John 7:30-53

John 7:30. Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come. And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?

Well might they ask that question, for Jesus had wrought such marvellous miracles that they could not imagine anything greater. Surely this must be the Christ; or if he were not, when the Christ did come could he and would he do any greater miracles than this man had done?

John 7:32. The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him;

Whispered these things, afraid to speak out boldly because of the Pharisees, and therefore they quietly said it among themselves, and, after all, there is no fire more to be dreaded than a smouldering fire.

John 7:32. And the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him. Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.

That was a blessed way for Christ to describe his return to the heavenly world: «I go unto him that sent me.» Possibly he said this to the very men who were sent to take him.

John 7:34. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.

No officers can arrest him now that he has gone up into his Father's glory; there is no fear of any of them being there to catch him in his speech, or to drag him before the ecclesiastical and secular judges, as they did when he was here;

John 7:35. Then said the Jews among themselves, «Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? What manner of saying is this; that he said, Ye shall seek me and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?

They appear to have had some intimation of that glorious love of Christ which was not to be confined within the bounds of the Jewish nation, yet they could not or would not understand his words.

John 7:37. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried,

Shouted, spoke with all his might; and he stood, although he usually sat to deliver his message. But now, as if his whole being was roused to it utmost energy, on account of the last day of the gathering having come, when perhaps the people would go home, and he would be unable thus to speak with them again, «Jesus stood and cried,»

John 7:37. Saying, «If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

O blessed invitation, how sweet it should be to every thirsty soul! «If any man» prince or pauper, «any man» moral or utterly debauched, «if any man thirst, let him come unto me,» not to ordinances, nor to human priests, «let him come unto me, and drink,» as much as he will «without money, and without price.»

John 7:38. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

He will not only drink enough to satisfy his own thirst, but he will himself become a fountain, streams of grace shall be communicated to his fellow-men through him.

John 7:39. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

He was not given then; but later, on the day of Pentecost, he was given, and he has never been withdrawn.

John 7:40. Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? So there was a division among the people because of him.

It is still true that Christ is a cause of division, as he himself foretold that he would be.

John 7:44. And some of them would have taken him but no man laid hands on him.

In the 30 th verse of this chapter, and in the 20 th verse of the next chapter, we are told why they did not take him: «His hour was not yet come.» And, like their Lord, saints are immortal till their work is done.

John 7:45. Then came the officers to the chief priest and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?

They professed to be the spiritual leaders of the nation, and expected all to follow them.

John 7:49. But the people who knoweth not the law are cursed. Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of those), Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?

Nicodemus asked a simple question, but they could not answer it without convicting themselves of disobeying that very law of which they pretended to be the exponents.

John 7:52. They answered and said unto him Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. And every man went unto his own house.

John 8:1. Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.