John 7: 25 – 26
“At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, ‘Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah?’”
Ooooh, Ouch! That had to hurt when the Pharisees heart that being whispered about. Have they concluded he is the Messiah indeed? That kind of raises the question of what would it take for the Pharisees to conclude someone was actually the Messiah? For example, would they have accepted the claims of someone who had the right pedigree and wore the right clothes? Would they have accepted someone who taught the people that they should continue with the old covenant temple worship? What else would they have needed to convince them that the one who claimed to be the Messiah was really from God?
Q: Is there anything Jesus could have done differently that would have won the Pharisees over while still honoring God?
I don’t think so. The problem was in the Pharisees hearts. It is hard to compromise with a heart problem.
Rich,
Great insight! Sometimes there is nothing you can do if a person’s heart isn’t in the right place.