chapter-20-believe-his-prophets/