I will be attempting to post studies on John's Gospel. This is, essentially, the content I would be teaching in a Sunday morning Bible class.
7:1 After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews (most likely referring to religious leaders) were seeking to kill him.
Jesus is in the Northern part of the Holy Land.
There is a triangle made up of three cities — Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum — this area of land is known as the “Evangelical Triangle”. It is from this small portion of land/sea that Jesus spent ~ 80% of his ministry.
Jesus’ last recorded teaching, specifically, His claiming to be the “bread from heaven” upset His Jewish audience. They were especially upset by His saying, “my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink… whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.”
This teaching was heard by some portion of the religious leaders.
This, in addition to the Sabbath healing, has made Jesus public enemy #1.
7:2 Now the Jews’ Feast of the Booths was at hand.
The “Feast of the Booths” or “Feast of Tabernacles” is a week-long feast that takes place in late September or October. Jewish families would have camped out in temporary shelters, as a way of commemorating God leading Israel through the wilderness, as well as His provision during the wandering.
Note that this is immediately tying back into the discussion in John 6. The people of Israel are — in some sense — still wandering.
In fact, we are all people on an Exodus between this life and the life to come. So, God has provided us a heavenly food and living water for us to drink, in His Son.
7:3 So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 7:4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” Jesus has recently lost a significant number of disciples, as noted in John 6:66. The religious power is plotting his murder. Jesus knows this and alludes to it at the end of John 6.
Jesus is with His biological brothers and sisters. You can find other descriptions of His biological family throughout the Gospels. Now, the Catholic Church maintains the perpetual virginity of Mary. The Lutheran Church does not hold this view.
There is nothing that I have found in my reading of Scripture that would support this position. Jesus is the firstborn of Mary, begotten of the Father, conceived by the Holy Spirit.
His brothers must know that many disciples have left, and they have either heard or seen some of His miracles. So, operating from a position of doubt, they tell him to do “the works” in a more public sphere (Jerusalem).
7:5 For not even his brothers believed in him.
There is some debate about what this verse means.
Do they not believe “the works”? Or, do they not believe the claims of Jesus?
My guess is that they do not believe His claims to be the Anointed One of God — the Mashiach/Messiah.
This fits well with the theme building throughout the earlier chapters of John. The people of Israel believe the works, they seek the works, but they will not believe Jesus at His word. That is the truest measure of faith. (For an example of this, go back to the final verse in John 4 — note how the Samaritans believe)
There’s also an element of manipulation in their words to Jesus. They — like the rest of Israel — have political aspirations and expectations for the Messiah. They want an earthly power, a conquering king. Jesus is a conqueror, but not the in the manner they expected.
7:6 Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. 7:7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. 7:8 You go up to the feast. I am not (yet) going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” 7:9 After saying this, he remained in Galilee.
Jesus is a perfect son. He does only what His Fathers asks of Him; He does not operate for the pleasure of the world. His works please the Father (John 8:29).
Those who are born “of heaven” (John 3) are now called to function as Jesus functions. Like Jesus, we are set apart from the world, but the Father sends us into the world, to proclaim His Kingdom come.
From John 1:9, The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. – Any good light shows you what is hiding in the darkness. The darkness, itself, we perceive as passive. It only exists because there is an absence of light.
From John 3:20, “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. ” – The world, due to its corrupted/sinful nature, hates not only the light, but those who come to the light. (John 3:21) We have been filled with the Light, and sent into the world to drive out the darkness, and so we are hated by the world. Yet, we are sent to love those living in the darkness, so that they may come to the one true Light. The true Light reveals and reconciles all those that follow Him to the Father.
So, it makes sense that His brothers would reject Him, just as all have rejected the Father, they reject the Son.
Jesus’ time is the appointed time of His betrayal, death, and resurrection. The Father has given Him a mission, and He will accomplish it perfectly, in perfect timing.
In a sense, Jesus is saying “I will not go as you hoped I would. I will not go for the reasons you ask of me.” Publicly, as a figure for your manipulation/aspirations.
7:10 But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. 7:11 The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” And there was much muttering about him among the people. 7:12 And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” 7:13 Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.
Is Jesus caught in a lie in John 7:10. No, absolutely not. He did not go with His brothers, at their request, or for the reasons they intended. He went because He must have been instructed by His Father to do so.
The Jews were looking for him – Which Jews? And why?
1. Either the ruling, religious class that is seeking to kill him.
2. Or, the Jews in a broader sense. They seek him out because of His reputation for doing great works, for being a great teacher. (Based on verse 13, it seems both are correct.)
Jesus has made quite the impression, but the question remains… “Can He be trusted?” Anyone who is confronted with the claims Jesus makes of Himself, inevitably, wrestles with this question. It is the nature of faith, “Can I trust Jesus at His word?” Yes!
7:14 About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. 7:15 The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” 7:16 So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 7:17 If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.”
Verse 14, to me, further illustrates my previous point. Jesus does go up to the Feast, but He does not go to “do works”. He goes and teaches, so in some sense, he is revealing himself to the world, but not as they would have had him.
Jesus is teaching in the Holy City… during a festival… most likely, in front of many “great” rabbis and teachers. And yet, His teaching is unlike any other teaching.
He is not learned in the traditional sense. He did not study under a rabbi, and he does not appeal to other rabbis for support.
His learning is from heaven. His words are the very words of His Father.
7:18 “The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood."
There were different groups of religious leaders, like the Pharisees or the Sadducees (amongst others). Each group had unique views on a variety of topics, most especially the Law of Moses.
Jesus rebukes the Scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23, for a number of reasons, including but not limited to:
Not practicing what they preach.
Making the Law a heavier burden, impossible to bear. (This is likely the Pharisees — who had a practice of implementing additional laws, to create a buffer that would keep Israel from breaking the Law of Moses and inciting God’s wrath again.)
Making too much of themselves. Promoting the belief that they are greater than their brothers.
Neglecting mercy, justice, and faithfulness.
Jesus is telling the people to seek God with their whole heart. In that seeking, God reveals His truth to us, most especially by the work of the Holy Spirit. (By the way, anything revealed to you by the Holy Spirit will NEVER contradict Scripture.) God’s Word is no longer just for the elite
7:19 “Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” 7:20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you? 7:21 Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it. 7:22 Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise men on the Sabbath. 7:23 If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well. 7:24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
Jesus appeals to a common denominator — Moses and the Law. They all trust Moses. They all live under the Law.
But then, he tells them that they do not keep the Law, which is not a good way to make friends in Jerusalem. You can imagine them thinking, “What does this guy mean, ‘We don’t keep the Law?'”
Then, he asks them, “Why do you seek to kill me?”
The crowd’s reaction reflects the truth of verses 12-13. The people were split. The people listening are citizens of Jerusalem, but there are also pilgrims from throughout Israel, including Galilee. These people would have been much more familiar with Jesus. But, everyone knew that the religious leaders did not like him. Which is why they would not speak too openly of him.
Their question seems silly, if not insincere. At this point, it is likely that those that were not religious elite were probably not seeking to kill him, yet. It won’t take long for their position to change.
So, Jesus tells them indirectly who is after him. “I did one work, and you all marvel at it.” – This is the healing that took place at Bethesda, on the Sabbath. An act of mercy!
Jesus, again, uses the Law to make His point. Moses/Patriarchs gave the people the “work” of circumcision, and they are happy to circumcise a man on the Sabbath.
Tradition holds that a man is circumcised on the 8th day of his life. If the 8th day is the Sabbath, then circumcision takes priority.
By performing circumcision, even on the Sabbath, they believe they are truly keeping the Law of Moses.
Jesus is asking a simple, but profound question, “Am I breaking the Law by making a man well on the Sabbath?”
This brings us back to Matthew 23, and the questions of what is the Law, the purpose of the Law, and the heart of God’s Law?
Is the purpose of the Law to oppress people? Is it to ostracize people? Is it intended to sentence people to death?
Or, does the Law exist, so that Israel may know their God? So they could follow Him? Does it reveal His nature?
Jesus is stating that doing good, or making a man well, is truly the Law of God. It takes priority.
For God does not desire that we leave people to suffer, but that we would bring them His mercy.
That is true discernment of God’s Law, which we can know when we seek His will, by the power of His Holy Spirit.