The Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God

Division Among the People over Jesus

John 7:32-39, 40-44, 45-53 The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning Him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him. Then said Jesus to them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go to Him that sent me. You will seek Me, and shall not find Me: and where I am, there you cannot come. Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will He go, that we shall not find Him? will He go to the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? What manner of saying is this that He said, You will seek Me, and will not find Me: and where I am, there you cannot come? In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come to Me, and drink. He that believes Me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spoke He of the Spirit, which they that believe Him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Have not the scriptures said, That Christ comes of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? So there was a division among the people because of Him. And some of them would have taken Him; but no man laid hands on Him. 

The Unbelieving Rulers

Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said to them, Why have you not brought Him? The officers answered, Never man spoke like this man. They asked them of the Pharisees, Are you also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on Him? But these people who know not the law are cursed. Then Nicodemus said to them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) Does our law judge any man, before we hear him, and know what he does? They answered him, Are you also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee arises no prophet. And every man went to his own house. 
 

From here now we will find that the Jewish Rulers turn up the heat in their efforts to trap Jesus by His own words. They have finally come to realize that they have been the brunt of His many parables about their deception and greater hypocrisies. You see when man blends the ancient paganisms of the world with that of God's own righteousness, in GOD's intended order of worship in spirit and Truth, these people are making themselves the footstool of Christ Jesus who is and was the LORD from before the foundations of the world. In the following passages are revealed the error of this form of custom of practice which is a great abomination of our day.

The Pharisees and scribes Test Jesus

John 8:1-11, 12-30, 31-59 Jesus went to the mount of Olives. And then early in the morning He went into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down, and taught them. The scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They said to Him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commands us, that such should be stoned: but what do You say to this? This they said, tempting (testing) Him, that they might have to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground, as though He heard them not. When they continued asking Him, He lifted Himself up, and said to them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again He stooped down, and continued to write on the ground. And they which heard, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, to the last: and Jesus lifted up His head and saw that they were alone, and the woman was still standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, He said to her, Woman, where are those your accusers? has no man condemned you? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said to her, Neither do I condemn you: go, and sin no more. (parallel passages Leviticus 20:10, Deuteronomy 22:21-24, Ezekiel 16:38-40, 23:47, Psalm 38:10-14, 39:1, Proverbs 26:17; Numbers 14:22-23, 24, Jeremiah 17:13, 9-14, Matthew 26:63)



Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed in Him, If you continue in My word, you are My disciples indeed; And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered Him, We are Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how say You, You shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say to you, Whoever commits sin is the servant of sin. The servant abides not in the house for ever: the Son abides forever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham's seed; but you seek to kill Me, because My word have no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and you do that which you have seen with your father.

They said to Him, Abraham is our father. Jesus replied this to them, If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a man that has told you the truth, which I have heard of God: and this Abraham did not do. You do the deeds of your father. Then said they to Him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, God. To this Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, you would love Me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? because you cannot hear My words. You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode (to establish a thing) not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell the truth, you believe Me not. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do you not believe Me? He that is of God hears God's words: you therefore hear them not, because you are not of God.
 

Then answered the Jews that were around Him, said to Him, Say we not well that you are a Samaritan, and have a devil? Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honor My Father, and you do dishonor Me. For I seek not My own glory: there is one that seeks and judges. Verily, verily, I say to you, If a man keep My saying, he shall never see death. Then the Jews said to Him, Now we know that You have a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, If a man keep My saying, he shall never taste of death. Are You greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: who makes You Yourself? To this Jesus answered, If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing: it is My Father that honors Me; of Whom you say, that He is your God: Yet you have not known Him; but I know Him: and if I should say, I know Him not, I shall be a liar like you: but I know Him, and keep His saying. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews to Him, You are not yet fifty years old, how have You seen Abraham? Jesus said to them, Verily, verily, I say to you, Before Abraham was, “I am”. Then they took up stones to cast them at Him: but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. (parallel passages Genesis 3:15; Psalm 90:2, Isaiah 44:6; Exodus 3:14, 6:3)