IV.
What do you see as the overarching theme of this passage of Scripture?

Is this about teaching, healing, healing on the Sabbath, Mosaic law (circumcision), ritual observation (habit), the Temple, Jerusalem/The Holy City or right judging/perception/understanding?

Is it about all this?

Has our Gospel writer put these together to confront certain members of the religious establishment on multiple fronts?

V.
John 7:14-24 (NRSVue)

About the middle of the festival Jesus went up into the temple and began to teach. The Jews were astonished at it, saying, “How does this man have such learning, when he has never been taught?” Then Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine but his who sent me. Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own. Those who speak on their own seek their own glory, but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is nothing unjust in him.

“Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why are you looking for an opportunity to kill me?” The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is trying to kill you?” Jesus answered them, “I performed one work, and all of you are astonished. Because of this Moses gave you circumcision (it is, of course, not from Moses but from the patriarchs), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath in order that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because I healed a man’s whole body on the Sabbath? Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

VI.
Did you notice –

“Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own.”

Could it be that easy? On the other hand – is that really easy?

Which comes first? Jesus mentions “resolving to do the will of God.” Then “… will know the teaching is from God.” Of course, doesn’t that presuppose you have “heard” his teaching

Where do you find you begin on this journey?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}