“No man ever spoke like this Man!’”
John 7:46
John tells us that the chief priests and Pharisees in Christ’s time had ordered their officers to compel Jesus to come and stand before them. When the officers returned empty-handed, the religious leaders were indignant, “Why have you not brought him?” they demanded. The officers’ reply is awesome in its significance. “No man ever spoke like this man!” The Lord’s words reveal wisdom, power, and authority unseen among the sons of men. Outwardly, Jesus looked like any other person; on outward inspection he was unremarkable (Isaiah 53:2). Our words reveal our hearts (Matthew 12:34), and no one in human history had a heart like Jesus. He is the only begotten Son of the living God; He is God manifest in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16). Even as a child, his words impressed and fascinated the religious leaders of His day (Luke 2:46-47). At the dawn of His public ministry, He overcame Satan with His words, commanding that old serpent to depart from Him (Matthew 4:10). The Lord issued irresistible commands to the demonic realm also, compelling them by His word to leave their human victims alone (Mark 1:25). When the Lord spoke, lepers were cleansed (Matthew 8:3). At His command, the dead were awakened (Mark 5:41; Luke 1:14; John 11:43). Even nature obeyed His voice. At His rebuke, the raging winds and waves instantly ceased and all was calm (Luke 8:24). Christ’s words directed people to Himself, God’s ultimate self-disclosure and mankind’s only salvation. “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” said Jesus, “No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Those who hear His blessed words and trust in Him for salvation are instantly granted everlasting life (John 5:24). One day, perhaps not too far distant from our own, “all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28-29). The Good Shepherd stated that His words were spirit and life (John 6:63). Those very words have been entrusted to us, His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20). May those same words thrill and comfort our hearts today. May we courageously and faithfully share the Lord’s life-giving words with others also.
God bless,
Pastor John
English