John
© copyright 2008 Darroll Evans, all
rights reserved
Chapter 7
John 7:1-13
1 After these things Jesus walked in
Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, 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 Judaea, that thy disciples also may
see the works that thou doest.
4 For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh
to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew 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 alway
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 full come.
9 When he had
said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.
10 But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also 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: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth
the people.
13 Howbeit
no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.
Next, Jesus to Galilee, because He could not mingle with
many Jews!
The reason was that that the Jewish leaders sought to kill
him.
They could not abide His teachings!
That has not changed!
Still today, the vast majority of Jews cannot accept the
teachings of Christ!
Oh, many Rabbis will quote many of the sayings of Christ
without accepting the One who said the sayings!
Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah of the Jews and Gentiles!
The feast of tabernacles (Sukkot)
was coming!
Sukkot, Tabernacles is the last of the so called Fall feasts!
While the Spring Feasts were fulfilled in Christ’s first
advent, and Pentecost was fulfilled with the giving of the Holy Spirit, the
fall feasts (Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles) shall be
fulfilled in His second advent.
His disciples told Jesus, “Let’s go back to Judaea so that
your other followers may see the works that You do!”
They said that nobody should do such wonderful things in
secret!
The Apostles said, “You need to be public relations oriented
and show what You are doing to the world!”
Many today are more concerned with PR than with the gospel!
The fact was that
they still had some lingering doubt!
They had not come to a place of complete trust!
Jesus responded, “My time has not
yet come: but your time is always ready!”
He said, “The world cannot hate you,
but it hates Me, because I testify about it, that the
things of the world are evil! So, you all go to
the feast! I will not go to this feast, because my time has not yet fully come!”
Jesus told them that while they were all still in Galilee.
However, when they left for the feast He also went, but not
openly! Jesus went in secret!
The Jews asked about Him!
The feast of Tabernacles was one of the seven required
feasts for male Jews!
Due to His supposed absence, there was great complaining
against Christ among the people!
Some said that He was a good man, while others said that He
deceived the people.
However, none spoke publically about Him because of fear of
the Jewish leaders.
John 7:14-44
14 Now about the midst of the
feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
15 And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth
this man letters, having never learned?
16 Jesus
answered them, and said, 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 of God, or whether I speak of
myself.
18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh
his glory 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 on the sabbath day receive
circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be 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 of 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 Howbeit we
know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth
whence he is.
28 Then cried
Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know
me, and ye know 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 was not yet
come.
31 And many of
the people believed on 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 said the
Jews 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
In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and
cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me,
and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of
his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him
should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus
was not yet glorified.)
40 Many of the
people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of
a 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 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.
In the middle of the feast time, Jesus went to the temple,
and taught.
The Jews were amazed at His ability to teach! Their main
question was, “Since this man has not attended our best schools, how does he
know so much?”
Jesus responded, “My doctrine is not
mine, but His who sent Me.
“If anybody will do His will, he shall
know whether this doctrine is of God, or whether I speak of myself!
“He that speaks on his own seeks to
glorify himself, but he that seeks the glory of Him who sent Me
seeks true speaks truth, and there is no unrighteousness in him!
“Didn’t Moses give you the law?
“And yet, none of you keep the law!
“Why do you want to kill me?
Jesus’ accusations came as questions designed to get to the
heart of the matter!
The Jewish leaders, being greatly perturbed, said, “You are
demonic! Who is trying to kill you?”
That is a classic ploy!
If you have no way to deal with the questions, demean to
questioner!
In turn, Jesus said, “I did just one
work, and you all are amazed!
“Moses gave you circumcision, (not
that it is from Moses, but from the Jewish fathers), and because of that you
all perform circumcision on the Sabbath!
“If a man receives circumcision on
the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses may not be
broken, are you all angry at me, because I healed a man on the Sabbath?
“Do not judge by appearance, but judge
according to righteousness!”
Then, some Jews said, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to
kill?
“But look, He is boldly speaking, and yet they cannot
properly respond to Him!
“Don’t the rulers know that this is the Christ?”
Apparently many “ordinary Jews” knew what the educated folk
did not understand!
They continued, “How in the world do we know where this man
comes from when we are told that when the Messiah comes, none will know where
he comes from!”
Then Jesus in the temple, cried out, “You all know me, and where I come from!
“I have not come on My own authority, but He that sent Me is true!
“But none of you are intimate with
Him!
“I know him, because I am from him,
and He sent Me.”
Then, they attempted to take him by force, but none could do
it, because His hour was not yet come!
Many at the feast believed in Him, but said, “When the
Messiah comes He will do more miracles than this man has done!”
The Pharisees heard that the people were reacting negatively
toward Jesus, and so they sent Temple guards to arrest Him.
Jesus told them, “I will be with you
for only a short time, and then
I go to Him who sent Me.”
They had no idea that He was referring to the crucifixion
and resurrection!
Than Jesus also told them, “You all
shall look for me, and shall not find Me! You
cannot come where I am!”
Then, the Jewish leaders said, “Where will He go that we
shall not find him? Will He go to the Israelites that have been dispersed among
the Gentiles, and then teach the Gentiles?”
They asked, “Why did He say, ‘You shall seek me, and
shall not find me: and where I
am, there you cannot come?’”
On the last day of the feast, Jesus stood and shouted, “If any of you thirst come to me, and drink.
“He that believes on me, as the scripture
says, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”
(Jesus was speaking about the coming of the Holy Spirit that
would be given at the Pentecost following the resurrection.)
When they heard that many people said that Jesus was the
Prophet.
But, some responded negatively asking, “Shall Christ come
from Galilee?
“Doesn’t the scripture tell us that Christ comes as a
descendent of David, from Bethlehem, David’s hometown?”
It was all quit controversial!
Some would have taken him by force, but none could do it!
John 7:45-53
45 Then came the officers to the
chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought
him?
46 The officers
answered, Never man spake
like this man.
47 Then answered
them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?
48 Have any of
the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?
49 But this
people who knoweth not the law are cursed.
50 Nicodemus saith 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 of Galilee? Search,
and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
53 And every man
went unto his own house.
The Temple guard was confronted by the chief priests and Pharisees
asking them, “Why haven’t you all arrested him?”
When they told the Jewish leaders that no person ever spoke
like Jesus, the Pharisees responded by verbally attacking the Temple guard,
“Are you also deceived? Have any of the
rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? Those that don’t know the law are
cursed!”
In those days, Jewish leaders considered all they did not
like to be cursed!
But, Nicodemus (who came to talk to Jesus by night {Chapter
3}, and who was a member of the Sanhedrin) said, “Does our law judge any person without first hearing from
him and understanding him?”
Then, they verbally attacked Nicodemus, “Are you too from
Galilee? Look for yourself and see that no Prophet comes from Galilee!”
Following that heated discussion, they all went home!