And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
Jesus declared Himself the light of the world in the court of the temple specially connected with the services of the Feast of Tabernacles, in the morning after the evening sacrifice when the great lamps had been kindled and the sun had just risen above the Mount of Olives to shine upon the palaces and temple walls. In that setting He drew the sharp contrast of origin and nature: He is from above and not of this world, while His hearers the Pharisees are from beneath and of this world, marking His heavenly origin against their earthly, worldly condition. On the heavenly side He was sent by God with a commission from the highest authority, the Creator of the universe, and acted in everything under His Heavenly Father's instruction. That instruction governed His teaching the people, relieving suffering, forgiving sin, cleansing His Father's house, condemning hypocrisy, and reproving hidden sin.
On the earthly side His hearers had no connection with God and heaven and therefore did not understand His divine character and mission. This remained true despite strong and most convincing evidence that He was the Saviour. The cause lay in their failure in duty to search the prophecies of the Messiah, in judging after the flesh, in refusing evidence, in hardening their hearts in determined unbelief, and in hating Him and seeking to kill Him for doing His Father's work. This divide explains why they could not follow where He was going, for without belief in Him they would die in their sins. Persistence in sin brings the danger of dying in sin and eternal ruin.
A work comes from one of two places with no middle ground, from above or from beneath. From above means from God in heaven, proved by power beyond human thinking that reveals past, present, and future and impels warning and reproof of wrongs, while from beneath means merely human opinion. To call what is from above merely human opinion insults the Spirit of God. This test of whether a prophetic work is from above or from beneath applies the distinction to its source. What is from beneath is not born of heaven: a grasping spirit that takes advantage of others through sharp dealing is earthly and under Satan's control and is rebuked by Christ's teaching and example. Success gained through injustice is ultimately loss, while apparent loss from following Christ's principles is divine success.
Jesus declared Himself the light of the world in the court of the temple specially connected with the services of the Feast of Tabernacles, in the morning after the evening sacrifice when the great lamps had been kindled and the sun had just risen above the Mount of Olives to shine upon the palaces and temple walls. In that setting He drew the sharp contrast of origin and nature: He is from above and not of this world, while His hearers the Pharisees are from beneath and of this world, marking His heavenly origin against their earthly, worldly condition. On the heavenly side He was sent by God with a commission from the highest authority, the Creator of the universe, and acted in everything under His Heavenly Father's instruction. That instruction governed His teaching the people, relieving suffering, forgiving sin, cleansing His Father's house, condemning hypocrisy, and reproving hidden sin.
On the earthly side His hearers had no connection with God and heaven and therefore did not understand His divine character and mission. This remained true despite strong and most convincing evidence that He was the Saviour. The cause lay in their failure in duty to search the prophecies of the Messiah, in judging after the flesh, in refusing evidence, in hardening their hearts in determined unbelief, and in hating Him and seeking to kill Him for doing His Father's work. This divide explains why they could not follow where He was going, for without belief in Him they would die in their sins. Persistence in sin brings the danger of dying in sin and eternal ruin.
A work comes from one of two places with no middle ground, from above or from beneath. From above means from God in heaven, proved by power beyond human thinking that reveals past, present, and future and impels warning and reproof of wrongs, while from beneath means merely human opinion. To call what is from above merely human opinion insults the Spirit of God. This test of whether a prophetic work is from above or from beneath applies the distinction to its source. What is from beneath is not born of heaven: a grasping spirit that takes advantage of others through sharp dealing is earthly and under Satan's control and is rebuked by Christ's teaching and example. Success gained through injustice is ultimately loss, while apparent loss from following Christ's principles is divine success.