John 7:5

5 for not even were his brethren believing in him.

John 7:5 Meaning and Commentary

John 7:5

For neither did his brethren believe in him.
] At first they might take to him, and embrace him as the Messiah, and expect he would set up a temporal kingdom; in which they might hope, on account of their relation to him, according to the flesh to enjoy great honours and privileges; but finding that he was not inclined to anything of that nature, and talked in a quite different way, they grew sick of him, and rejected him, as the Messiah; so, little regard is to be had, or confidence placed, in carnal descent from, or alliance to the best of men; as to Abraham, or any other true believer, if they have not the same grace, or the same faith as such have; and which comes not by blood, or natural generation, but by the free favour of God; for it matters not, if men have known Christ, or have been allied to him after the flesh, unless they are new creatures in him; they may be the one, and not the other; even the carnal brethren of Christ, and yet not believers in him; and it is only such who are so in a spiritual sense, that are regarded by him, ( Matthew 12:49 Matthew 12:50 ) .

John 7:5 In-Context

3 his brethren, therefore, said unto him, `Remove hence, and go away to Judea, that thy disciples also may behold thy works that thou dost;

4 for no one in secret doth anything, and himself seeketh to be in public; if thou dost these things -- manifest thyself to the world;'

5 for not even were his brethren believing in him.

6 Jesus, therefore, saith to them, `My time is not yet present, but your time is always ready;

7 the world is not able to hate you, but me it doth hate, because I testify concerning it that its works are evil.