Doctrine Divides
by Richard St.James
Doctrine Divides
Bible 1611.Com / Old Paths Bible Ministries © 2008John 18:19 “The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and
of his doctrine.
20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in
the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort;
and in secret have I said nothing.
21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said
unto them: behold, they know what I said.
22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by
struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the
high priest so?
23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the
evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?
24 Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.”
Skip down to verse 28
28 “Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and
it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall,
lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.
29 Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring
ye against this man?
30 They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we
would not have delivered him up unto thee.”
1. What Is Doctrine?
2. What Accusation?
1. What Is Doctrine?
Verse nineteen: “The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.”Whatever doctrine is, it divides people from one and another. People are divided over doctrine. Then, can doctrine be good for us?
Now, this is a good question. In this sin cursed world DIVISION is health for our bones.
We just do not realize it, do we? I am not messing with you. Just be patient with me.
We [that is mankind] do not have the mind of God, do we? We in our natural state are at enmity with God. [Gal 5:17] “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” We have a flesh problem. Our reaction to the things of God is contrary to God [to the nature of God].
Division is a good word. The word DIVISION is really a very pleasant word … according to God. [Proverbs 16:24] “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.” We have a problem seeing it God’s way. What is the solution? Here is the solution. We need ... to just acclimate to God’s ways of looking at things. Doctrine brings the contrast, so that we can see differences, so that we can see error.
A bright red color object stands out vividly when placed in the foreground of a white background. God “divided” the day from the night. DIVISION is something God uses. We see this in Genesis chapter one in verse four. “And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.” [Genesis 1:4]
In the book of Exodus God “put a division” between two nations, God divided them. “And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be.” [Exodus 8:23]
Doctrine divides men for good reason. The earth was divided in the days soon after the world-wide flood of Noah. [Genesis 10:25] “And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.”
Look with me in Genesis again, this time in Genesis chapter eleven in verse six. God divided the nations for their GOOD. This thing of man building a one world government is contrary to the will of God because it brings evil. “And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.” [Genesis 11:6]
God scattered the people, instead of promoting their unity. Unity is NOT the important thing unless it is concerning the body of Christ. [Ephesians 4:3] “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
God instituted DIVERSITY at the tower of Babel by the confounding the LANGUAGE of mankind. [Genesis 11:9] “Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.”
Division is God’s way in a sin cursed world. In fact, the very purpose in Jesus Christ coming to the earth was to bring: DIVISION. You say: “give me proof.” You do believe the BOOK, do you not? Ok! Look with me at Luke chapter twelve, verse fifty-one: “Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:” [Luke 12:51]. How is that for a bombshell?
Now, let’s get back to the question at hand. What is doctrine? Well the answer is staring us right in the face here. It is in verse twenty-one: “Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.”
Doctrine is: whatever Jesus Christ has said to us, “what I said.” [John 17:17] “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
2. What Accusation?
Verse twenty-nine: “Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?”Now, we come into “the hall of judgment: and it was early” ... to see the raw deal. The raw deal is having two-faced men making accusation.
Men hate division but they sure love to make accusation. This very thing [making accusation] is rooted in our sin nature. Where did we get it from? We received our propensity to make accusation from our father the Devil. [John 8:44] “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
Wow! “Are you saying Brother St.James that we are of the Devil?” Friends, I am saying, that we all come into this world as the sons of disobedience which makes us kindred in spirit to the Devil himself. “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” [Epheisans 2:2].
Remember, that Satan is an accuser of the brethren. [Revelation 12:10] “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” This is what Satan did to Job a long time ago. [Job 1:9] This is what these religious leaders did to Jesus Christ. They accused HIM of being a malefactor in verse thirty: “They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.”
Now, a malefactor is “one who commits a crime; one guilty of violating the laws, in such a manner as to subject him to public prosecution and punishment, particularly to capital punishment; a criminal.”
Look at it! The ONE, WHO was without sin, “who knew no sin” [2 Corinthians 5:21b] was accused by the very ones, who are guilty of the blackest of SIN before a HOLY and a JUST GOD.
There is one thing more I can add to this ... by way of testimony.
Before Rick St.James got saved, I was a horrible sinner, neigh, much worse than this, I was a worm!
I could have been one of them that day [but for the GRACE of GOD] that nailed HIM to Cross of Calvary.
I could have been one them [but for the GRACE of GOD] that accused Jesus Christ of being a dirty criminal. “If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.” If you would like read my testimony, just click here.
My friend, what about you? What would have done with Jesus Christ that day [if you would have been there]? What are you doing with Jesus Christ today?
Return to King James Bible Study Index
The Gospel According To John
John 18:1 When Jesus had spoken
these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron,
where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.
John 18:2 And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for
Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.
John 18:3 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers
from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns
and torches and weapons.
John 18:4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon
him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?
John 18:5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto
them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.
John 18:6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went
backward, and fell to the ground.
John 18:7 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said,
Jesus of Nazareth.
John 18:8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore
ye seek me, let these go their way:
John 18:9 That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of
them which thou gavest me have I lost none.
John 18:10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the
high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name
was Malchus.
John 18:11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the
sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
John 18:12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews
took Jesus, and bound him,
John 18:13 And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law
to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.
John 18:14 Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that
it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
John 18:15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another
disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in
with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.
John 18:16 But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that
other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto
her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.
John 18:17 Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art
not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not.
John 18:18 And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a
fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and
Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.
John 18:19 The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of
his doctrine.
John 18:20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever
taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always
resort; and in secret have I said nothing.
John 18:21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have
said unto them: behold, they know what I said.
John 18:22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which
stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest
thou the high priest so?
John 18:23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness
of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?
John 18:24 Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high
priest.
John 18:25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said
therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He
denied it, and said, I am not.
John 18:26 One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman
whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden
with him?
John 18:27 Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.
John 18:28 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of
judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the
judgment hall, lest they
should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.
John 18:29 Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation
bring ye against this man?
John 18:30 They answered and said unto him, If he were not a
malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.
John 18:31 Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him
according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not
lawful for us to put
any man to death:
John 18:32 That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he
spake, signifying what death he should die.
John 18:33 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and
called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
John 18:34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or
did others tell it thee of me?
John 18:35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the
chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my
kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I
should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from
hence.
John 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then?
Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I
born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear
witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my
voice.
John 18:38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had
said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I
find in him no fault
at all.
John 18:39 But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one
at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King
of the Jews?
John 18:40 Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but
Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.
