John 7

The Unbelief of Jesus' Brothers

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

2 The Jewish Festival of Tabernacles^{[a] [b]} was near,

3 so His brothers said to Him, "Leave here and go to Judea so Your disciples can see Your works that You are doing.

4 For no one does anything in secret while he's seeking public recognition. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world."

5 (For not even His brothers believed in Him.)

6 Jesus told them, "My time has not yet arrived, but your time is always at hand.

7 The world cannot hate you, but it does hate Me because I testify about it-that its deeds are evil.

8 Go up to the festival yourselves. I'm not going up to the festival yet, ^[c] because My time has not yet fully come."

9 After He had said these things, He stayed in Galilee.

Jesus at the Festival of Tabernacles

10 After His brothers had gone up to the festival, then He also went up, not openly but secretly.

11 The Jews were looking for Him at the festival and saying, "Where is He?"

12 And there was a lot of discussion about Him among the crowds. Some were saying, "He's a good man." Others were saying, "No, on the contrary, He's deceiving the people."

13 Still, nobody was talking publicly about Him because they feared the Jews.

14 When the festival was already half over, Jesus went up into the temple complex and began to teach.

15 Then the Jews were amazed and said, "How does He know the Scriptures, since He hasn't been trained?"

16 Jesus answered them, "My teaching isn't Mine but is from the One who sent Me.

17 If anyone wants to do His will, he will understand whether the teaching is from God or if I am speaking on My own.

18 The one who speaks for himself seeks his own glory. But He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

19 Didn't Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law! Why do you want to kill Me?"

20 "You have a demon!" the crowd responded. "Who wants to kill You?"

21 "I did one work, and you are all amazed," Jesus answered.

22 "Consider this: Moses has given you circumcision-not that it comes from Moses but from the fathers-and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.

23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses won't be broken, are you angry at Me because I made a man entirely well on the Sabbath?

24 Stop judging according to outward appearances; rather judge according to righteous judgment."

The Identity of the Messiah

25 Some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, "Isn't this the man they want to kill?

26 Yet, look! He's speaking publicly and they're saying nothing to Him. Can it be true that the authorities know He is the Messiah?

27 But we know where this man is from. When the Messiah comes, nobody will know where He is from."

28 As He was teaching in the temple complex, Jesus cried out, "You know Me and you know where I am from. Yet I have not come on My own, but the One who sent Me is true. You don't know Him;

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

30 Then they tried to seize Him. Yet no one laid a hand on Him because His hour^[d] had not yet come.

31 However, many from the crowd believed in Him and said, "When the Messiah comes, He won't perform more signs than this man has done, will He?"

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about Him, so the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple police to arrest Him.

33 Then Jesus said, "I am only with you for a short time. Then I'm 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 Then the Jews said to one another, "Where does He intend to go so we won't find Him? He doesn't intend to go to the Dispersion^[e] among the Greeks and teach the Greeks, does He?

36 What is this remark He made: 'You will look for Me, and you will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come' ?"

The Promise of the Spirit

37 On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone is thirsty, he should come to Me ^[f] and drink!

38 The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, ^[g] will have streams of living water flow from deep within him."

39 He said this about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were going to receive, for the Spirit^[h] had not yet been received,^{[i] [j]} because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

The People Are Divided over Jesus

40 When some from the crowd heard these words, they said, "This really is the Prophet!"^[k]

41 Others said, "This is the Messiah!" But some said, "Surely the Messiah doesn't come from Galilee, does He?

42 Doesn't the Scripture say that the Messiah comes from David's offspring^[l] and from the town of Bethlehem, where David once lived?"

43 So a division occurred among the crowd because of Him.

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

Debate over Jesus' Claims

45 Then the temple police came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, "Why haven't you brought Him?"

46 The police answered, "No man ever spoke like this!"^[m]

47 Then the Pharisees responded to them: "Are you fooled too?

48 Have any of the rulers believed in Him? Or any of the Pharisees?

49 But this crowd, which doesn't know the law, is accursed!"

50 Nicodemus-the one who came to Him previously, being one of them-said to them,

51 "Our law doesn't judge a man before it hears from him and knows what he's doing, does it?"

52 "You aren't from Galilee too, are you?" they replied. "Investigate and you will see that no prophet arises from Galilee."^[n] [

53 So each one went to his house.

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]. Or Booths
• [b]. One of 3 great Jewish religious festivals, along with Passover and Pentecost; Ex 23:14; Dt 16:16
• [c]. Other mss omit yet
• [d]. The time of His sacrificial death and exaltation; Jn 2:4; 8:20; 12:23,27; 13:1; 17:1
• [e]. Jewish people scattered throughout Gentile lands who spoke Gk and were influenced by Gk culture
• [f]. Other mss omit to Me
• [g]. Jesus may have had several OT passages in mind; Isaiah 58:11; Ezk 47:1-12; Zch 14:8
• [h]. Other mss read Holy Spirit
• [i]. Other mss read had not yet been given
• [j]. Lit the Spirit was not yet; the word received is implied from the previous clause.
• [k]. Probably the Prophet in Dt 18:15
• [l]. Lit seed
• [m]. Other mss read like this man
• [n]. Jonah and probably other prophets did come from Galilee; 2 Kgs 14:25