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Chapter 57

Christ the Cause of Division

“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? Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh 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. Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed. Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. And every man went unto his own house.” (John 7:40-53)

What horrible divisions there are among men! Since the days of Noah, men have been dividing into groups. It seems that man, by nature, prefers strife to unity, conflict to communion, and war to peace. Men and women everywhere look for excuses to quarrel. How easily even families, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, children and parents are divided from one another! How sad! How very, very sad!

Even among those who are brothers and sisters in Christ, divisions often come. Paul and Barnabas were both true servants of God, brothers in Christ and co-laborers in the gospel. Both were loved of God, redeemed by Christ, and indwelt by God the Holy Spirit. Both were used greatly by God for the furtherance of the gospel and the glory of Christ. Yet, Paul and Barnabas fell into strife and were divided from one another!

What is the cause of strife and division among men? What causes strife in your home? What is the cause of strife among brethren? This is what the Book of God says: — “Only by pride cometh contention” (Proverbs 13:10). Pride of race, pride of place, and pride of face are the things that raise contention. Nosey busybodies cause divisions. Idle gossips, with their slandering tongues, cause strife. Hear what God says about this matter.

“A wrathful man stirreth up strife” (Proverbs 15:18). — “He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends” (Proverbs 17:9). — “A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends” (Proverbs 16:28). — “He loveth transgression that loveth strife” (Proverbs 17:19). — “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife” (Proverbs 26:20-21). — “He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife” (Proverbs 28:25). — “An angry man stirreth up strife” (Proverbs 29:22). — “The forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife” (Proverbs 30:33).

May God teach me kindness and give me grace to use my influence and energy to promote others and promote peace. Spirit of God, keep me from grieving you by that corrupt communication, bitterness, anger, wrath, and evil speaking that injures others and causes strife. — “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9). I want to be a peacemaker. Don’t you?

But, having said all that, I hasten to say that not all strife is evil and not all peace is good. Division is not always evil; and unity is not always good. A united mob of rebels is still a mob of rebels. A peaceful cemetery is still a cemetery.

Here in John 7 we will read about a strife that cannot be avoided, if we are faithful to our God and faithful witnesses of Christ. Christ himself is often the cause of great division among men. Why was John inspired by God the Holy Spirit to record these things? Why does he tell us about this division of men that arose because of the Lord Jesus? What are we to learn from this passage? Four things are obvious. May God the Holy Spirit teach us these four things.

Useless Knowledge

First, there is a vast difference between religious knowledge and spiritual knowledge. Religious knowledge without faith in Christ is useless, damning knowledge. Spiritual knowledge is the gift of God, the gift and accompaniment of saving grace. Religious knowledge is but the acquirement of the flesh.

We are told that some of our Lord’s hearers knew clearly where Christ was to be born. They were obviously very familiar with many facts recorded in Scripture. They knew the prophets. They knew that the Messiah would be of David’s seed. They knew that he would be born in Bethlehem. They knew that the time for his coming was then at hand.

Yet, the eyes of their understanding were not enlightened. They groped about in utter darkness. The Christ, the Messiah was standing before them; and they could not see him! He was standing in their midst; and they were debating about places, family trees, and dates. Christ was in their midst; but they did not know him, believe him, receive him, trust him, or obey him.

Without question, where there is no knowledge there is no faith. — “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” Faith is not a leap in the dark. An “unknown God” can never be the object of true worship, worship in spirit and in truth. You cannot know, trust, love, and worship an unknown God. But spiritual, saving knowledge is not something that can be acquired by human effort.

Many in our day, like these men in John 7, know the words of Scripture well who have not a clue what those words teach. Many know the facts of Scripture history who have no idea what those facts recorded mean, what they are intended to teach. Many know the doctrine of Christ who do not know Christ.

Salvation is knowing Christ (John 17:3). Salvation is not knowing about Christ, but knowing Christ. It is not knowing what he taught, but knowing him! Eternal life is not knowing what Christ did, but knowing Christ (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

The very devils know the Scriptures better than you or me; but they are devils still. They are unaffected by what they know. And many men and women are just like them. They are familiar with the letter of Scripture, and are able to quote scores of texts. They reason, argue, and debate about theological theory; and they are dead in trespasses and sins.

Saving knowledge is heart-knowledge. Sunday School teachers cannot convey it. Preachers cannot bestow it. Parents cannot give it. Heart-knowledge comes when Christ is revealed in you (Galatians 1:15). Heart-knowledge is bestowed when Christ is formed in you in the new birth. When Christ is in you, you have the mind of Christ. Until then, you have no spiritual knowledge (1 Corinthians 2:12-16).

Saving, spiritual knowledge, that knowledge that comes by the new creation of grace, causes the heaven born soul to know the plague of his own heart, the guilt of sin, the righteousness of God in Christ, and the accomplishment of redemption by Christ (John 16:7-11).

This is the highest degree of knowledge to which any mortal can attain. If you have it, it is God’s gift; and you have eternal life. If you lack this saving knowledge that causes poor, needy sinners to cast all hope upon Christ, all your learning and wisdom, all your knowledge and skill in religious things is but darkness and delusion.

Preaching with Authority

Second, our Master is held before us in this passage as the example to be followed by all preachers. He shows us what it is to preach with authority. We are told that even the officers of the chief priests who were sent to arrest him were struck with awe and were amazed by his preaching. They said, — “Never man spoke like this man” (v. 46). That is exactly what we are told people said about our Savior when he finished preaching the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:28-29).

Our Lord’s authority in preaching was not in the loudness of his voice, or the oratorical skills he displayed. He obviously displayed none. It was not the authority of learning, or the authority of bombastic theatrics. Our Master’s authority in preaching was the confidence with which he spoke the things of God. — He believed; therefore, he spoke. His authority was displayed in the simplicity with which he spoke the truth of God. Authoritative preaching needs nothing to cover it, no hedges to hide behind, no hidden meaning to which one can retreat. Our Master’s authority in preaching was the fact that he preached to the hearts of men.

God give me grace to be such a preacher (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). May God raise up many to preach with such heavenly authority in this generation.

A Gradual Work

Third, we see in the example of Nicodemus that the work of God’s Spirit in converting a sinner is often a gradual work. We are told that Nicodemus stood up in the council of our Lord’s enemies and mildly pleaded that he deserved fair dealing. — “Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?” (v. 51)

Nicodemus is the man who eighteen months earlier came to our Lord by night. Yet, here he is, still content to be numbered among the Sanhedrin. Still, he appears to have been, even now, a disciple, a secret disciple forced to identify himself with his Savior. Obviously, I cannot speak with certainty about him; but that appears to be the case. Though he does not speak boldly, he does speak up in the Master’s defense. Soon, this same man would openly identify himself with the despised Nazarene, and would do so at a time when very few would. He was soon to come with Joseph of Arimathaea to seek permission from Pilate to prepare our Lord’s dead body for burial. He did so, remember, when all the Lord’s chosen apostles had forsaken him and fled (John 19:238-39).

The work of the Spirit does not always proceed with the same speed in the hearts and lives of chosen sinners. In some cases God’s work of grace may appear to be very slow, though real and true. We are often too quick to condemn some as graceless, because their experience does not exactly tally with our own. We should never set ourselves up as judges who can tell who is saved and who is lost. We should always be content to leave every man and every woman to stand or fall before his Master. They do not stand or fall before you and me. Because we judge everything by outward appearance, we always judge wrong. Some I once thought to be strong examples of faith and faithfulness proved to be reprobate in the end. Others I thought had proved themselves reprobate have proved themselves faithful. You cannot tell wheat from tares until harvest time. At harvest time the tares stand straight and tall. The wheat bows its head.

Division because of Christ

Fourth, we are plainly told that our Lord Jesus Christ is the cause of division among men. — “So there was a division among the people because of him” (v. 43). He who is the Prince of Peace is the greatest divider of men the world has ever known.

There was a division among the unbelieving people here because of him. Some said he was a prophet. Others said he was a deceiver. Still others acknowledged his claims, but still did not trust him. A few became his disciples, trusting him and following him.

There was a division of believers from unbelievers because of the Lord Jesus. There always is. This is a great and wide division. The more clearly it is seen the better. It is a division that must be maintained. Those who believed and those who believed not could not walk together. Eventually, Nicodemus was forced to separate himself from his lifelong friends, because he belonged to Christ. The same will be true of you and of me, if we belong to the Son of God.

In Revelation 18:4 we have a command from the lips of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the command our Lord gives to his people in every age. — “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.”

Babylon is God’s name for all false religion. It is any religion and all religions which declare that salvation is ultimately dependent upon, decided by, or determined by man. Babylon is the religion of man. Babylon is the religion of the world. From Babylon, we must come out, “and deliver every man his soul” (Jeremiah 51:6). We are given the same command, only in broader terms, in 2 Corinthian 6:14-18.

It is the responsibility of God’s people in every age to thoroughly and distinctly separate themselves from false, apostate religion. As God commanded Lot to come out of Sodom, so he commands us to come out of Babylon. But, like Bro. Lot, we are all reluctant to do so. Our flesh is opposed to distinct separation. The religion of Babylon is so appealing and gratifying to our flesh that we will not leave it unless God lays hold of our hearts by the hand of his omnipotent grace and brings us out, even as the angel laid hold of Lot and brought him out of his beloved and cherished Sodom. May the Lord God be pleased to lay hold of our hearts and bring us altogether out of Babylon.

The Greek word translated “division” in John 7:43 is schism. It is used to identify a violent split, a split involving fierce contention. This cleavage caused by Christ divides the dearest friends and relatives. It is the deepest, the most painful, the most real, and the most permanent separation of men in the world. Yet, when faith comes and the separation is made, unity is produced that can never be dissolved or broken. Union with Christ gives us union with one another. In Christ all who are born of God are one: one body, one family, one kingdom, one church (Ephesians 2:11-22).In Christ Jesus nationalities are blended. Calvary heals Babel. Personal peculiarities cease to divide. Position, rank, and wealth bow before the uniting influence of grace. All God’s elect in all the changing ages of time are one in Christ Jesus. All the saints in heaven and on earth are one in him (Colossians 3:1-3, 10-15).

Don Fortner

Pastor Fortner’s