John 7

Unbelief of Jesus’ Brothers

1 After this [about six months after the end of John 6], Jesus stays in Galilee, avoiding Judea because of the threats of the Jews.

3-9 With the feast of tabernacles [Leviticus 23:33-36] approaching, Jesus’ unbelieving brothers want him to go to Jerusalem to prove himself, but Jesus declines to go with them because it’s not a good time to go; unlike them, he is hated because he exposes evil. To be consistent with John 2:12, his “brothers” here are most likely Mary’s children. This comment from The People’s New Testament on John 2:12:

The phrase, "his brethren," occurs nine times in the Gospels, and once in Acts. The natural interpretation is always that they were his brothers, sons of Mary. Two places (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3) mention his sisters. Had it not been for the dogma that Mary remained a virgin, a dogma that has no foundation in the Scriptures, it would never have been doubted that these "brethren" and "sisters" were her children.

Jesus at the Festival of Booths

10-13 After his brothers leave, he goes secretly to the festival, where the Jews are looking for him, and there are private discussion (for fear of the Jews) over whether he’s a good man or not. Those who oppose Jesus are referred to as Jews in this gospel, yet all those at the feast would be Jews, right? The People’s New Testament also addresses this:

"The Jews" in John almost always means the ruling class at Jerusalem. The people means the masses of the Jewish nation.

14-18 At the middle of the festival, Jesus teaches in the temple, and the Jews are astonished at his depth of knowledge. Jesus answers that his teaching is from God, and those obedient to God recognize that, for he seeks not his own glory but the truth.

19-24 Jesus accuses his audience of being disobedient to Moses’ law while trying to kill him, which they deny. They criticize him for healing on the Sabbath, yet they circumcise (which goes back not to Moses but to the patriarchs) on the sabbath. They can do that, but he can not heal on the sabbath? “Do not judge by appearance, but by righteous judgment.” Why are we so naturally quick to judge by appearances, rather than give others the benefit of the doubt? Is it because in some distorted way it makes us feel good about our own inadequacies? How much better we’d feel if we rose above those natural tendencies.

Is This the Christ?

25-27 With Jesus teaching openly, some residents of Jerusalem wonder why the Jews don’t arrest Jesus. Is it because they know He is the Messiah? Yet he couldn’t be, because they know his origins. Two comments on this: from Burton Coffman, quoting Adam Clarke:

The generality of the people knew that Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem ... But from Isa. 53:8, "Who shall declare his generation?" they thought that there should be something so peculiarly mysterious in his birth, or in the manner of his appearing, that no person could fully understand. Had they considered his miraculous conception, they would have felt their minds relieved on that point. ^F7

and John Wesley:

This Jewish tradition was true, with regard to his Divine nature: in that respect none could declare his generation. But it was not true with regard to his human nature, for both his family and the place of his birth were plainly foretold.

28-31 Jesus cries out that they do know him, that he has come from the Father, whom they do not know. The Jews are unable to arrest him because “his time has not yet come,” and many asked whether or not the Messiah could show any more power than Jesus had done. Their inability to arrest him is an act of providence, carried out by the believing crowd around him.

Officers Sent to Arrest Jesus

32-36 Hearing the crowd, chief priests and Pharisees send temple police to arrest Jesus. He tells them that before long he will return to the One who sent him, and they won’t be able to find him. They wonder if this means he will escape to teach the Dispersion and the Greeks. They refer to Jews who had scattered to other countries, and the Gentiles among whom they lived. It may imply that those outside Judea would not be able to detect his deceit. In their bewilderment, they do not arrest him.

Rivers of Living Water

37-39 On the last day of the festival Jesus invites all who are thirsty to come to him, for “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water,” referring to the Spirit, which wouldn’t be given to believers until Jesus’ glorification [death, burial and resurrection]. According to the People’s New Testament, this quote refers to such scriptures as Isa. 55:1; 58:11; Psa. 36:8, 9.

Division among the People

40-43 The crowd began disputing whether or not he was the Messiah. The doubters cited his origin, which they thought to be Galilee, not realizing he had been born in Bethlehem, as prophesied. Some want to arrest him, but no one does. His time is not until Passover.

The Unbelief of Those in Authority

45-49 When the temple police go back to the officials, they accuse them of being deceived. “Has any of the authorities or Pharisees believed in him?” Such arrogance and pride! Surely if they have not believed, no one should!

50-52 Nicodemus (see John 3) suggests they try him according to the law, and they accuse him of being a Galilean (apparently a term of derision), citing that the scriptures don’t ever mention a prophet coming out of Galilee. This was not true, for Jonah was from Gath-hepher, a Galilean town (2 Kings 14:25). And Isaiah 9:1-2 prophesies of a light that will appear in Galilee.

7:53 “Then each of them went home, while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives..” Jamiesson, Fausset and Brown’s comment on this short verse: “Is your rage thus impotent, ye chief priests?”