John 7:47

John 7:47 says, Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? 

In the last few verses of John 7, there is a continuing debate about Jesus's claim that He was the Messiah. The leaders of Pharisees and the chief priests asked those that they had sent out if they were so easily deceived.  We have to remember that these were not only God's chosen people, but those that considered themselves to be the best of His people.  They were proud of their own standing.  Today, there may be some who are more concerned with their status as a Christian than they are of their service to Christ.  They were more concerned with religious policy than they were with worship. While Christ was continuing to teach during the feast, they were attempting to stop Him. When religious leaders become more concerned about their position than the presenting of the gospel, it is not the gospel that deceives.  Verse forty-eight adds, Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? Verse forty-nine continues, But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.  Then, the Pharisees and chief priests, after stating that none of them believed in Jesus as the Messiah, called those who did the same as the Gentiles. Guess what?  They were correct, but not for the reason they thought.  We have to realize that we are no better than any other Christian because of who we are.  Verse fifty says, Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)  Then Nicodemus, who had come to Jesus by night, was now willing to openly question the Pharisees.  We need to openly profess Jesus Christ as the only way to salvation. Verse fifty-one adds, Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?  Nicodemus asked if their law judged a man before they heard him and knew what he did.  We should always get the facts before we judge, but those who oppose Christ will never acknowledge the truth of His salvation.  Verse fifty-two continues, They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. They did not answer his question, but simply dismissed him as being from Galilee.  They contended no prophet could come out of Galilee.  When we dismiss people, or even try to discredit them because of where they were born, we are not following the example of Christ.  They were also attempting to limit God by deciding where prophets could or could not come from.  We need to be careful that we never attempt to dictate what God can or cannot do.  Verse fifty-three concludes, And every man went unto his own house. Then, they all went to their own homes, some believing, some questioning, and some completely rejecting Jesus as the Messiah.  Today, after encountering Christ, the same thing occurs.  It is always an individual decision about what to do with Christ.