OUR FATHER WHOM WE MUST NOT PUT TO THE TEST

John chapter 7 verse 3 - 5 says this;

Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do.

No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” For even his own brothers did not believe in him.

These verses record the words that Jesus' brothers spoke to Him when it was time to go to Jerusalem for the Festival of Tabernacles.

They knew that He was performing amazing signs and wonders and they felt that He was wasting His time in Galilee and that He should take His abilities to the bigger audience of Judea. 

Their opinion was that if Jesus went to Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles and unveiled His powers there, He would gain instant celebrity around the country and quickly become a prominent public figure.

This suggestion by Jesus' brothers sounds almost exactly like when Jesus was taken by Satan to a pinnacle of the temple and tempted to throw Himself down so that the angels who had been given charge over Him would have to hold Him up to stop him from striking a stone as recorded in Mathew chapter 4 verse 5 - 6.

This action, if done at the temple in broad daylight, would have been an astonishing miracle to witness and this would have captured the attention of the whole city and Jesus would have gained fame and acclaim in a very short time.

In both cases, using signs and wonders to get public attention without the authorization of the Father would have been a serious contravention of the Law because it would have put God the Father to the test.

In both cases, Jesus declined to heed the advice and only performed miracles when led by the Father to do so.

Bless the Lord whose perfect conduct qualified Him to die for the whole world and to save us from our sins.

Amen.