John 2:23-25 Many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name

Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name.  But Jesus would not entrust himself to them for he knew all people.  He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.

(23)  Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name.  Although Jesus had not provided the religious leaders at the Temple with a sign in response their demand; Jesus had, nevertheless, performed noteworthy miracles among the people during the Feast of Passover.  John does not provide us with a description of these signs, but it is reasonable to assume they were similar to the miracles which Jesus performed throughout the rest of His ministry; such as, opening the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf, giving speech to the dumb, casting out demons, healing the lame, strengthening the weak, and curing all manner of diseases.  These were the very signs which the Scriptures said the Christ would perform.

Say to those who are fearful-hearted,
"Be strong, do not fear!
Behold, your God will come with vengeance,
With the recompense of God;
He will come and save you."

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then the lame shall leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the dumb sing. - Isaiah 35:4-6a
 

Many of the people who had gathered in Jerusalem for the feast recognized these signs as evidence that Jesus was their Messiah.

(24)  But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for He knew all people.   Jesus was not ready to rely on the loyalty of everyone who might be so easily persuaded that He was the king of Israel.  The miracles that Jesus performed were not meant to prove His authority.   These signs were genuine acts of compassion by the Lord, who was grieved over the destructive works of the Devil, and over the damage caused by sin.  If Jesus had been determined to take the world by force, He could have called fire down from heaven and threatened every soul with condemnation.  But God blessed man with freewill for the purpose of giving every person the choice of loving, honoring, and obeying Him; or else rejecting Him, rebelling, and going their own way.

 

Jesus knew all people.  He knew that some people would profess their allegiance, and then quickly turn away.  This truth is best represented in the Master's own words.

The Parable of the Sower - and its explanation:

Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow.  And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.  Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.  But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.  But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" - Matthew 13:3-9

"Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.  This is he who received seed by the wayside.  But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.  Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.  But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." -  Matthew 13:18-23

(25)  He did not need any testimony about mankind, for He knew what was in each person.  Jesus is Lord, the Son of the Godhead.  He understands human nature both as the Creator, and as a man.  Jesus is the Word.  And the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. - Hebrews 4:12,13

Jesus knew what was in each person.  It is we, who do not know ourselves.  Jeremiah 17:9 tells us; "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?"  The Lord knows.  But how then can we ever hope to become that good soil which hears the word and understands it?  Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."

 

This means surrendering our lives to Christ the King, who gave His life so that we could be forgiven and have new life in Him.  It means forsaking what we have reasoned to be true, for what the Bible says is true.  And the Bible says, we honor the Father by honoring the Son.

 

"If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also."

"If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor." - John 12:26