|
| Chapter 7 |
| Bible Text | Notes and Thoughts |
|
1 ¶ After these things, Jesus walked in Galilee, for He would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. 2 Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. 3 His brethren therefore said unto Him, "Depart hence and go into Judea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. 4 For no man doeth anything in secret, if he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, show thyself to the world." 5 For neither did His brethren believe in Him. 6 Then Jesus said unto them, "My time is not yet come, but your time is always ready. 7 The world cannot hate you, but Me it hateth, because I testify of it that the works thereof are evil. 8 Go ye up unto this feast. I go not up yet unto this feast, for My time is not yet fully come." 9 When He had said these words unto them, He remained still in Galilee. 10 But when His brethren had gone up, then He also went up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. 11 Then the Jews sought Him at the feast and said, "Where is he?" 12 And there was much murmuring among the people concerning Him. For some said, "He is a good man," and others said, "Nay, for he deceiveth the people." 13 Yet no man spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews. 14 ¶ Now about the midst of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and taught. 15 And the Jews marveled, saying, "How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?" 16 Jesus answered them, "My doctrine is not Mine, but His that sent Me. 17 If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be from God, or whether I speak from Myself. 18 He that speaketh from himself seeketh his own glory; but He that seeketh the glory of Him that sent Him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. 19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill Me?" 20 The people answered and said, "Thou hast a devil. Who goeth about to kill thee?" 21 Jesus answered and said unto them, "I have done one work, and ye all marvel. 22 Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers), and ye on the Sabbath day circumcise a man. 23 If a man receive circumcision on the Sabbath day, that the Law of Moses be not broken, are ye angry at Me because I have made a man every whit whole on the Sabbath day? 24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." 25 Then said some of them from Jerusalem, "Is not this he whom they seek to kill? 26 But lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ? 27 Yet we know from whence this man comes; but when Christ cometh, no man will know from whence He comes." 28 Then Jesus cried out in the temple as He taught, saying, "Ye both know Me, and ye know from whence I am. And I am not come of Myself, but He that sent Me is true, whom ye know not. 29 But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He hath sent Me." 30 Then they sought to take Him; but no man laid hands on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 31 And many of the people believed in Him and said, "When Christ cometh, will He do more miracles than these which this man hath done?" 32 The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him. 33 Then said Jesus unto them, "Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto Him that sent Me. 34 Ye shall seek Me, and shall not find Me; and where I am, thither ye cannot come." 35 Then the Jews said among themselves, "Whither will he go that we shall not find him? Will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? 36 What manner of saying is this that he said, ‘Ye shall seek me and shall not find me; and where I am, thither ye cannot come?’" 37 ¶ On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. 38 He that believeth in Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." 39 (But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believe in Him should receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.) 40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, "In truth this is the Prophet." 41 Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Shall Christ come out of Galilee? 42 Hath not the Scripture said that Christ cometh out of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem where David was?" 43 So there was a division among the people because of Him. 44 And some of them would have taken Him, but no man laid hands on Him. 45 ¶ Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said unto them, "Why have ye not brought him?" 46 The officers answered, "Never did man speak like this man!" 47 Then the Pharisees answered them, "Are ye also deceived? 48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this people, who knoweth not the law, are cursed." 50 Nicodemus said unto them (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them), 51 "Doth our law judge any man before it hear him and know what he doeth?" 52 They answered and said unto him, "Art thou also from Galilee? Search and look, for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet." 53 And every man went unto his own house. |
The ‘feast of the Tabernacles’ was a backward look at the time of Israel’s journey in the wilderness. Leviticus 23:33-44 This feast may have been a time of enjoyment for the Jewish people but it marked the time of change for Jesus, v1. From this time there was open objection to His ministry by the Jewish leaders. V5 is a sad statement, His family had seen the miracles, had been able to watch His life as he grew up yet still could not see that He was different. How could his family have been with Him and not seen who He was? v2-5 The family members had a worldly view to His ministry, if you want to be popular do something spectacular, so they were encouraging Him to go to Jerusalem as it would be crowded with pilgrims for the festival. Satan also suggested this in Luke 4:9-12. His half brothers were laughing at Him. (Ps 69:8) Or perhaps they planned to use His position for their own gain. v6 Jesus is working to a divine plan, He could have gone to Jerusalem, done something spectacular, been crowned King John 6:14,15 but He is following His Fathers Will. v7-10 His family could not see the hatred of the world as they were part of this world. Jesus planned to go up quietly and in secret, v10. v11-20 Public Debate The Jews (the leaders) were looking for Jesus, the people were talking about ‘this man,’ discussing what he had done, some thought he was a good man, others just a deceiver. But fear of the leaders kept all this talk secret. v14 In the middle of the feast, it lasts about 8 days, Jesus starts to teach in the Temple. The leaders were astonished by the fact that this man had never had a real rabbinic education like them, v15. What He was teaching was causing them a problem. The Jewish teachers always quoted that there teaching was from famous Rabbi but Jesus always explained that His teaching came from the Father not a person. He was teaching the Word of God. v17-19 He challenges them, if a person is following the Words of the Father then they would know if what He said was true or not. If the words spoken give glory to the speaker and not to God then it cannot be right. Why Moses, who spoke for God, gave you the Law, yet you do not obey it! v20 It appears that the pilgrims now became involved in the discussion, "why does anyone want to kill you, your just a little mad." Their accusation of being taken over ‘by a devil’ is not the first time, Matt 9:32ff ; Matt 10:25 ; Matt 11:18-19 ; Matt 12:24ff. The real problems the leaders were having was the healing of the man on the Sabbath, it broke their strict rules they had created. Jesus questions their attitude "I performed one miracle on the Sabbath yet you allow a man to be circumcised on the Sabbath, effectively harming the man yet you challenge me for making a man whole on the Sabbath. Judge correctly if this is right." v25,26 The locals knew that their leaders were after Jesus, "why do they not arrest Him? Perhaps they really think He is the Messiah." v27 They now tried to answer their own question. a) Nobody knows where the Messiah comes from. b) We know where this man came from - Nazareth. c) This cannot be the Messiah. They thought they had all the information. This way of ‘thinking’ Jesus had met before. John 6:42ff v28 Jesus raises his voice so all can hear "You think you know me and where I come from, but in fact you do not know, because you do not know the Father." This would strike hard against the Jewish leaders for they were full of pride on their "Knowing the God of Israel." "Not only do I know the Father, it was Him who sent me to you," continued Jesus. This man is claiming to be God!!! But they could not catch him, his time was not yet come, God was protecting Him. v31-36 But the Jewish pilgrims were beginning to believe, to see who he was, and this was upsetting the leaders, so they sent temple guards to arrest Him, but Jesus issues a warning to them. "In a short time you will look for me but not find me because I will have gone to where you cannot come." In a few months Jesus would be with the Father in heaven having completed the Father’s plan of sacrifice. The people could not understand, "is he going to the Gentiles to teach?" Had these people understood God they would not have been left behind, they could not believe, they could not understand. v37-52 The end of the Feast. The last day of the feast involved the priests marching seven times round the Temple alter, as part of this action they would draw pots of water and pour it out, a symbolic reminder of the water Moses got from the rock. On this day Jesus makes a proclamation to those who are thirsty, "believe on me and living water will flow from their body," Jesus was speaking of the future Baptism of the Holy Spirit. The crowds reaction was divided, "He is the Prophet," not any prophet but the promised Prophet (Deut 18:15), others, "No this is the Messiah," and the final group, "how can the Messiah come from Galilee?" The Messiah is to come from Bethlehem." John 6:42 Again no one had checked the facts, that He was born in Bethlehem. v45-50 The temple guards returned to the religious leaders without Jesus, they could easily have arrested Him but they felt that He was something special and could not do it, He did not speak like a man. The Leaders refused to investigate further or consider the facts, they passed judgement based upon their pride of ‘knowing the law’ and being ‘special,’ "these people who believe are just ‘common people’ who do not know the Law." v50-53 Nicodemus speaks up, he was sure that they were not giving Jesus an honest hearing,they had already passed judgement without a lawful trial. "We should look further at His miracles and what He teaches." says Nicodemus. This brings a sarcastic reply, "Are you a lowly despised Galilean as well?" they could not answer his question. They challenged Nicodemus to look for ‘anything good’ coming from Galilee. (Jonah came from a small village near Nazareth and Jesus used his story as a picture of Himself in death, burial and resurrection Matt 12:38-41). |
Easy English Translation
| Back to previous page | Return to Home Page |
| The Gospel According to St. John |
