John 2:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people

NIV: But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people.

NASB: But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, because He knew all people,

CSB: Jesus, however, would not entrust himself to them, since he knew them all

NLT: But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people.

KJV: But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,

NKJV: But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,

Jesus was careful not to "entrust" Himself to the people in Jerusalem. Jesus had a supernatural wisdom for knowing people's hearts and minds. He knew that many of them were only interested in entertainment. Jesus' conversations with the Pharisees, and His miracles, certainly provided a good show. Over time, people would fall away as they realized that fireworks were not the main purpose of Christ's ministry. God doesn't jump through hoops, simply to keep us amused.

Also, those who say "only a miracle will make me believe," probably won't believe even if they see one (Luke 16:30–31). Simple intellectual belief is not the same as saving faith. The gospel requires each person to trust in Christ, not merely admit that He exists, or that He has power. It's likely that these unspecified signs from verse 23 are what inspired Nicodemus to seek Jesus out, as described in John chapter 3. He knew that true miracles were messages from God, and that only someone bringing God's message could do the things Christ did.

The last two verses of chapter two are important for understanding Jesus’ perspective on Nicodemus. Jesus knew men better than they knew themselves. As a high-ranking Pharisee, Nicodemus was the ancient equivalent of a politician, priest, and professor all rolled into one. Jesus breaks through Nicodemus’ self-reliance by showing him that he doesn’t understand religion as well as he might think. In contrast to the loud, public spectacle of clearing the temple, this encounter is a private, night-time meeting.

Jesus attends a wedding where He performs His first miracle: turning water into wine. This is symbolic of His transformation of human rituals into divine sacrifice. Few people are even aware that a miracle has occurred. Jesus then drives crooked businessmen out of the temple, scolding them for turning a sacred place into a market place.

Chapter 2 begins to show Jesus’ “signs,” or miracles, which will prove that He is the Savior. The miracles will grow more and more spectacular, but they start quietly. Contrast is an important part of the gospel of John. The quiet, joyful miracle at the wedding is very different from the loud public spectacle of clearing the temple. Jesus’ first miracle symbolizes His mission. During the temple clearing, He also predicts His death and resurrection.

The gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls “signs”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 5/4/2024 9:23:57 PM