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Have Any Of The Rulers...Believed In Him?


            Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”
         “No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied.
          “You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted.  “Have 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.”
         Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”    
          They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.” (John 7:45-52)

            After more debating and controversy, the temple guard that was sent out to arrest Jesus returned to the chief priests and Pharisees empty handed. Apparently, they had listened to what Jesus had to say. The chief priests get a bit heated. The temple guard, they proclaimed, was gullible. They’d fallen for Jesus’ lies just like the mob. Oh, and the mob, they were ignorant…and cursed… stupid, crazy, ignorant, damned, worthless…. Now, which did the temple guard want to aspire to be like, the noble, educated, intelligent Pharisees and chief priests, or that rabble?
        I have to smirk, because Nicodemus, the guy who had snuck off to visit Jesus in the dark so no one would know, raises his hand and says something akin to “Um, well, wouldn’t it be appropriate to at least listen to what he has to say?” or “Um, don’t we have to have a trial first?” Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? Well, yes, and the “coward” has just timidly stood up and been counted. The answer to their question is “Yes.”  
         The answer to Nicodemus’ question is “No.” The Law doesn’t condemn someone without a fair and legal hearing…but what the Pharisees and chief priests say suggests that either they know nothing of the law (their complaint about the mob) or they don’t care about the law, which is worse.

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