The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.
About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?”
Comment: Was Jesus suffering from an unreasonable fear that people were out to kill Him? Well the question is answered in the negative because they did kill Him not long afterwards. Before Jesus went to the Feast people were looking for Him – what He had been doing miracle wise and with His ‘non-orthodox’ teaching was enough to get widely discussed by the Jews at every level. His teaching was not unorthodox but really in line with the true text which time and bad leadership had perverted. A bit later Jesus went up and began teaching. He said to those who were questioning what He said and on what authority He said it that ‘I speak on the authority of Him (GOD) who sent me. God has no shadow of falsehood. I’m speaking within the Law that Moses gave You. A Law which You don’t keep because you have perverted the meaning. On what basis are you seeking to kill Me?’ Maybe the crowd, many of whom had admiration for Him were speaking the truth when they said ‘ Who is seeking to kill you?’ Except why did they use the word ‘demon’? And certainly there were many of the leaders who did want to kill Him as we see tomorrow.
Prayer: Help me to be absolutely honest with You, O God.
As I read it! 