Section 15
Christ, the seed of David, was born in Bethlehem (7:42; Luke 2:4-7), but He appeared as a Naza rene from Galilee (7:52). Although the Lord was born in Bethlehem, He was raised in Nazareth, a town that was despised by the people of that time. He was the seed of David, but He came as a Nazarene (Matt. 2:23). He grew up as a "root out of a dry ground," having "no form nor come liness," "no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men" (Isa. 53:2-3). So we should not know Him according to the flesh (2 Cor. 5:16), but according to the Spirit. Because the Lord was raised in Nazareth, people did not consider Him as one born in Bethlehem.
Some comprehended Christ according to His outward appearance (7:27, 41-42, 52) by taking the tree of knowledge resulting in death (Gen. 2:17). Listen to their talk. "Does then the Christ come out of Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?" (7:41-42). This talk is simply the exercise of the mentality. This mental reasoning is in the principle of the tree of knowledge. However, some apprehended Christ according to His inward reality (7:40, 50-51) by taking the tree of life resulting in life (Gen. 2:9). Do not pay attention