John 7:1
AFTER THIS, JESUS TRAVELED IN GALILEE. After the events of the last chapter. About six months time passed between the feeding of the Five Thousand and the Feast of Tabernacles.... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THIS, JESUS TRAVELED IN GALILEE. After the events of the last chapter. About six months time passed between the feeding of the Five Thousand and the Feast of Tabernacles.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE JEWISH FEAST OF TABERNACLES. One of the three feasts all Jews were expected to attend. It celebrated the time the Jews lived in tents during their travels through the wilderness. It lasted for a week, and came about October 6th.... [ Continue Reading ]
SO JESUS' BROTHERS SAID TO HIM. It takes nothing away from the character of Mary the human mother of Jesus, for her to be a wife to Joseph and bear him children. See John 2:12. Alford (Greek Testament) finds strong evidence that these were really and literally brothers [half-brothers] of Jesus, and... [ Continue Reading ]
NO ONE HIDES WHAT HE IS DOING. He was so different from their idea of the Messiah that they could not understand him.... [ Continue Reading ]
(NOT EVEN HIS BROTHERS BELIEVED IN HIM.) This verse destroys the theory that the "brothers" of Jesus were the sons of Alphaeus, therefore cousins to Jesus. The sons of Alphaeus had long been apostles, while these "brothers" were still unbelievers. Compare note on Mark 3:21.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RIGHT TIME FOR ME HAS NOT YET COME. Passover was still six months in the future, and he could not yet fulfill Gods purpose by dying in Jerusalem. His brothers had no such mission, and they could go there at any time.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IT HATES ME. The world has always hated those who expose its sins. But the world cannot hate itself, and does not hate those who live its life (See 1 Peter 4:3-5).... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM NOT GOING TO THIS FEAST. That is, he is not going just now. He did go after the crowds were already there.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WENT SECRETLY. After everyone else was already there, Jesus left Galilee and went to the feast at Jerusalem. But he did not make a display of himself as his brothers wanted him to do. Six months later in the Triumphant Entry, he did as they would have wanted him to do.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE JEWISH AUTHORITIES WERE LOOKING FOR HIM. The authorities hated Jesus even more because he was popular with the people. See Matthew 10:34. People "sort themselves out" by their belief or unbelief in Jesus.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FEAST WAS NEARLY HALF OVER. The feast lasted eight days. Jesus "came out of hiding" and began to teach openly in the temple. What he did was _unexpected_ by the authorities.... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW DOES THIS MAN KNOW SO MUCH? They knew he had not attended their theological schools. But it was plain he knew what he was talking about.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT I TEACH IS NOT MY TEACHING. This answers the question of John 7:15. His knowledge was from the Father who sent him.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOEVER IS WILLING TO DO. The basic reason why the Jewish authorities would not accept the teaching of Jesus as _divine,_ was that they did not want to do God's _will._ Most unbelief originates in the heart, not the head. The great German poet, Heine, was an unbeliever until aged and tortured with c... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE ONE WHO SENT HIM. Christianity is extrinsic [something external, not part of self] in its outlook, because it teaches people to honor God. They do not look within themselves for strength, but raise their eyes to God's act in Jesus Christ. They do not try to get glory for themselves, but they... [ Continue Reading ]
MOSES GAVE YOU THE LAW. They ignored the Law, yet wanted to kill him on a charge of breaking the Law. The fact they are trying to kill him, is proof they do not obey the Law.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CROWD ANSWERED. Did they know the authorities were trying to kill Jesus? Johnson thinks they did not. They say Jesus is possessed by a demon to have such ideas.... [ Continue Reading ]
I DID ONE GREAT WORK. The healing of the man at the pool, eighteen months before this (John 5:18). This was the source of their hatred.... [ Continue Reading ]
YOU WILL CIRCUMCISE A BOY ON THE SABBATH. His reasoning goes like this: "You are angry with me because I healed a man on the Sabbath; yet you yourself violate the Sabbath to circumcise a boy when the eighth day falls on the Sabbath. You say because circumcision came from Abraham, it has priority ove... [ Continue Reading ]
25-29. SOME OF THE PEOPLE OF JERUSALEM SAID. The visitors did not know this, but some of the local residents did. CAN IT BE THAT THE AUTHORITIES REALLY KNOW? Had the authorities changed their minds? Why didn't they seize him? NO ONE WILL KNOW WHERE HE IS FROM. The Jews believed that when the Messiah... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THEY TRIED TO ARREST HIM. Johnson thinks this was the action of the citizens of Jerusalem, rather than an official act by the authorities.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT MANY IN THE CROWD BELIEVED IN HIM. They believed he was a teacher sent by God, and that he might be the Messiah. Compare John 3:1-2.... [ Continue Reading ]
I SHALL BE WITH YOU A LITTLE WHILE LONGER. He predicts his death and his return to heaven. BECAUSE WHERE I SHALL BE YOU CANNOT GO. They cannot go with him, either on earth, or after death, if they die in their sins (John 8:21-24). What he said is clear to us, because we look back in time.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOEVER IS THIRSTY SHOULD COME TO ME AND DRINK. Jewish writers tell us that each of the first seven days, there was a jubilant procession to the pool of Siloam, from which water was brought in a gold jar, to be poured out on the altar in the temple. This honored the water which Moses brought from th... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOEVER BELIEVES IN ME. "Come," "believes," all point _to faith_ as the _means_ which brings us to Christ. See note on Acts 2:38. [The exact wording of this quotation is not found, but gives the "spirit" of Isaiah 58:11; Psalms 36:8-9. Compare John 4:14.) WILL POUR OUT FROM HIS HEART. John 7:39 give... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS SAID THIS ABOUT THE SPIRIT. This makes _Acts chapter two_ the best explanation of this section of verses. The fountain of living water which _each_ Christian has, is the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:22; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20). [The one indispensable condition of receiving the Holy Spirit is perfec... [ Continue Reading ]
OTHERS SAID. Who is he??? On their thinking, compare the questions they asked John the Baptist (John 1:19-25). They thought he was a native of Galilee. WILL BE BORN IN BETHLEHEM. See notes on Matthew 2:5-6.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GUARDS WENT BACK. They had been sent to arrest Jesus (John 7:32).... [ Continue Reading ]
NOBODY HAS EVER TALKED THE WAY THIS MAN DOES! McGarvey thinks the Council was in session, expecting them to bring in Jesus. The guards had not carried out their orders, and this is the only reason they can give.... [ Continue Reading ]
DID HE FOOL YOU, TOO? The Jewish authorities think Jesus is a deceiver. HAVE YOU EVER KNOWN ONE? What they believe, is made the standard. [At least two of the Council did believe: Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea.]... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS CROWD DOES NOT KNOW THE LAW OF MOSES! Their reasoning was: "it is only these ignorant people who believe in this Jesus. They are easily fooled, and they are cursed by God anyway.... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO OUR LAW. The Law required justice. Nicodemus uses it to try to help Jesus. NO PROPHET EVER COMES FROM GALILEE. Their anger makes them tell a lie. Jonah, Elijah, and Nahum were all from Galilee.... [ Continue Reading ]