December 15 - Nothing in Secret

So the Roman cohort and the commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him, and led Him to Annas first; for he was father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. Now Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was expedient for one man to die on behalf of the people. Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so was another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and entered with Jesus into the court of the high priest, but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in. Then the slave-girl who kept the door said to Peter, "You are not also one of this man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not." Now the slaves and the officers were standing there, having made a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were warming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself. The high priest then questioned Jesus about His disciples, and about His teaching. Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret. Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; they know what I said." When He had said this, one of the officers standing nearby struck Jesus, saying, "Is that the way You answer the high priest?" Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?" So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. John 18:12-24 

Jesus always drew a crowd when He spoke and taught. Remember that at one time there were 5,000 men (Mark 6:44) who were following Him, listening to His teaching and then He fed them. Another time there were 4,000 men, plus women and children (Matthew 15:38) who He taught and then fed. People were eager to hear Him teach as illustrated by this scripture in Luke 21:37-38. Now during the day He was teaching in the temple, but at evening He would go out and spend the night on the mount that is called Olivet. And all the people would get up early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him.  

When was the last time that you got up early to hear anyone teach? Of course, if you are a student and have an early morning class…or you went to an Easter Sunrise service you got up early. My family is notorious for not wanting to get up early for anything! I’ve gone to Sunrise services alone several times while family slept. Commitment to anything early is just that—commitment, a dedication. It takes persistence and perseverance within one’s own value system to motivate individuals to do something outside of their normal daily routine. Some people are more adaptable, more motivated. That is what the people described in the Luke passage were—motivated to hear Jesus speak. Even when Jesus challenged people to live better lives, like in the Sermon on the Mount, He was convicting them of past mistakes. "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘ You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. Matthew 5:22. He continued to teach them… "In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12

People during Jesus’ time were hungry to hear about spiritual things—about the right way to live. People haven’t changed in 2000 years. We still have a void in our lives and Jesus fills that with His love and peace—still teaching from the Bible. Amazingly the Bible is considered a living document. I’ve found that no matter how many times I read a particular scripture passage, it still says something that I didn’t see or understand in the same way when I previously read it. Try it for yourself—see if scripture says the same thing to you when you read it even days, weeks or years later. Jesus didn’t speak in secret when He walked this earth—and He doesn’t speak in secret now.   

Jesus—I am hungry to feed on Your spiritual teachings. Show me something new in Your word today.

Life is Short - Celebrate while the Light is in your heart.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).