John 7

Jesus Teaches at the Feast

1 After this, Jesus traveled throughout Galilee. He did not want to travel in Judea, because the Jews there were trying to kill Him.

2 However, the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles ^[a] was near.

3 So Jesus’ brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go to Judea, so that Your disciples there may see the works You are doing.

4 For no one who wants to be known publicly acts in secret. Since You are doing these things, show Yourself to the world.”

5 For even His own brothers did not believe in Him.

6 Therefore Jesus told them, “Although your time is always at hand, My time has not yet come.

7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me, because I testify that its works are evil.

8 Go up to the feast on your own. I am not ^[b] going up to this feast, because My time has not yet come.”

9 Having said this, Jesus remained in Galilee.

10 But after His brothers had gone up to the feast, He also went—not publicly, but in secret.

11 So the Jews were looking for Him at the feast and asking, “Where is He?”

12 Many in the crowds were whispering about Him. Some said, “He is a good man.”

13 Yet no one would speak publicly about Him for fear of the Jews.

14 About halfway through the feast, Jesus went up to the temple courts ^[c] and began to teach.

15 The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man attain such learning without having studied?”

16 “My teaching is not My own,” Jesus replied. “It comes from Him who sent Me.

17 If anyone desires to do His will, he will know whether My teaching is from God or whether I speak on My own.

18 He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is a man of truth; in Him there is no falsehood.

19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps it. Why are you trying to kill Me?”

20 “You have a demon,” the crowd replied. “Who is trying to kill You?”

21 Jesus answered them, “I did one miracle, and you are all amazed.

22 But because Moses gave you circumcision, you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath (not that it is from Moses, but from the patriarchs.)

23 If a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses will not be broken, why are you angry with Me for making the whole man well on the Sabbath?

24 Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”

Is Jesus the Christ?

25 Then some of the people of Jerusalem began to say, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?

26 Yet here He is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying anything to Him. Have the rulers truly recognized that this is the Christ?

27 But we know where this man is from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where He is from.”

28 Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “You know Me, and you know where I am from. I have not come of My own accord, but He who sent Me is true. You do not know Him,

29 but I know Him, because I am from Him and He sent Me.”

30 So they tried to seize Him, but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.

31 Many in the crowd, however, believed in Him and said, “When the Christ comes, will He perform more signs than this man?”

32 When the Pharisees heard the crowd whispering these things about Jesus, they and the chief priests sent officers to arrest Him.

33 So Jesus said, “I am with you only a little while longer, and then I am going to the One who sent Me.

34 You will look for Me, but you will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.”

35 At this, the Jews said to one another, “Where does He intend to go that we will not find Him? Will He go where the Jews are dispersed among the Greeks, ^[d] and teach the Greeks?

36 What does He mean by saying, ‘You will look for Me, but you will not find Me,’ and, ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”

Living Water

37 On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.

38 Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”

39 He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For the Spirit had not yet been given, ^[e] because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Division over Jesus

40 On hearing these words, some of the people said, “This is truly the Prophet.”

41 Others declared, “This is the Christ.”

42 Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived? ^[f]”

43 So there was division in the crowd because of Jesus.

44 Some of them wanted to seize Him, but no one laid a hand on Him.

The Unbelief of the Jewish Leaders

45 Then the officers returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring Him in?”

46 “Never has anyone spoken like this man!” the officers answered.

47 “Have you also been deceived?” replied the Pharisees.

48 “Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed in Him?

49 But this crowd that does not know the law—they are under a curse.”

50 Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who himself was one of them, asked,

51 “Does our law convict a man without first hearing from him to determine what he has done?”

52 “Aren’t you also from Galilee?” they replied. “Look into it, and you will see that no prophet comes out of Galilee.” ^[g]

53 Then each went to his own home.

John 7 Commentary

Chapter 7

Christ goes to the feast of tabernacles. (1-13) His discourse at the feast. (14-39) The people dispute concerning Christ. (40-53)

Verses 1-13 The brethren or kinsmen of Jesus were disgusted, when they found there was no prospect of worldly advantages from him. Ungodly men sometimes undertake to counsel those employed in the work of God; but they only advise what appears likely to promote present advantages. The people differed about his doctrine and miracles, while those who favoured him, dared not openly to avow their sentiments. Those who count the preachers of the gospel to be deceivers, speak out, while many who favour them, fear to get reproach by avowing regard for them.

Verses 14-24 Every faithful minister may humbly adopt Christ's words. His doctrine is not his own finding out, but is from God's word, through the teaching of his Spirit. And amidst the disputes which disturb the world, if any man, of any nation, seeks to do the will of God, he shall know whether the doctrine is of God, or whether men speak of themselves. Only those who hate the truth shall be given up to errors which will be fatal. Surely it was as agreeable to the design of the sabbath to restore health to the afflicted, as to administer an outward rite. Jesus told them to decide on his conduct according to the spiritual import of the Divine law. We must not judge concerning any by their outward appearance, but by their worth, and by the gifts and graces of God's Spirit in them.

Verses 25-30 Christ proclaimed aloud, that they were in error in their thoughts about his origin. He was sent of God, who showed himself true to his promises. This declaration, that they knew not God, with his claim to peculiar knowledge, provoked the hearers; and they sought to take him, but God can tie men's hands, though he does not turn their hearts.

Verses 31-36 The discourses of Jesus convinced many that he was the Messiah; but they had not courage to own it. It is comfort to those who are in the world, but not of it, and therefore are hated by it and weary of it, that they shall not be in it always, that they shall not be in it long. Our days being evil, it is well they are few. The days of life and of grace do not last long; and sinners, when in misery, will be glad of the help they now despise. Men dispute about such sayings, but the event will explain them.

Verses 37-39 On the last day of the feast of tabernacles, the Jews drew water and poured it out before the Lord. It is supposed that Christ alluded to this. If any man desires to be truly and for ever happy, let him apply to Christ, and be ruled by him. This thirst means strong desires after spiritual blessings, which nothing else can satisfy; so the sanctifying and comforting influences of the Holy Spirit, were intended by the waters which Jesus called on them to come to Him and drink. The comfort flows plentifully and constantly as a river; strong as a stream to bear down the opposition of doubts and fears. There is a fulness in Christ, of grace for grace. The Spirit dwelling and working in believers, is as a fountain of living, running water, out of which plentiful streams flow, cooling and cleansing as water. The miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit we do not expect, but for his more common and more valuable influences we may apply. These streams have flowed from our glorified Redeemer, down to this age, and to the remote corners of the earth. May we be anxious to make them known to others.

Verses 40-53 The malice of Christ's enemies is always against reason, and sometimes the staying of it cannot be accounted for. Never any man spake with that wisdom, and power, and grace, that convincing clearness, and that sweetness, wherewith Christ spake. Alas, that many, who are for a time restrained, and who speak highly of the word of Jesus, speedily lose their convictions, and go on in their sins! People are foolishly swayed by outward motives in matters of eternal moment, are willing even to be damned for fashion's sake. As the wisdom of God often chooses things which men despise, so the folly of men commonly despises those whom God has chosen. The Lord brings forward his weak and timid disciples, and sometimes uses them to defeat the designs of his enemies.

Footnotes

• [a]. That is, Sukkot, the autumn feast of pilgrimage to Jerusalem; also translated as the Feast of Booths or the Feast of Shelters and originally called the Feast of Ingathering (see Exodus 23:16 and Exodus 34:22).
• [b]. NE, WH, BYZ, and TR I am not yet
• [c]. Literally the temple; also in verse 28
• [d]. Literally Will He go to the Diaspora among the Greeks; the Jewish people living outside the land of Israel since the Babylonian exile were referred to as the Diaspora.
• [e]. Literally the Spirit was not yet; BYZ and TR the Holy Spirit was not yet
• [f]. See Micah 5:2.
• [g]. Some early manuscripts do not include John 7:53 through John 8:11.