Saturday 4 July 2026
- Bible Book:
- John
"You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life." (vs 39-40)
Background
Jesus continues to talk with Jewish people about just who he is, and the nature of belief and salvation. He compares himself to John the Baptist "a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light" (v. 35). But Jesus is clearly different to John who pointed people to Jesus and denied that he himself was the Messiah (see John 1). Somehow many people were captivated by John, but failed to hear what he was actually saying.
The Jewish people were seeking the Messiah but Jesus says to them that even though the evidence is clear, they still do not see it. Despite being focused on reading, learning and trying to understand Scripture, they still miss the central point. Jesus points to a potential flaw for all of us if we think that this study of Scripture in itself brings salvation. The study of Scripture is to help us recognise Jesus as the saviour of the world. It is not just to impart knowledge or insight – it is to lead us to God.
Sometimes we can read Scripture to find evidence to support our views rather than letting Scripture speak to us and form our thinking. We bring our own thoughts into the word of God rather than letting God’s word determine our views. For many of us who are preachers this can be quite a temptation. We can find a Bible verse somewhere that on its own and out of context can seem to support some quite bizarre perspectives. That is why we need to read the whole breadth of Scripture; why we consider what the Church has traditionally understood and how this is intellectually coherent; and how we have experienced God at work in our life and in others. We read the whole Scripture. This Scripture points us to Jesus, and in Jesus we find eternal life.
To Ponder:
- How often do you actually read the Bible?
- Are there parts of the Bible you struggle to understand?
- Is it your experience that Scripture always points us to Jesus?
Prayer
Gracious God, give us passion to want to read your word and understand what it means today. May your word live in our hearts and determine all that we think, do and say. Amen.
Bible notes author: The Revd Dr Stephen Skuce
The Revd Dr Stephen Skuce is the Superintendent for Growing Churches within the Methodist Church in Ireland.