Jesus faced much opposition to himself and his teaching. In the gospel we see God doing new things to bring about his purposes. Our passage today highlights that even those who claim to believe in Jesus sometimes choose to reject his teaching. As his followers do we at times oppose him? If we did what would that look like?
Jesus is facing more and more opposition from the religious powers. He prefers to avoid Judea, where the temple is, the center of their power.
7 After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him.
2 Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand. 3 So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For not even his brothers believed in him.
6 Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. 8 You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After saying this, he remained in Galilee. (Jn 7.1-9)
‘Seeking to kill him’, ‘My time is not yet fully come’. Jesus is avoiding them because his time has not come. Eventually he will go to Jerusalem and be captured and crucified.
‘Feast of Booths’. The feast is a seven-day festival commanded by the LORD. It commemorates the time when Israel dwelt in ‘booths’ made of sticks and branches after they escaped Egypt. Each day they make offerings to the LORD. The eighth day is the climax and they hold a solemn assembly. Compulsory attendance for all Jews (Lev 23.33-43).
‘Brothers’, ‘Disciples’. Jesus is with his family members. His brothers do not believe in him. A prophet has no honour in his own hometown (Jn 4.44). They want another sign (cf. Jn 2.1-12). They urge him to go to Jerusalem so his ‘disciples’ will see his works.
10 But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. 11 The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” 12 And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” 13 Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him. (Jn 7.10-13)
‘Not publicly but in private’. Jesus said he was not going to the feast (Jn 7.8), but he later changes his mind. He goes in private because he knows people are looking for him.
‘Muttering about him’. Jesus is in everyone’s mind. They each question who he is and what he is trying to do.
Who do you say Jesus is?
Hubbard, S. et al. with Logos Bible Software and KarBel Media, 2012. Faithlife Study Bible Infographics, Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
14 About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. 15 The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?”
16 So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 17 If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. 18 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. (Jn 7.14-18)
‘Temple’, ‘teaching’. Jesus makes himself known publicly in the middle of the festival. He goes directly to the temple and teaches. A bold entrance. The people are amazed at his teaching and want to know where he got his learning from.
‘The teaching is from God’. Jesus is sent from the Father. What he teaches is from the Father and carries His authority. Jesus’ teaching may unintentionally bring glory to himself.
But Jesus teaches us to bring glory to the Father. Who do you seek to glorify?
19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” 20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” 21 Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it. 22 Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well? 24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” (Jn 7.19-24)
‘Why seek to kill me’. The Jews are still angry that Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath (Jn 5.2-9).
‘On the Sabbath a man receives circumcision’. On the Sabbath the Jews were to do no work. But the law of Moses also commands the Jews to circumcise new converts on the Sabbath. They show from their own behaviour there are exceptions to the rule of doing no work on the Sabbath.
‘Do not judge by appearances, judge with right judgment’. God desires mercy, not sacrifice (Mt 9.13; 12.7). Jesus teaches it is right to do good things on the Sabbath. This should be common sense. The right judgment to make.
About Jesus
Jesus faced much opposition to himself and his teaching. In the gospel we see God doing new things to bring about his purposes.
Our passage today highlights that even those who claim to believe in Jesus sometimes choose to reject his teaching.
As his followers do we at times oppose him? If we did what would that look like?
Jesus faced much opposition to himself and his teaching. In the gospel we see God doing new things to bring about his purposes. Our passage today highlights that even those who claim to believe in Jesus sometimes choose to reject his teaching. As his followers do we at times oppose him? If we did what would that look like?
‘Seeking to kill him’, ‘My time is not yet fully come’. Jesus is avoiding them because his time has not come. Eventually he will go to Jerusalem and be captured and crucified.
