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John 2.23 "Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name, observing his signs which he did. 24 But Jesus didn’t trust himself to them, because he knew everyone, 25 and because he didn’t need for anyone to testify concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man."
This is a very interesting passage. Here people are putting their faith in Jesus, because they are seeing the authority with which he speaks, the authority with which he rebukes people (he had just thrown the money changers out of the temple), and the other signs of his authority through healing and preaching the Gospel. "But Jesus didn’t trust himself to them, because he knew everyone, 25 and because he didn’t need for anyone to testify concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man." This is a powerful testimony of how we should think of and relate to those around us, and perhaps one key to why Jesus could be both so loving and kind and gentle and forgiving, and at the same time so forceful and powerful in his words and actions and choices. Jesus loved people, but he didn't trust them. He knew how weak and fickle and even sinful people are. Even people who loved him and believed in him would abandon him in his time of greatest need. The disciples in Gethsemane, when Jesus was facing the unjust arrest by the Pharisees and the Roman soldiers, fled from him. One of his closest associates, a friend and ministry partner, Peter, not only fled but later denied that he even knew Jesus. Jesus knew how fragile and weak and self-centered people are. He was not going to trust himself to people, because he knew what was in people. This is probably why Jesus was so gracious and magnanimous following his resurrection, when he greeted the disciples kindly and warmly and lovingly, and even prepared breakfast for them and invited them to join him. He did not say to them, "I can't believe you abandoned me at my greatest point of need." He didn't resent their fear and self-preservation instincts that caused them to flee and even deny him. No, he was compassionate and loving. He even helped to restore Peter by getting Peter to acknowledge willfully that he loved Jesus, three times! So he gently led Peter to a place of healing, by getting Peter to affirm his love to Jesus three times following his denying of him three times, and even gave Peter important work to do, saying after each, "Feed my lambs." Then, "Feed my sheep." And finally, "Take care of my sheep." Jesus was demonstrating the truth about what is in man as revealed in the book of Jeremiah 17.5-10 (NIV 1984): "5This is what the Lord says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord . 6He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. 7"But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord , whose confidence is in him. 8He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." 9The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? 10"I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve." If we put our trust in man, we put ourselves under a curse; but if we trust in God, he will be a source of continual strength and life. This is a key to vital and effective and consistent long-term ministry and bearing fruit.
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All truth is God's truth. We are protected when we live in acknowledgement of the truth surrounding us, and make decisions in light of truth. We must educate ourselves about anything that bears upon who we are and what we are called to do in this life. That would include spiritual truth, as well as any other truth. For example, if we are going outside on a cold and snowy day, the truth is that it could be slippery, and if we don't take precautions with where we step, or how we drive, we could end up falling and hurting ourselves or sliding off the road in our car. This is why it is important that we surround ourselves with the truth of God, the truth of scripture, as well as the truth of physical realities in the world where we live.
Remember: "Having the belt of truth buckled around your waist." Ephesians 6.14 |
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