JOH 7:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

>>To illustrate the obstinate blindness of the jews to the doctrine of Christ—a commentator said a man told him,"Sir I have read the Hebrew Scriptures seventeen times and have never seen the doctrine of the atonement you teach."

>>His response was, "You cannot light a candle with an extinguisher on it! Education and learning often proves to be an extinguisher to the truths of Scripture—to light a candle you must remove the extinguisher."

>>The Jews were so blinded by their own doctrines of men that they could not perceive the simplicity of Jesus' words—we only remember as much of what we learn as we do put into practice.

JOH 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

>>Jesus says, in our text, "He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory," that is to say, "Those who are void of the Spirit's teaching, even if they have been through the schools of theology are self-taught—They speak their own theories promoting themselves as some great authority."

JOH 7:15 And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?

>>The scribes and Pharisees considered themselves as the only authorities in the law of Moses—See how they challenged Jesus' authority in MAT 21:23 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

>>Our Saviour taught with authority as He revealed the blessed distinction between the letter of the law as interpreted by the scribes and Pharisees, and the spirit of the law found in the doctrine of Jesus in His Sermon on The Mount.

MAT 7:28-29 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

>>Our Saviour so beautifully reveals the heart of the Pharisees in our text where He said, "He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory." See what He said of them in MAT 23:5-7 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

>>Those who are taught of the Spirit humbly acknowledge their dependence upon Him to rightly unfold the Word of Truth—Jesus sets us this example in our text.

JOH 7:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

ROM 10:13-15 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

>>There are many who run in the name of the Lord whom the Lord has not sent!

JER 23:21 I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.

>>How do we discern whether the Lord has sent a man to preach?

JER 23:22 But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.

>>Our Saviour warns that there are many who run ahead of the Lord in the ministry when they were not sent.

MAT 7:15-16 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

>>What are the fruits Jesus was referring to?

MAT 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

>>See the blessed harmony in the doctrine of Jesus as we see the context of our text.

JOH 7:16-18 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

>>Our Saviour's Name and Character, as well as He teaching were under attack as He taught the distinction between the Spirit, and the letter of the law.

JOH 7:19-20 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?

20 The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?

>>Our text in its context reveals Jesus' character and aim—His words and works were in harmony proving that His doctrine was of Him that sent Him.

JOH 7:16-17 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

>>It was the light of the truth which was so condemning to those self-righteous Pharisees—their own conscience told them that they sought their own glory—but Jesus doctrine went to the heart. See what He told them in MAT 23:25-28 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

>>Outwardly they appeared to be authorities in the letter of the law of Moses, but Jesus said JOH 7:19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?

>>Our Saviour revealed the hypocrisy of the legalism in their hearts—they held their commandments of men above the law of Moses in MAR 7:9-13 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.

12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;

13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

>>The people strove with Jesus as though He had desecrated the sabbath day by healing a man on the sabbath, but Jesus shows them how they were perverted in their judgment.

JOH 7:21-24 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.

22 Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.

23 If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?

24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

>>They had based their whole religion upon their own interpretation of the law of Moses—their whole religion was based upon the traditions of their fathers—but see what Jesus told them in JOH 5:45-46 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.

46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me.

>>The Jews were followers of a man, i..e., Moses! See how they contended with the man who was born blind for believing in Christ.

JOH 9:28-29 Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.

29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.

>>Even though Moses was the meekest of all men, and even though the Lord used Moses as His instrument to "give [them] the law," yet these people did not understand Jesus' doctrine in

1CO 1:27-29 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

>>The reason for this is apparent from the following verses.

1CO 1:30-31 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

>>Our text says The one who seeks God's glory is no false prophet.

JOH 7:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory," but [on the other hand a genuine, God sent servant can be identified by the fact that] he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

>>They were accusing Jesus of having never learned letters—His response is that they have the letter of the law and don't keep it—they professed to be Moses disciples yet they had a heart filled with murder.

JOH 7:19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?

>>Where there is no heart for the truth—there will always be a hatred against it—where there is a hatred against the truth, there will also be a hatred for Christ's ambassadors of the truth.

JOH 16:1-2 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

>>The Jews only knew the letter of the law as the orders of God, but they had never understood the doctrine of the atonement whereby they could understand the law of love as it comes from Mount Sion.

>>The Jews were always trying to take Jesus in His words—they divided the one commandment of the sabbath into 630 legalistic commandments of men—

MAT 22:35-40 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

>>Jesus consolidated all ten commandments into only two tables to one law of love.

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

>>Our text in its context so clearly teaches the distinction between those who are under the law, and those who are under grace.

JOH 7:16-18 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

>>We are also living in a time of very little love for the truth—we need to try the spirits—i.e., the attitudes—are those who profess to be sent of God seeking His glory? — Do they cause men to stand in His counsel? — Do they cause men to turn from sin?

1JO 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

>>Our text says, JOH 7:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.