John 7:1-24 NIV • After this, Jesus went around in

Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. (2) But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, (3) Jesus' brothers said to him, "You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do.

John 7:1-24 NIV • (4) No one who wants to become a

public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." (5) For even his own brothers did not believe in him. (6) Therefore Jesus told them, "The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right. (7) The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil.

John 7:1-24 NIV • (8) You go to the Feast. I am not yet

going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come." (9) Having said this, he stayed in Galilee. (10) However, after his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. (11) Now at the Feast the Jews were watching for him and asking, "Where is that man?"

John 7:1-24 NIV • (12) Among the crowds there was

widespread whispering about him. Some said, "He is a good man." Others replied, "No, he deceives the people." (13) But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews. (14) Not until halfway through the Feast did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach.

John 7:1-24 NIV • (15) The Jews were amazed and

asked, "How did this man get such learning without having studied?" (16) Jesus answered, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. (17) If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.

John 7:1-24 NIV • (18) He who speaks on his own does

so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. (19) Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?" (20) "You are demon-possessed," the crowd answered. "Who is trying to kill you?"

John 7:1-24 NIV • (21) Jesus said to them, "I did one

miracle, and you are all astonished. (22) Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a child on the Sabbath.

John 7:1-24 NIV • (23) Now if a child can be

circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing the whole man on the Sabbath? (24) Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment."

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John 7:1-5 NIV

• After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. (2) But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, (3) Jesus' brothers said to him, "You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. (4) No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." (5) For even his own brothers did not believe in him.

Feast of Tabernacles

• Josephus: “Holiest and greatest feast” (Antiquities 8.4.1)

• Ordained in Leviticus 23:33-43:– End of harvest

– Commemorated wilderness wandering

– Reminder of God’s care and presence

– Lived in temporary shelters for one week

• In October, about six months after the Passover in John 6:4

The problem of unbelief

• John 7:3-5 NIV Jesus' brothers said to him, "You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. (4) No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." (5) For even his own brothers did not believe in him.

Unbelief – an ongoing issue

• His family– Mark 3:20-21 NIV Then Jesus entered a house, and

again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. (21) When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."

• His neighbors– Mark 6:3-4 NIV Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this

Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. (4) Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor."

Jesus’ campaign had suffered catastrophic loss

• He drew 5,000 men to one sermon– Josephus: Galilee’s population = 100,000 men

– Like Pepperdine Lectureship drawing 1.9 million

• He lost followers in droves– John 6:66 NIV From this time many of his

disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

– This is the timing of – and the reason for – the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8)

His brothers: “Go to Jerusalem to reverse the trend”

• Jerusalem was the religious capital• Feast of Tabernacles – perfect forum

to present himself as Messiah• If he could win Jerusalem, he could

recapture the lost momentum– John 7:4 NIV No one who wants to

become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world."

God’s way is not man’s way

• Man’s way: – Jesus should introduce himself as

Messiah in a dramatic way

• God's way:– Jesus subjected himself to public

display on a cross, trusting God to raise him from the dead

Proximity does not produce faith

• John 1:10-11 NIV He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. (11) He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

• John 12:37 NIV Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.

Our time is not God’s time

• John 7:6-8 NIV Therefore Jesus told them, "The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right. (7) The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil. (8) You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come."

John often noted that Jesus' time had not come

• John 2:4 NIV "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."

• John 7:30 NIV At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come.

• John 8:20 NIV He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come.

But Jesus knew when God’s time had come

• John 12:23 NIV Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

• John 12:27 NIV "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.

But Jesus knew when God’s time had come

• John 13:1 NIV It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.

• John 17:1 NIV After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.

The world was not dangerous to his brothers …• But the world hated Jesus because he pointed out

its sin and rebellion

• The world has its religions and values, but Christ said they are evil

• We can expect that many people will hate us as well

• If circumstances are going too well, we should ask if we are following Christ as we should

• Be grateful when life goes well, but make sure it is not at the cost of following Jesus halfheartedly or not at all

The Covert Christ

• John 7:8-10 NIV You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come." (9) Having said this, he stayed in Galilee. (10) However, after his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also, not publicly, but in secret.

Most Greek editions of the NT omit the word “yet”

• But it is more likely in the original– If Jesus said "I am not going up to the

Feast," was he lying?

– No, he meant that he was not going up to the Feast right then, as they suggested

– He was intentionally being ambiguous

– He stayed awhile in Galilee before going to Jerusalem

Why did Jesus act secretly?

• The leaders hated and rejected him, no matter what he said or did

• The more Jesus taught and worked publicly, the more they caused trouble for him and his followers

• So it was necessary for Jesus to teach and work as quietly as possible

John 7:11-13 NIV

• Now at the Feast the Jews were watching for him and asking, "Where is that man?" (12) Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, "He is a good man." Others replied, "No, he deceives the people." (13) But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews.

Everyone was talking about Jesus!

• But when it came time to speak up for him in public, no one said a word

• We talk about Christ in church, but when it comes to public statements about our faith, we are embarrassed– Matthew 10:32 NIV "Whoever

acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.

John 7:14-15 NIV

• Not until halfway through the Feast did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. (15) The Jews were amazed and asked, "How did this man get such learning without having studied?"

The first three days passed without anyone seeing Jesus• The crowds wondered if he would come

and claim to be the Messiah

• Then halfway through the Feast he began teaching in the temple courts

• As the religious leaders listened to him along with the crowds they were amazed

• His teaching was learned and spiritually penetrating, yet he had never been a student in any Rabbinic school

John 7:16-18 NIV

• Jesus answered, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. (17) If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. (18) He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.

The authorities assumed two possibilities:

• Either a person studied in a traditional school or else he was self-taught

• Jesus' reply pointed to a third alternative – his teaching was from God who had commissioned him

Jesus was “God-taught”

• True disciples are “God-taught”– John 6:45 NIV It is written in the

Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.

• Jesus’ teaching exalted God, not self– John 1:18 NIV No one has ever seen God,

but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

Those who seek God's will know that Jesus was truthful• Have you ever listened to religious

speakers and wondered if they were telling the truth? Test them: – Their words should agree with, not

contradict, the Bible

– Their words should point to God and his will, not to themselves

Jesus – Prescient, or Paranoid?

• John 7:19-20 NIV Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?“ "You are demon-possessed," the crowd answered. "Who is trying to kill you?“

• Remember: Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you!

Most of the people were not aware of the plot to kill Jesus

• The plot had been going among their leaders since he healed the paralytic in John 5– John 5:18 NIV For this reason the Jews tried all

the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

• One group was looking for the chance to kill him, but most were still trying to decide what they believed about him

The miracle Jesus referred to

• Healing the paralytic at the Bethesda pool during his last visit to Jerusalem

• Two points of controversy:• Jesus healed on the Sabbath, violating their

Sabbath laws

• He said, “God works on Saturdays – so do I”

• To the Jews, this was blasphemy, putting himself on a par with God

Jesus’ response to the controversy

• Circumcision was to be performed eight days after a baby's birth

• If the eighth day was a Sabbath, the bris would still be performed (even though it was considered work)

• The leaders allowed this, but objected to Jesus who showed mercy to one who needed healing

They understood the Scriptures only superficially

• They majored in minors and missed the intent of many passages– John 7:24 NIV Stop judging by mere

appearances, and make a right judgment."

– John 5:39-40 NIV You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, (40) yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

Matthew 23:23-24 NIV

• "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. (24) You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

Two of Jesus’ brothers became Christian leaders

• James and Jude– But for several years, they were

embarrassed by Jesus.

– After Jesus died and rose again, they finally believed.

We have every reason to believe

• We have the full record of Jesus' miracles, death and resurrection

• We also have the evidence of what the gospel has done in people's lives through the centuries

• Don't miss this opportunity to believe in – and obey – God's Son!