John chapter 7
Jesus talks with his brothers, then goes the Festival of Booths. People wonder if he is the Messiah. He promises Living Water. People debate about him.
JESUS AND HIS BROTHERS
VERSE 1. After these things, Jesus was walking in Galilee, for he wouldn’t walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him.
VERSE 2. Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was at hand.
the Feast of Booths. This was also known as the Festival of Tabernacles. It was typically in September or October.
VERSE 3. His brothers therefore said to him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that your disciples also may see your works which you do.
His brothers. The Greek word is ἀδελφοὶ (“adelphoi”). It means a male sibling, or perhaps a member of the same religious community.
People are very divided about the possibility of Jesus having blood brothers. Here are three interpretations:
a. Helvidius said they were children of Mary. Catholics do not like this, as it negates their tradition of the perpetual virginity of Mary.
b. Epiphonius said these brothers were children of Joseph by a previous marriage.
c. Jerome said they were cousins.
VERSE 4. For no one does anything in secret while he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, reveal yourself to the world.”
reveal yourself to the world. Christ’s brothers were under the mistaken notion that he wanted to become famous.
VERSE 5. For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.
his brothers didn’t. Jesus was not accepted even within his own household. However, the Twelve did indeed believe in him.
VERSE 6. Jesus therefore said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.
My time. The Greek word is Kyres. It means “the right time.”
VERSE 7. The world can’t hate you, but it hates me, because I testify about it, that its works are evil.
VERSE 8. You go up to the feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, because my time is not yet fulfilled.”
VERSE 9. Having said these things to them, he stayed in Galilee.
JESUS TEACHES AT THE FESTIVAL OF BOOTHS
VERSE 10. But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly, but as it were in secret.
VERSE 11. The Jews therefore sought him at the feast, and said, “Where is he?”
VERSE 12. There was much murmuring among the multitudes concerning him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others said, “Not so, but he leads the multitude astray.”
VERSE 13. Yet no one spoke openly of him for fear of the Jews.
VERSE 14. But when it was now the middle of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and taught.
VERSE 15. The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How does this man know letters, having never been educated?”
having never been educated. Jesus Christ was not a product of their graduate studies program. He did not go to a seminary. He was not endorsed by any of the rabbinical schools.
In our day, we consider it necessary for our Christian leaders to have a degree from a seminary, and to receive some sort of endorsement from our denomination.
With our mindset, we would not be willing to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our own pastor!
VERSE 16. Jesus therefore answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.
his who sent me. What was the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ? How did he himself define it? Here are the verses we find in the four gospels »
VERSE 17. If anyone desires to do his will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is from God, or if I am speaking from myself.
VERSE 18. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory, but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
VERSE 19. Didn’t Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill me?”
VERSE 20. The multitude answered, “You have a demon! Who seeks to kill you?”
VERSE 21. Jesus answered them, “I did one work and you all marvel because of it.
VERSE 22. Moses has given you circumcision (not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a boy.
VERSE 23. If a boy receives circumcision on the Sabbath, that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me, because I made a man completely healthy on the Sabbath?
VERSE 24. Don’t judge according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”
This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to John and from the entire Bible.
judge righteous. We are to look beneath the surface so we can judge correctly.
CAN THIS BE THE CHRIST?
VERSE 25. Therefore some of them of Jerusalem said, “Isn’t this he whom they seek to kill?
VERSE 26. Behold, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him. Can it be that the rulers indeed know that this is truly the Christ?
VERSE 27. However we know where this man comes from, but when the Christ comes, no one will know where he comes from.”
VERSE 28. Jesus therefore cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, “You both know me, and know where I am from. I have not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you don’t know.
VERSE 29. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.”
I know him. Jesus is in a relationship with God the Father.
I am from him. The Lord Jesus is from God the Father. And so are we all. We are all children of the Most High God.
he sent me. What was the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ? How did he himself define it? Here are the verses we find in the four gospels »
VERSE 30. They sought therefore to take him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.
VERSE 31. But of the multitude, many believed in him. They said, “When the Christ comes, he won’t do more signs than those which this man has done, will he?”
THE PHARISEES TRY TO ARREST JESUS
VERSE 32. The Pharisees heard the multitude murmuring these things concerning him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to arrest him.
VERSE 33. Then Jesus said, “I will be with you a little while longer, then I go to him who sent me.
VERSE 34. You will seek me, and won’t find me; and where I am, you can’t come.”
Job 7:8. The eye of him who sees me shall see me no more. Your eyes shall be on me, but I shall not be.
VERSE 35. The Jews therefore said among themselves, “Where will this man go that we won’t find him? Will he go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?
the Dispersion. They were the Jewish people living outside the Holy Land. They were also referred to as the diaspora.
VERSE 36. What is this word that he said, ‘You will seek me, and won’t find me;’ and ‘Where I am, you can’t come’?”
JESUS PROMISES RIVERS OF LIVING WATER
VERSE 37. Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink!
This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to John and from the entire Bible.
come to me and drink. This is a very powerful thing to say. It implies that Jesus is God.
VERSE 38. He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.”
This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to John and from the entire Bible.
flow rivers of living water. Does a river of living water flow out from you to other people?
VERSE 39. But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus wasn’t yet glorified.
THE PEOPLE ARE DIVIDED OVER JESUS
VERSE 40. Many of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said, “This is truly the prophet.”
VERSE 41. Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “What, does the Christ come out of Galilee?
VERSE 42. Hasn’t the Scripture said that the Christ comes of the offspring of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”
VERSE 43. So a division arose in the multitude because of him.
VERSE 44. Some of them would have arrested him, but no one laid hands on him.
DEBATE OVER THE CLAIMS OF JESUS
VERSE 45. The officers therefore came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why didn’t you bring him?”
VERSE 46. The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!”
VERSE 47. The Pharisees therefore answered them, “You aren’t also led astray, are you?
VERSE 48. Have any of the rulers believed in him, or of the Pharisees?
VERSE 49. But this multitude, that doesn’t know the law, is cursed.”
VERSE 50. Nicodemus (he who came to him by night, being one of them) said to them,
VERSE 51. “Does our law judge a man, unless it first hears from him personally and knows what he does?”
VERSE 52. They answered him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search, and see that no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.”
no prophet has arisen out of Galilee. The Pharisees were so entrenched in their own opinions that they could not conceive of something else happening.
VERSE 53. Everyone went to his own house,
JOHN
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Commands, Spirituality, Miracles
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.