The Gospel of John (1-27-2013)
Lesson 20 – John 7:1-20
Chapter 7
As we begin chapter 7 it is good to remember that there is
quite often a time lapse between John’s recorded accounts. As we begin chapter
7 our setting here is at least 6 months later than the events recorded in the
last chapter and some of the comments that we see here in the beginning of this
chapter concerning the condition and lay of the land in Jerusalem may be tempered
by other additional events that had occurred during this time such as healings
and dialog interchanges with the Jews.
I am always amazed at how persistent Jesus was in His love
for us and in doing the will of the Father. Here in the beginning of chapter 7
we find that even His own family, His siblings, were at that time unbelieving,
and it appears from these verses, that they were also critical and antagonistic
to Him and His work. We see from this passage that at this point in Jesus’
ministry that He spent a good bit of His ministry work and time up and around
the Galilean region and the Sea of Galilee. There was a good reason for this.
It had gotten pretty dangerous for Him in Jerusalem, and… in Judea in general,
and it tells us in Chapter 7 and v. 1 that it had gotten so bad that His life
was at risk.
It was not that Jesus was afraid of dying for as we will see
later He will willingly give up His life, suffering great pain, ridicule and
torture on the cross for us. But, as He would state to them that were critical
and unbelieving in His family His time had not yet come. There was more to do
in preparation for the event of the Cross. There was a purpose in His life that
although it had the Cross and His death as a focal point, yet there was a lot
more related to His sacrificial death to accomplish God the Father’s full and
complete will.
One of the possible reasons for His siblings unbelief was
that they had not in all likelihood witnessed much of what went on concerning
His ministry. It was often hearsay to them. It is recorded that Jesus did not
do many miracles in His home town of Nazareth because of their unbelief..a
prophet is not without honor but in His own town. In v. 2 John tells us that
the Jews Feast of the Tabernacles was ready to begin and His siblings in
somewhat of a critical way in essence tell Him that this would be a good time
to demonstrate His inability essentially daring Him to make a fool out of
Himself urging Him to make a public display out of Himself.
But, Jesus gives an interesting reply to them in v. 6. He
tells them, knowing what would await Him there, knowing that climate there was
ripe for premature hostilities toward Him, that it was not yet the will and
timing of the Father. The Father had more for Him to do before the Cross was to
happen.
He continues by telling them that they are not in danger and
that they can go up at any time and shouldn’t be concerned even though they are
related and there are those that sought His life. He reminds them that it is
not them that the Jews have an issue with, but reminds them that it is Him that
they hate because of His stance on righteousness being that their deeds were
evil.
There is a possibility the that Jesus in v. 6 was also
prompting them to think twice about their perspective of unbelief concerning
Him possibly encouraging them by saying to them that any time is a good time to
change their perspective and believe.
After this conversation His family leaves and goes to
Jerusalem and He initially stays behind, but, not for long. He eventually goes
up also to the feast of the Jews secretly. Some might say that this was a point
of indecision as to what God the Father wanted Him to do next, whether to go up
to Jerusalem at this time or not. One could argue the point that this was so
because it surely appears that way. But, whatever the reasons, Jesus had His
reasons to refuse to go up to the feast accompanying His family at the
beginning of the feast.
In all probability He hesitated to go up with them not to
endanger His family. As we read in v. 11 that they were earnestly looking for
Him for the purpose of seizing Him and putting Him to death. The first place
that they would look for Him was those close to Him, His relatives and those
who knew Him. But, there was another reason for Him not going to Jerusalem at
this time. V. 8 tells us that it was because it was not time for the encounter
that would lead to the Cross. The Father had more for Him to do to make His
redemptive work complete before the event of the Cross was to happen. There yet
remained too much indecision in many who would eventually decide to believe and
end up following Him. We see a good example of this in his family. They would
eventually change their opinion and view of Him as He continued to show them
the works of the Father. So would others. Many would not change their mind
until after they see the events of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection.
In v. 12 we see just that. There was much indecision
concerning Him at this time. In v. 13 we see just how touchy they were
concerning Him. V. 13 gives the impression that those in power were very
serious about Jesus’ reputation being quite threatened by it and willing to
squelch Him and any followers by force if necessary.
In v. 14 Jesus makes a bold move, taking center stage again,
making a public witness of Who He was/is teaching things that could only be
known by a learned man. They, the religious leaders knew that He had never sat
in on their classes. And, even if He had, when He taught He shared insights and
wisdom that no man had ever expressed or demonstrated. We will see later in
this chapter that even those who were sent to take Him are overcome with His
words and wisdom, so much so that they could not bring Him in to those who
wanted to take hold of Him, Jn. 7:46.
In v. 16 Jesus straightens them out as to Who taught Him
telling them that He was taught by the Source of wisdom, a concept that most
questioned and many flat out had a problem with. But they could not deny the
words that He spoke and there was no denying that they had to somehow process
and deal with what they heard…making a decision as to what they thought about
Him and who He claimed to be.
It is true that He took a bold move and stood up publically
in the center of what was perceived as the source of religious truth, the
temple, stating wisdom in such a way that it made practical sense. The only
problem was that it was too real. As such, it was convicting, challenging those
who heard, being trapped in the darkness of their life in reality under the
veneer of religious practices with the need to make changes themselves, bold
changes that may cost them something. But, in v. 16-7 He again reminds them
that He was not speaking His own philosophy on life, but God’s Truth and
reminds them if they are looking to do and please God that they will identify
with what He is saying.
At the end of v. 18 Jesus makes an interesting statement
that is easy to miss if we were not paying attention. He makes the claim to
them that He like God can only do righteousness making the claim that there is
no sin or evil found in Him or any of His actions. Yes, it is true that He was
claiming to be perfect here and by doing so He confronts them with their
inability to do the same. In v. 19 He gets quite pointed with them reminding
them that He was able to do what they were unable to…keep the Law. To them He
was pouring salt in their wound. This was only because they were hiding behind
their education and their self imposed rules and standard of practices which
were worthless according to God.
In v. 19 He makes it very clear by bring up a topic that
they could not deny bring up Moses who they claimed to follow measuring them
according to the standards of the righteousness in the Law which they had to
admit they could not do. At the end of v. 19 He gets very specific, bring up
one of the Ten Commandments making the underlying problem that was the
undertone of this festival, namely the plot to take Him and kill Him, a direct
violation of the Law that they claimed to practice, adhere to and uphold.
In v. 20 it says that the people deny this claim. Either
they were ignorant of their plot which is totally possible that the religious
leaders were working covertly, or they were in denial of the truth which is a
common response of man when He does not want to deal with something that is too
big for him or is something that he does not want to face or admit.
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