John 7

John 7:1

(Time: One Year Less One Week.)

S R H D T (Galilee, probably Capernaum, Spring A. D. 29.) M 1-20; M 1-23; J 1.

      [John told us in his last chapter that the passover was near at hand. He here makes a general statement which shows that Jesus did not attend this passover. The reason for his absence is given at .] [Evidently several days intervened between the address of . and the events recorded here, for the Pharisees and scribes would not be likely to leave Jerusalem until after the passover. ] [394] [These Pharisees coming from Jerusalem could find nothing wherein Jesus or his disciples transgressed the law, so they eagerly grasped this transgression of the tradition as affording ground for an accusation. Jesus does not deny their charge, but justifies his disciples by attacking the whole traditional system, basing his attack upon a pointed prophecy which condemns it. It is hard for us to learn and apply the distinction between serving God as God wishes to be served, and serving him according to our own wishes and notions.] [that is, God said it through Moses] [see , , , ] [Leaving for a moment the main question concerning uncleanness and washing, Jesus makes good his indictment against their tradition by giving an example of the mischievous way in which it set aside God’s commandments. The law required the honoring of parents, and for any one to cast off his parents in their old age, thus subjecting them to beggary or starvation, was to do more than to speak evil of them.

Such conduct was practically to curse them, and to incur the death penalty for so doing. But at this point the Pharisees interfered with their tradition, which taught that [395] a son could say of that part of his estate by which his parents might be profited, It is a gift; that is, a gift to God, and by thus dedicating that part to God, he would free himself from his obligation to his parents.

Thus tradition undid the law. God’s law leads to pure and acceptable worship, while human additions and amendments make worship vain, if not abominable. There is probably not one such addition or amendment which does not to a greater or less degree make some commandment void.] [Having been accused by the scribes and Pharisees of a breach of their tradition, Jesus points out to generally the iniquity of tradition, for it lay within their power as leaders to remedy the whole system of things. Having done this, he turns to the and answers before them as to the offense with which he is specifically charged. Thus he gives to the leaders general principles, and to the common people the single instance] [The entire speech offended them. He charged them with hypocrisy.

He showed that their tradition, which they reverenced as a revelation from God, led them into sin, and he disturbed their self-complacency by showing that the ceremonial cleanness, which was founded on tradition, and in which they prided themselves, was worthless in comparison with the moral cleanness required by God’s law, which they had ignored. It grieved the disciples to see Jesus offend these reverend gentlemen from Jerusalem.

Like many modern disciples their respect for men counteracted their zeal for truth.] [396] [God had planted the law with its doctrine: he had planted the Hebrew religion as given by Moses. He had not planted the tradition of the elders; so it, and the religion founded upon it, was doomed to be rooted up.] [This proverbial expression is found in the Sermon on the Mount. See , ). The words of Jesus are full of encouragement to those who adhere to the simple teachings of God; for they show that God guarantees that every error shall be uprooted, and that every teacher of error or false religion shall participate in the judgment which uproots, and shall fall into the pit of ruin; and his disciples, no matter how numerous, shall share his fate. In this particular instance, the destruction of Jerusalem was the pit. The Jewish leaders led their disciples into it, and God uprooted their system of tradition, that the pure gospel might be sowed in the room which they occupied.] [The word “parable” is used here in its looser sense to indicate an obscure saying.] [They asked what he meant by the words contained in the . [It was to be expected that the multitude, swayed by the teaching of the Pharisees, would be slow to grasp what Jesus said about uncleanness; but the disciples, having been so long taught of him, and having felt free to eat with unwashed hands, should have been more quick of understanding.] [397] [an envious eye] [Thus Jesus sets forth the simple doctrine that a man’s moral and spiritual state is not dependent upon the symbolic cleanness of his physical diet, much less is it dependent on ceremonial observances in regard to things eaten, or the dishes from which they are eaten.

Of course, Jesus did not mean at this time to abrogate the Mosaic law of legal uncleanness. These uncleannesses worked no defilement, but were merely typical of such; for the food in no way touched or affected the mind or soul, the fountains of spiritual life, but only the corporeal organs, which have no moral susceptibility.

The Pharisees had erred in confusing legal and spiritual defilement, and had added error to error by multiplying the causes of defilement in their tradition. By thus showing that legal defilement was merely symbolic, Jesus classed it with all the other symbolism which was to be done away with when the gospel reality was fully ushered in . In saying, therefore, that Jesus made all meats clean, Mark does not mean that Jesus then and there repealed the law. The declaration of such repeal came later . He means that he there drew those distinctions and laid down those principles which supplanted the Mosaic law when the kingdom of God was ushered in on the day of Pentecost. Here was the fountain whence Paul drew all his teaching concerning things clean and unclean.] [398]

[FFG 393-398]

John 7:2-9

(Galilee, probably Capernaum.) J 2-9.       [The tells us that Jesus kept away from Judζa because the Jews sought for his life. See . This keeping away or seclusion began at the Passover season, and led Jesus not only to keep away from Judζa, but even to hover upon the outskirts of Galilee itself. This seclusion is described in We now turn back to take up with John the narrative which tells how, after his six months’ retirement, Jesus prepared to appear once more in Judζa. The Feast of Tabernacles began on the 15th day of the month Tisri, which answers to our September-October, and consequently came six [439] months after and six months before the Passover. It was the most joyous of the two great feasts, and not only commemorated the time when Israel dwelt in the wilderness in tents, but also celebrated the harvest home.

It was, therefore, a thanksgiving both for permanent abodes and for the year’s crops. As the people dwelt in booths, the feast partook much of the form and merriment of a picnic.] [When we consider how Jesus had withdrawn into the regions of Tyre, Sidon, Decapolis, and Cζsarea Philippi, and with what assiduity he had avoided crowds and concealed miracles, these words become very plain.

The twelve had been instructed sufficiently to confess his Messiahship, but thousands of his disciples had not seen a miracle in six months. To his brothers such secrecy seemed foolish on the part of one who was ostensibly seeking to be known. They were not disposed to credit the miracles of Jesus, but insisted that if he could work them he ought to do so openly.] [This verse explodes the idea that the parties known in the New Testament as our Lord’s brothers were the sons of Alphζus and cousins to Jesus. The sons of Alphζus had long since been numbered among the apostles, while our Lord’s brothers were still unbelievers. As to his brothers, see , .] [Jesus is answering a request that he manifest himself. The great manifestation of his cross and resurrection could not properly take place before the Passover, which was still six months distant.

But his brothers, having no message and no manifestation, could show themselves at Jerusalem any time.] [The world can [440] not hate you because you are in mind and heart a part of it, and it can not hate itself. It hates those who are not of it, and who rebuke its sins and oppose its ways.] [He did go to the feast, but he did not go up to manifest himself, as his brothers asked, and hence, in the sense in which they made the request, he did not go up.

Six months later, at the Passover, he manifested himself by the triumphal entry somewhat as his brothers wished.] [FFG 439-441]

John 7:10

(Through Samaria. Probably September, A. D. 29.) L 51-56; J 10.       [This section follows immediately after the preceding. The secrecy of this journey consists in the fact that Jesus did not join the caravans or pilgrim bands, and that he did not follow the usual Peræan route, but went directly through Samaria.] [Taken in its strictest sense, the expression “taken up” refers to our Lord’s ascension, but it is here used to embrace his entire passion. Though our Lord’s death was still six months distant, his going to Jerusalem is described as attended with a special effort, because from that time forth Jerusalem was to occupy the position of headquarters, as Capernaum had done, and his [441] withdrawals and returns would be with regard to it. The presence of the twelve alone is sufficient to account for the messengers. He did not wish to overtax the fickle hospitality of the Samaritans by coming unannounced.] [Had Jesus come among them on a missionary tour he would doubtless have been received. But when he came as a Jew passing through to Jerusalem, and using their highway as a convenience, they rejected him.] [Refusing to receive a religious teacher was considered a rejection of his claim.

This rejection roused the ire of the two sons of thunder and prompted them to suggest that the example of Elijah be followed , but Jesus was a Saviour and not a destroyer, so he passed on to another village. The conduct of John in after years contrasts sharply with the wish which he here expressed– .] [FFG 441-442]

John 7:11-52

(October, A. D. 29.) J 11-52.       [It was now eighteen months since Jesus had visited Jerusalem, at which time he had healed the impotent man at Bethesda. His fame and prolonged obscurity made his enemies anxious for him to again expose himself in their midst. John here used the word "" as a designation for the Jerusalemites, who, as enemies of Christ, were to be distinguished from the multitudes who were in doubt about him, and who are mentioned in the .] [443] [The use of the plural, “multitudes,” suggests that the vast crowd disputed as groups rather than individuals. The inhabitants of some towns were disposed to unite in his defense, while those from other towns would concur in condemning him.] [They would not commit themselves upon a question so important until the Sanhedrin had given its decision.] [As the feast lasted eight days, the middle of it would be from the third to the fifth day. Though Jesus had come up quietly to prevent public demonstrations in his favor, he now taught boldly and openly in the very stronghold of his enemies. His sudden appearance suggests the fulfillment of .] [The enemies of Christ were content to know but little about him, and now when they heard him they could not restrain their astonishment at his wisdom.

By letters was meant the written law and the unwritten traditions which were taught in the great theological schools at Jerusalem. The same word is translated “learning” at .

No one was expected to teach without having passed through such a course. Skeptics of our day assert that Jesus derived his knowledge from the schools, but the schoolteachers who are supposed to have taught him complained of him that he was not their scholar, and surely they ought to have known.] [Seeing the Jews inquiring as to the source of his wisdom, Jesus explains that it was given him of God, and was therefore not derived from any school.] [Those who would test the divinity of the doctrine of Christ can not do so by rendering a [444] mere mechanical obedience to his teaching. A willing, heartfelt obedience is essential to a true knowledge of his doctrine. Such a disposition makes a good and honest heart in which the seeds of his kingdom must inevitably grow. But a spirit of disobedience is the general source of all skepticism.] [Those who bear their own message seek their own glory. Those who bear God’s message seek God’s glory, and such seeking destroys egotism.] [The point he makes here is, that their seeking to kill him was proof that they were not keeping the law.] [The multitude had sought to kill him at his last visit, and it now affects to deny it.

Wild notions and extraordinary conduct indicated insanity, and insanity was usually attributed to demoniacal possession. Comp. .

Their meaning therefore was that the words of Jesus were insanely preposterous, and their words savored more of roughness and irreverence than of malignant unkindness.] [Jesus forbears to speak further as to the plot to murder him, knowing that time would reveal it; but refers to the miracle performed on the Sabbath day at Bethesda eighteen months before, which gave rise to the plot to murder him. A reference to the excitement at that time would recall to the thoughtful the evidence and bitter hostility which the Jerusalemites had then manifested.] [445] [The law which said that no work must be done on the Sabbath day was in conflict with the law which said that a child must be circumcised on the eighth day, whenever that eighth day happened to fall on the Sabbath. It was a case of a specific command making to the general law. Circumcision was great because it purified legally a portion of the body. But the healing worked by Jesus was greater, for it renewed the whole man. If the act of Christ in healing a man were judged as a mere act, it might be considered a breach of the Sabbath.

But if the nature of the act be taken into account and all the laws relative to it be considered–in short, if it be judged righteously in all bearings–it would be amply justified.] [Thus, by referring to the miracle at Bethesda, Jesus not only brought to mind the former opposition of the Jewish rulers, but he started the people of Jerusalem (who were acquainted with the present tempter of the hierarchy) to talking about the intention to kill him, thus warning the people beforehand that they would be called upon to assist in his crucifixion. The men of Jerusalem spoke more freely because the present boldness of Jesus led them to think that maybe the rulers were changing their attitude toward him.] [Jerusalem shared the prejudice of its rulers: its citizens felt sure that the rulers could not accept Jesus as Christ because his manner of coming did not comply with accepted theories.

Prophecy fixed upon Bethlehem as the birthplace and the line of David as the family of the Christ, but the Jews, probably influenced by , appear to have held that there would be a mystery attached to the immediate and actual parentage of the Messiah. Surely there could have been no greater mystery than the real origin [446] of Jesus as he here outlines it to them, and as they might have fully known it to be had they chosen to investigate the meaning of his words.] [Our Lord here asserts their ignorance as to his divine origin. Since he came from God, and they did not know God, they consequently did not know whence he came. As they expected a Messiah who would be supernaturally sent, they ought to have been satisfied with Jesus. But they had no eyes with which to discern the supernatural.] [because they understood his language as referring to God and were incensed that he should so openly declare them ignorant of God] [Because it was not the will of God that he should be arrested at this time.] [Their question was an argument in favor of the Messiahship of Jesus.] [that is, the Sanhedrin, described by its constituent classes] [When the Sanhedrin heard the people expressing their faith in Jesus they felt that it was time to take action.] [Knowing their attempt to arrest him, Jesus tells them that it is not quite time for them to accomplish this purpose.] [They would soon destroy Jesus; after which they would seek him in vain. Their violence would result in his return to his Father.

In the dark days which were about to come, the Jews would [447] long for a Messiah, for the Christ whom they had failed to recognize in Jesus. They, too, would desire the heavenly rest and security of a better world, but their lack of faith would debar them from entering it.] [The of Jesus were plain enough, but the assertion that he would return to God, and that such a return would be denied to them was, in their ears, too preposterous to be entertained.

They therefore made light of it by construing it nonsensically. They asked if he would go among the Jews who had been dispersed or scattered by the captivity and who had never returned to Palestine, and if, when so doing, he would teach the heathen among whom these dispersed were scattered, assuming that such teaching would certainly frustrate and render absurd his claims to be a Jewish Messiah. They little suspected that Jesus, through his apostles, would do this very thing and thereby vindicate his claim as the true Messiah of God.] [the eighth day] [If we may trust the later Jewish accounts, it was the custom during the first seven days for the priests and people in joyful procession to go to the pool of Siloam with a golden pitcher and bring water thence to pour out before the altar, in commemoration of the water which Moses brought from the rock and which typified the Christ . If this is so, it is likely that the words of Jesus have some reference to this libation, and are designed to draw a contrast between the earthly water which ceases and the spiritual water which abides, similar to the contrast which he presented to the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well.] [in such passages as , , [448] etc.] [For comment on similar expressions see ), which prophet was thought by some to be the Messiah himself, and by others to be no more than the Messiah’s forerunner. Still others of the multitude went further and asserted that he was the Christ. These latter were confronted by those who contended that Jesus was not born in the right place nor of the right family.

These did not know that he had satisfied the very objections which they named.] [We note here that the enmity of the rulers which had been taken up by the men of Jerusalem had now reached a faction even of the multitude, so that it desired his arrest, but was restrained from acting.] [ to those that had sent them] [These officers were temple police or Levites, under direction of the chief priests. The words suggest [449] that the Sanhedrin was assembled and waiting for the return of the officers.

An extraordinary proceeding for so great a day, but no more extraordinary than that assembly at the feast of the Passover which met and condemned Jesus six months later.] [Their report has passed into a saying, which is as true now as when first spoken.] [This rebuke to the officers may be paraphrased thus: You are to respect the authority of the officers and the judgment of the Pharisees, but you have permitted yourselves to be influenced by a multitude which rests under a curse because of its ignorance.] [therefore able to speak from a position of equality] [Nicodemus bids these proud rulers note that they were breaking the very law which they extolled– , .] [They laid the lash to the pride of Nicodemus by classing him with the Galilæans who formed the main body of Jesus’ disciples, thus separating him from the true Jews. There is no clear evidence that any of the prophets save Jonah was from the district at this time called Galilee, and this fact would justify the hasty demand of the objectors, who were not very scrupulous as to accuracy.] [450] [FFG 443-450]

John 7:53-200

(Jerusalem.) J 53- 11.       [This section is wanting in nearly all older manuscripts, but Jerome (A. D. 346-420) says that in his time it was contained in “many Greek and Latin manuscripts,” and these must have been as good or better than the best manuscripts we now possess. But whether we regard it as part of John’s narrative or not, scholars very generally accept it as a genuine piece of history.] [confused by the question of Nicodemus, the assembly broke up and each man went home] [Probably crossing the mountain to the house of Lazarus and sisters.] [as an authoritative teacher did– ] [The woman had probably been brought to the rulers for trial, and they had seen in her case what appeared to be a promising means of entrapping Jesus. In the presence of the woman and the form of their accusation we see their coarse brutality. The case could have been presented to Jesus without the presence of the woman, and without a detailed accusation.] [It was a case under . Stoning was the legal method of capital punishment] [They were placing Jesus in a dilemma.

They reasoned that he [451] could not set aside the law of Moses and clear the woman without so losing the confidence and favor of the people as to frustrate his claim to be Messiah. They thought he would therefore be compelled to condemn the woman.

But if he ordered her to be put to death, he would be assuming authority which belonged only to the Roman rulers, and could therefore be accused and condemned as a usurper.] [His act was intended to make them vehement, and to give his answer greater effect. What he wrote is unimportant and immaterial, and hence was not told.] [they insisted on an answer, hoping that he would so explain away the seventh commandment as to encourage them in breaking the sixth] [Under the law , the witnesses were to cast the first stone. Jesus maintained and vindicated the law, but imposed a condition which they had overlooked. The one who executed the law must be free from the same crime, lest by stoning the woman he condemn himself as worthy of a like death. There is no doubt that the words of Jesus impressed upon them the truth that freedom from the outward act did not imply inward purity or sinlessness– , .] [Thus giving them the opportunity to retire without the embarrassment of being watched.] [the oldest was first to be convicted of his conscience, because his experience of life’s sinfulness was necessarily the fullest] [ in the midst of the court, where the crowd had been.] [This question is asked to pave the way for the dismissal of the woman.] [“Lord” is ambiguous; it [452] may mean “Master” or simply “sir.”] [The woman did not ask forgiveness, so no words of pardon are spoken. Compare this case with .

Jesus did not come as an earthly judge; neither did he come to condemn, but to save. The narrative shows how Jesus could deal with malice and impurity in a manner so full of delicacy and dignity as to demonstrate the divine wisdom which dwelt within him.] [FFG 451-453]