Galilee

Many Judeans looked down at people from Galilee. They had felt a superiority since the time of Joshua, when areas of Galilee remained under the influence of native people.

Later, when the Jewish population went into exile, the influence of non-Jews intensified. At times, the Galilean area had a different political structure. Judeans even felt Galileans had an inferior accent.

Jesus faced these kinds of prejudices when He came to Jerusalem because He was from Galilee. Some received His message, concluding that He was “the Prophet” (v. 40). But others rejected Him because He came from Galilee.

When the chief priests and Pharisees asked their officers why they had not brought Jesus to them, they responded, “Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks” (v. 46). But the religious leaders wondered if these officers had been “led astray” (v. 47). To them, Jesus could not possibly be the Messiah! Demonstrating prejudice, these leaders claimed that the crowd was “accursed” (v. 49) and could not possibly recognize God’s law.

It can be easy to criticize these leaders. But even in our time, it is possible to have these types of prejudices. Search your heart and mind. Do you have biases and prejudices that prevent you from hearing from God? Are you open to the movement of His Spirit, or blinded by your assumptions?

Ask God to speak to you afresh and teach you new things.