Last time we looked at how religion can be a stumbling block to faith. Here we see a classic illustration of how this works out in practice. Back in chapter 5 of John's gospel we read how Jesus healed a man at the pool of Bethesda and "the Jews", i.e. the Jewish leaders, persecuted him for it (Jn.5:2-16). In this passage we have Jesus going up to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles and these same leaders become aware of his presence, indeed they are looking for him (Jn.7:11).

All the talk was of Jesus; with some saying he is a good man while others called him a deceiver. Why a good man? Why a deceiver? Good because he performed miracles and showed compassion, a deceiver because he healed on the Sabbath, flouting the law morality of the Jewish leaders. Jesus' answer to all this was a piece of sound reasoning:

"I did one miracle, and you all marvel at it. Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the Law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man's whole body well?

Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment."

The trouble was they were judging by appearance. They had a picture in their minds of how these things should be done, according to their religion, and failed entirely to see who Jesus was and to recognise what was the work of God. People were amazed at Jesus' teaching (Jn.7:15); they were animated in discussing their faith (Jn.7:25-32); they responded to his promise of "living water" (Jn.7:37-41). When the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest Jesus, even they came back declaring, "No one ever spoke the way this man does" (Jn.7:46).

In the face of all this the leaders of the Jews remained blind:

"You mean he has deceived you also? Has any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the Law - there is a curse on them."

Because of their slavish adherence to a set of rules they rejected God's authority, clearly demonstrated in the life and ministry of Jesus; proved cowardly in that they feared to act, even on their convictions, for fear of the crowds and, worse of all, they planted doubts in the minds of those to whom Jesus offered "living water".

The gospel message is the same today as it ever was and "living water" remains freely available to all who are thirsty and come to Jesus to drink. As in those exciting days of Jesus' earthly ministry, there are those today who, because of their religion, judge by appearances and don't make right judgement. Worse of all, there are those, like the Pharisees, who plant doubt in the minds of others and insist that their religion and not Jesus is the measure of truth. Let's not allow anything, whether religion or culture, or well-intentioned but misguided rules stand in the way of those whom God calls, of those who simply thirst and who would come to him.

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