Yeshua was speaking to the religious leaders of His day when He said: “You examine the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is those very Scriptures that testify about Me; and yet you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life,” (John 5:39, 40).
What an interesting situation and dilemma to consider…
People can intently study the Bible: every jot and tittle, every dotted “i” and crossed “t”. They can bury their head in the written Word of God for years and years, and yet, sadly, never actually personally know or experience God Himself.
This is what Jesus was teaching here. These Pharisees, these religious leaders, they knew the law like the back of their hand. Jesus said, “You search the Scriptures…” These guys weren’t lazy. These guys weren’t biblically ignorant. They had the Scriptures memorized. And yet Jesus basically says: “How could you have the Scriptures memorized and yet refuse to come to Me who is the very One that authored them?”
Beloved, Christianity is not about rituals; it is all about relationship.
Please consider also that Yeshua said, “You search the Scriptures because you think in them you have eternal life.”
In order for us to grasp the reality of what He was saying, it is vital to understand how Jesus defined eternal life. Here is His description: “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3
Eternal life is beyond time and space and it is not to be understood as simply something that goes on forever. Rather eternal life can only be received and intimately apprehended through experiencing and knowing God and His Son. Eternal life is everlasting, but at its core is a relationship.
“Jesus, knowing that the Father had handed all things over to Him, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper and laid His outer garments aside; and He took a towel and tied it around Himself” (John 13: 3, 4).
Yeshua knew who He was, He knew what He had, and He knew where He was going. This is why He was free to serve.
Unfortunately, many have been misled and deceived. Often, we look for our identities and for approval from our boss, a friend or our spouse. We seek and desire to be affirmed by each other. We learn how to act and what to like or dislike by mimicking how the culture acts. For many, the way they seek significance and value is by being affirmed, embraced, and valued by their peers.
Jesus said: “I do not receive glory from people; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you accept glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?” (John 5: 41 – 44).
Yeshua was saying in essence, “That’s who you guys are. You’re getting your whole identity from others. That’s not where I get my identity from.”
“My identity comes from the Father.”
How about us?
This is a line in the sand moment of truth, beloved one, for you and me. Because we are caught up to some degree of living life from the outside in. We’re trying to determine who we are. We are getting our value from what we think other people are thinking about us.
Jesus said, “I don’t care what other people think about Me.”
“My identity comes from the Father.”
Some questions to answer that are more substantial to our lives than what others say or think about us are:
• Where does my identity come from?
• Who am I seeking the approval of?
Let’s begin to fight the good fight for truth, actively cutting off any attempts of being controlled, deterred, or overwhelmed by what other people are thinking about us. Even if they are thinking terrible or wrong things—it doesn’t matter. We cannot be of this world. We must exist to serve Him; this must be our priority.
Beloved, our identity and approval need to come solely from Father.
The only thing that will fulfill us is living a life of honor and obedience to Him. That is what it is going to take for breakthrough.
I’m speaking to those of you, like me, who really love God. I’m speaking to those of you who have a passion for God. You believe He is knowable, supernatural and that you can experience Him. You know that you do not have to wait to die and go to heaven to experience His glory. I’m speaking to those of you who have a quest after God. I’m telling you right now, you’ve got to come to a place in your life where you cross the line and you’re living for Him, not for what other people think about you, even if that means being humiliated at times in the eyes of man.
I do not want any of us, my brothers and sisters, to fail. Please heed these words and seize upon the truth that knowing God is the ultimate goal and our only place of refuge.
Rabbi Schneider hosts the impactful television program, Discovering The Jewish Jesus, which is available in more than one hundred million homes in the United States and nearly two hundred nations worldwide. In 2021 he began broadcasting on radio and now airs across America. Rabbi Schneider imparts revelation of Jesus’ Jewish heritage and His fulfillment of Messianic prophecy. Questions of how the Old and New Testaments tie together, and how Yeshua completes the unfolding plan of The Almighty Yahweh, are answered with exceptional clarity. www.discoveringthejewishjesus.com/about-2/rabbi-schneider/
