John 7

David Lipscomb Commentary On John Chapter Seven JESUS AT THE FEAST OF Joh_7:1 to John 10:21AFTER DELAY HE GOES TO THE FEASTJoh_7:1-131 And after these things Jesus walked in Galilee:—After the conversation narrated in the preceding chapter, he went to Galilee. The Jews in Judea were more zealous as they thought for the law of Moses than those of other sections of the country. They misapprehended what the law taught, and in their misapprehension were bitter against Jesus to prepare for whom the law was given. A false conception of religion frequently hinders the reception of the truth more than a failure to know the truth or to be religious. for he would not walk in Judaea, because the Jews sought to kill him.—Religion intensifies the feelings and actions of a person. If his feelings and actions are wrongly directed, it intensifies the wrong feelings and actions. So those who misunderstood the law of Moses were more embittered against Jesus than were those who were not very zealous observers of the law. 2 Now the feast of the Jews, the feast of tabernacles, was at hand.—The feast of tabernacles commemorated the camping out of the Jews in their journey from Egypt to Canaan. It was combined with the feast of ingathering and began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month and continued seven days. 3 His brethren therefore said unto him,—There is no proof that Mary and Joseph did not have other children. God ordained the marriage relation for the good of the human family and for his own glory. It is no derogation from the character of Mary as the mother of Jesus for her to have fulfilled the office of wife to Joseph and have borne other children. Nor is there the least evidence that she did not. Quite a number of expressions in the Bible indicate that she did fulfill the duties of wife and mother. Depart hence, and go into Judaea,—While these brethren seem to have regarded him as something above ordinary men and were willing to see him show his powers, they yet lacked a strong faith in him and his claims to be the Son of God. that thy disciples also may behold thy works which thou doest.—They thought if he could do anything he should show it on these occasions of the feasts when the multitudes of the Jews came together at Jerusalem. He had some disciples at Jerusalem who had been made at other visits to the city. 4 For no man doeth anything in secret, and himself seeketh to be known openly.—[No prophet and inspired teacher. The claim that such teachers seek the multitudes, after which, and in their presence, in the most public manner, exhibit their supernatural power.] If a man expects the world to honor him he must keep himself and his work before the world was the idea of these brethren of Jesus. This is the world’ s idea. If thou doest these things, manifest thyself to the world.— (“ If” implies that his brethren were doubters and the follow¬ing verse asserts that they were unbelievers.] 5 For even his brethren did not believe on him.—[Note that a clear distinction is made between his brethren and his disci¬ples. The distinction is more clear in Matthew 12:47. Later they became believers. (Acts 1:14.)] 6 Jesus therefore saith unto them, My time is not yet come;—His time for fully manifesting himself to the world had not yet come, so he could not then go up to the feast. [He had by slow degrees and in different ways manifested himself to the people, but the time for the great and final lesson of the cross, the grave, the resurrection, and ascension had not come. His full and complete manifestation to the world will be at his second coming when “ every eye shall see him.” ] but your time is always ready.— They with no special mission save to follow the world could go to the feast at any time. [He who has a mission must make ready for it. He who has a message for the world must educate it to receive it.] 7 The world cannot hate you;—[For it would, in that case, hate those who have its spirit and were of it. It will not hate itself. It only hates those who rebuke its sins and oppose its ways.] but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that its works aye evil.—He expected when he went to Jerusalem to call out the hatred of the world by his condemnation of the evil of the world. As they were of the world and did not condemn the world, the world would not hate them. [It has always hated those who expose and denounce its sins. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and John the Baptist all suffered because they rebuked sin in high places. When Jesus came exposing the corruptions of the priests, the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, the worldliness and debauchery of the Sadducees and Herodians, it was inevi¬table that he should be hated, persecuted, and put to death. But the world still hates him. The hate of such men as Voltaire, Tom Paine, and Ingersoll, and of all their followers is due to the fact that Christ and his church are a rebuke to, and condemnation of, their lives.] 8 Go ye up unto the feast: I go not up unto this feast; be¬cause my time is not yet fulfilled.—They could go when they pleased. There were reasons why he could not then go. His time was not fully come. [He uses the present, not future tense. The thought is, I am not now going. It would have doubtless defeated his purpose had he gone with those who were determined that he should make an exhibition of himself. It cannot be determined from this whether he had yet pur¬posed to go at all.] 9 And having said these things unto them, he abode still in Galilee.—What the reasons were are not known, but he remained in Galilee. 10 But when his brethren were gone up unto the feast, then went he also up, not publicly, but as it were in secret.—His brethren went to the feast while he for the time tarried in Galilee for a day or two, and then quietly, without showing himself to the world, went up. 11 The Jews therefore sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?—The report of the works of Jesus was spread abroad, and at such a gathering it was the general expectation that he would be present and do wonders. Both his enemies and his friends inquired concerning him whether he would come to the feast. 12 And there was much murmuring among the multitudes concerning him: some said, He is a good man; others said, Not so, but he leadeth the multitude astray.—He had im¬pressed many of the people that he was a good man, sent from God, others that he was a deceiver. [Truth preached always stirs up the opposition and false charges.] 13 Yet no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.—This was the talk in a private way among acquaintances, none speaking publicly because the rulers of the Jews had condemned him. [They feared that open discussion would bring condemnation upon themselves from the rulers.] CHRIST TEACHES IN THE TEMPLE AND REFERS TO HIS FIRST VISITJoh_7:14-2414 But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.—About the third day of it. Jesus threw off all secrecy or privacy and went into the tem¬ple and began openly to teach the people. 15 The Jews therefore marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?—The familiarity of Jesus with the Jewish law and his readiness in applying it and ex¬plaining the teachings were matters of wonder and surprise to all, as these things were usually learned in some of the schools. As Paul attended the school of Gamaliel, Jesus at¬tended none of these schools, hence his teaching in these things was a surprise to all who knew it. 16 Jesus therefore answered them, and said, My teaching is not mine, but his that sent me.—The teaching of Jesus was not from himself. It did not originate with him. It was not derived from studying and learning of men. It was bestowed upon him by God who sent him. Jesus again brings out that he brought no theory or system or will of his own, but he came to do the will of his Father who sent him. 17 If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from myself.—If any one really desires to do the will of God, he shall be enabled to know that this doctrine is from God and did not originate with Jesus. Does it not involve the conclusion that if any one in the world really desires to do the will of God, he will be brought to know that will and that it is of God and not of man. Is it possible that God would give his Son to die to open the way of salvation to man and then leave one to die in ignorance of that way who would accept it if he knew it? The great hindrance to many knowing the truth is they do not desire the truth and will not walk in it when they know it. 18 He that speaketh from himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him, the same is true,—One reason by which he will know the truth is of God is that he who speaks from himself as the author of his teaching seeks his own glory. In doing the will of God it will be so manifest that there is such a complete self-denial and glorification of God that he will know that the teaching did not originate with man. and no unrighteousness is in him.—The one who denies self and seeks the glory of him sending him gives undeniable testimony that he did not originate his teaching, and that he is righteous. 19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you doeth the law? Why seek ye to kill me?—The leaders of the Jews had determined to kill him for breaking the law of Moses. Moses did not make that law. He received it from God and gave it to the Jews, as Jesus received it from God and gave it to them. None of them kept the law, yet sought to kill him on a charge of breaking the law in healing a man on the Sabbath. 20 The multitude answered, Thou hast a demon: who seeketh to kill thee?—At this time they were keeping their pur¬pose to kill him secretly until an opportunity to do it should occur. Some perhaps did not know of it, and they charge him with having a demon in cherishing such a thought. 21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I did one work, and ye all marvel because thereof.—Jesus referred to the healing of the impotent man on the Sabbath day. 22 Moses hath given you circumcision (not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers); and on the sabbath ye circumcise a man.—Moses whom they claimed to honor had commanded them to circumcise their children and it had come down from Abraham. In obedience to Moses’ law they circumcise a child on the eighth day, even if it fell on the Sabbath. Why should setting aside the Sabbath law to heal an afflicted man be worse than setting it aside to circumcise a child? 23 If a man receiveth circumcision on the sabbath, that the law of Moses may not be broken; are ye wroth with me, because I made a man every whit whole on the sabbath?—If God through Moses could set aside the Sabbath law to circumcise a child, why may not God through Jesus set aside the same law to heal an afflicted man? [The law of mercy was older than either circumcision or the Sabbath. His accusers were, therefore, inconsistent in their indignation against him because he had performed an act of mercy in healing a man. Mercy was God’ s eternal law.] 24 Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.—Do not judge by the external appearance, but by the real standard of righteousness. [The Jews judged by “ appearance” when they condemned Christ for healing the man on the Sabbath, and forgot the eternal principles of righteousness. Some times one law is broken in order to obey a higher law. They should have asked whether this was the case or not before they condemned Jesus, and then “ judge with righteous judgment.” ] A AMONG THE PEOPLEJoh_7:25-3625 Some therefore of them of Jerusalem said, Is not this he whom they seek to kill?—Some from Jerusalem not of the ruling order knew of their purpose to kill him and were astonished at his boldness. 26 And lo, he speaketh openly, and they say nothing unto him. Can it be that the rulers indeed know that this is the Christ?—[They are bewildered. They neither condemn or approve the purpose of the rulers, but they cannot understand why it is not carried out. Is it possible that the rulers have found out that this is the Christ? Is this the reason for their failure to carry out their purpose?] 27 Howbeit we know this man whence he is; but when the Christ cometh, no one knoweth whence he is.—The difficulty came up that when Christ came none would know whence he came, and they thought they knew whence Jesus had come. 28 Jesus therefore cried in the temple, teaching and saying, Ye both know me, and know whence I am; and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.—Jesus knew what was passing in their minds and agreed that they knew in one sense whence he was, yet insisted that he had not come of his own will and they did not know him who had sent him. In that sense they did not know whence he was, or did not know God his Father. 29 I know him; because I am from him, and he sent me.—Jesus alone knew the Father and he had come to make known God and his will to the people. 30 They sought therefore to take him: and no man laid his hand on him, because his hour was not yet come.—The Jews were anxious to arrest him, but circumstances hindered. These circumstances were controlled by God. [No one could as yet do him harm, for the set time had not come.] 31 But of the multitude many believed on him; and they said, When the Christ shall come, will he do more signs than those which this man hath done?—His teaching, his works, his bearing convinced many that he was divine, and if not the Christ would the Messiah do more miracles than Jesus had done in his mission? [They were convinced that he was a teacher from God and were ready to follow him, yet not sure he was the Christ to come. Jesus did not proclaim himself to be the Christ. He demonstrated it by his works.] 32 The Pharisees heard the multitude murmuring these things concerning him; and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to take him.—The exchange of thoughts concerning Jesus was quietly talked among the common people. The Pharisees purposed to arrest him and stop all such talk. [They did not want it to spread.] 33 Jesus therefore said, Yet a little while am I with you, and I go unto him that sent me.—In a short time Jesus would by his death be taken away from them, and after the crucifixion and resurrection would ascend to God who had sent him. 34 Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, ye cannot come.—After a time evil would fall upon them and then they would seek him. He would be with God and to him they could never come. [This is plain to us in the light of divine history, but it is not strange that his audience on the other side of the cross did not understand his saying.] 35 The Jews therefore said among themselves, Whither will this man go that we shall not find him? will he go unto the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?—Many Jews were scattered from Judea among the Gentiles, and it was either in ignorance or to ridicule him that they ask this question. [Would he teach them and the Greeks, as well as the Jews of Judea, and the Galileans?] 36 What is this word that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me; and where I am, ye cannot come?—[They could not comprehend. It seems that this bore on their minds. They were perplexed. See verse 34. CHRIST’ S SPEECH ON LAST DAY OF THE FEAST AND ITS EFFECT John 7:37-4437 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.—The feast lasted eight days and the last day was a holy convocation, and it had come to be the greatest day of the feast. On this day he called to all who thirsted to come to him and drink the waters of salvation. [The eighth or last day of the feast probably was devoted more to rejoic¬ing and thanksgiving for the blessings of the year and for the hope of Israel. It was called “ the great day of the feast.” ] 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water.—The Holy Spirit would come as the representative of God on earth after his ascension to his Father and this he foretells under this figure. [“ Believing” is equal to “ coming” in verse 37, showing that faith is the means that brings us to Christ. It is a live, active faith; not a dead or inactive one.] 39 But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive:—[This makes Acts 2 the best com¬mentary on verse 38. Luther says, “ So St. Peter, by one ser¬mon on the day of Pentecost, as by a rushing of water, deliv¬ered three thousand men from the devil’ s kingdom, washing them in an hour from sin, death, and Satan.” ] for the Spirit was not yet given; because Jesus was not yet glorified.—[Observe (1) that the Holy Spirit was not given until after the death and ascension of Christ; (2) the disciples of Christ did not become “ rivers of living water” until the Spirit was sent. This marks Pentecost as the beginning of the preaching of the gospel authoritatively by his disciples. Peter’ s sermon on that day was the first sermon under the great commission, the first declaration of the condition of the gospel, the first preaching by men as the Holy “ Spirit gave them utterance.” It was after Jesus was glorified that he sent the Spirit, and on Pentecost it was declared, “ He hath poured forth this, which ye see and hear.” [The Holy Spirit would come to take up his abode in and with men only after the ascension of Jesus to his Father. Jesus said to his disciples: “ It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go, I will send him unto you.” (John 16:7.) 40 Some of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said, This is of a truth the prophet.—[Conflicting views arose among the people. Some said he was “ the prophet,” spoken of in Deuteronomy 18:15, and referred to in John 1:15. All agreed that a prophet was to come at the Messianic period, but some held that he was to be the Messiah himself, and others that he was to be the forerunner. Hence three ques¬tions were put to John—“ Art thou Elijah? Art thou the prophet? Art thou the Christ?” ] 41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, What, doth the Christ come out of Galilee?—[The opposition denied that he was the Christ, basing their opposition, not upon his character or teaching, but upon the fact that he came from Galilee. Jesus, reared at Nazareth, coming to Jerusalem from Galilee, was supposed by the Jews to have been born there, and they were well aware of the fact Christ was to be born at Bethlehem.] 42 Hath not the scripture said that the Christ cometh of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?—[The Talmud explains Micah 5:2 as declaring that Bethlehem should be Christ’ s birthplace. The wise men who came to Jerusalem seeking the young Babe heard the same thing from the priests. It was prophesied that he should be of the seed of David. (Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5; Psalms 89:36.) ] 43 So there arose a division in the multitude because of him. —[They were rent into two parties and there was sharp con¬tention.] The teaching of Jesus impressed his hearers vari¬ously. Some thought he must be a prophet, some that he was the Christ, others could not see how he could be the Christ, for the Christ was to come out of Bethlehem. The very prophecies to which they referred to prove him not the Christ really confirmed that he was the Christ and only their igno¬rance of where he was born obscured the proof or what really confirmed the truth to those who knew the facts hid the truth from those ignorant of these facts. It is not infrequently so with men. Their ignorance often changes proof of what is true into evidence against the truth. 44 And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.—The division among the people seems to have secured him from arrest. AMONG CHIEF PRIESTS AND Joh_7:45-5245 The officers therefore came to the chief priests and Phar-isees; and they said unto them, Why did ye not bring him?—The Pharisees had evidently sent officers to arrest Jesus. While waiting their opportunity to do it privately, they had listened to him and in common with the people were surprised and pleased with his preaching. 46 The officers answered, Never man so spake.—When they returned without him, they gave his teaching as the reason of failure to arrest him. 47-48 The Pharisees therefore answered them, Are ye also led astray? Hath any of the rulers believed on him, or of the Pharisees?—The Pharisees seemed to think if no Pharisee or officer was carried away with the preaching none should be. These subordinates ought to defer their faith to those of the honored classes. This spirit prevails largely among religious teachers in this age. [Have any of the rulers believed? By rulers are meant the Sanhedrin. In the matter of deciding on the claims of the Messiah they hold that the judgment of the “ rulers” must be decisive.] 49 But this multitude that knoweth not the law are accursed.—In their estimation those who did not thus defer to them were accursed. They are ignorant of the law and are accursed. On account of their ignorance they are easily led astray.] 50 Nicodemus saith unto them (he that came to him before, being one of them),—Nicodemus who came to Jesus to hear of him (John 3:1-15) appears upon the scene the second time. He was not one of the rulers preparing to arrest Jesus. He was a friend of Jesus, but not one of his worshipers. 51 Doth our law judge a man, except it first hear from him¬self and know what he doeth?—The law of the Jews required this fairness as all just and fair laws do and Nicodemus ap¬peals to this law as a benefactor to Jesus. 52 They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Gali¬lee? Search, and see that out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.— Without answering his objection as to the law, they assume that he is a disciple of Jesus and object to the claims on the ground that the Christ would not come out of Galilee, ignorant of the fact that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. [“ Out of Galilee ariseth no prophet” is an untrue statement. Jonah was of Galilee (2 Kings 14:25) ; Elijah probably so (1 Kings 17:1); and Nahum also (Nahum 1:1).] 53 And they went every man unto his own house.—[The session of the Sanhedrin broke up and each member went to his own home.]

Verse 1 John 7-10 record the great controversy that raged around the name of Jesus during the last six months of his ministry. It was October, at the beginning of this chapter, a full six months having elapsed since the tremendous events of chapter 6; and, during that intervening period, the Lord had continued his work in Galilee, beyond the reach of his enemies in Jerusalem. The synoptics reveal that in this same interim, the Lord had repeatedly schooled his disciples concerning the approaching Passion and his resurrection. Peter had confessed him (Matthew 16:13 f); he had fed another great multitude (Mark 9:1-9); and the transfiguration had been witnessed by the inner circle of the Twelve (Luke 9:28 f). It was time to face eventualities in the capital city, the account of which events comprises the rest of John. A short break would again occur (John 10:4-42) at the end of this section of controversy, in which the Lord briefly withdrew to await the final Passover. This chapter relates the events related to the feast of tabernacles in October, prior to the Passover in April at which Jesus was crucified. The rapids begin to roar in this chapter; the rising storm of hatred against the Lord would not diminish until a cross arose upon Golgotha. The marvelous value of this section (John 7-10) is in the surgical manner of John’s exposing all the complex elements leading up to the crucifixion. Jesus never allowed others to signal the time of his actions; and just as he rejected the suggestion of his mother at Cana (John 2:4), he here rejected the suggestion of his brothers regarding attendance of the feast, attending not all of it, but the last half of it (John 7:1-13). He defended himself against a charge of sabbath-breaking (John 7:14-24); a feeble attempt to arrest him failed (John 7:25-36); he spoke of the living water (John 7:37-44); and Nicodemus spoke a word in his defense (John 7:45-52). And after these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for he would not walk in Judaea, because the Jews sought to kill him. (John 7:1) See under chapter heading above. The plot to kill Jesus had been in existence about eighteen months already (John 5:18).

Verse 2 Now the feast of the Jews, the feast of tabernacles, was at hand.This feast was the equivalent of a harvest festival, “tabernacles” referring to booths, or arbors made of tree branches, in which the people camped out in commemoration of the wilderness sojourn of Israel (Leviticus 23:34-36). It occurred in October, indicating that John here passed over a full six months of Jesus’ Galilean ministry.

Verse 3 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may behold thy works which thou doest.His brethren … contrasting with “disciples,” compels the understanding of this in the ordinary sense of his human brothers: James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas (Matthew 13:55), who were, in all probability, additional sons of Mary and Joseph (See my Commentary on Matthew, Matthew 13:55-56). His brothers at this time did not believe in him (John 7:5), having a carnal view of his work. They said, in effect., “Get on down to Jerusalem and perform some more miracles to encourage the people down there who believe in you.”

Verse 4 For no man doeth anything in secret, and himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou doest these things, manifest thyself to the world. For even his brethren did not believe on him.For no man doeth anything in secret … was their way of saying that Jesus was merely wasting his time in Galilee. If he wanted recognition, in their view, Jerusalem was the place to get it. If thou doest, these things … shows that they did not believe in him and recalls Satan’s words (Matthew 4:3).

Verse 6 Jesus therefore said unto them, My time is not yet come; but your time is always ready.In due time, Jesus would reveal himself in Jerusalem, by means of his death and resurrection; but that would have to await the time appointed by the Father. The true passover would be sacrificed on the Passover, not at the feast of tabernacles. Although out of tune with Jesus’ will here, these brothers eventually became followers (Acts 1:14).

Verse 7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that its works are evil.Jesus’ brothers and their friends had not broken with the hierarchy in Jerusalem; and thus it was all very well for them to go up to the feast; but Jesus had broken with it, and they were plotting to kill him (John 5:18). For the Lord to have walked boldly into the trap laid for him in Jerusalem would have been folly. The Lord had dared to instruct them on the proper method of observing the sabbath, exposing the sin of their regulations imposed in place of the divine law; and therefore the priests were determined to kill him.

Verse 8 Go ye unto the feast: I go not up unto this feast; because my time is not yet fulfilled.I go not up unto this feast … was true in the sense that Jesus attended only half of it. Jesus did not say, “I will not go,” the present tense meaning that “at that time” he would not go. Tenney’s comment that “Jesus told the brethren that he was not going, and then promptly went”[1] is not true. A delay of a full three and one-half days is not “promptly” going to the feast. Besides, in the Jewish sense, one attending only half of it was not said to have attended it. Strict attention to the grammar shows what Jesus meant. For further discussion of “go up” in this verse, see under John 7:33. ENDNOTE: [1] Merrill C. Tenney, John, the Gospel of Belief (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972), p. 130.

Verse 9 And having said these things unto them, he abode still in Galilee.The brothers went on to Jerusalem without him, leaving the Lord free to enter at a time and circumstance of his own choice. The Pharisees were laying a trap for Jesus, but they would find themselves in his trap before the week was over.

Verse 10 But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, then went he also up, not publicly, but as it were in secret.JESUS GOES UP TO THE FEASTPeople from all over Palestine were at the feast, including, no doubt, many from Galilee who had witnessed the marvels there; and, besides, it is certain that many still remembered the healing of the man at Bethesda, over a year earlier. This strong favorable attitude toward Jesus among the populace was balanced by the hatred of the leaders, whose plot to kill the Lord was known; and, through fear, many considered it unsafe to speak of the Lord openly. As it were in secret … Friends of Jesus would have aided his quiet and unobtrusive entrance into the city; but it must not be thought that Jesus was, in any sense, hiding from the authorities. He was determined to go just as far as possible without precipitating a premature crisis; and, in such a design, the time factor was all-important. Three and one-half days was not enough for the Pharisees to accomplish their purpose of killing him.

Verse 11 The Jews therefore sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?The Lord’s name was on every tongue during the first half of the feast when he did not appear. His enemies sought him but found him not.

Verse 12 And there was much murmuring among the multitudes concerning him: some said, He is a good man; others said, Not so, but he leadeth the multitude astray. Yet no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.Christ’s name was upon all lips; his mighty deeds were the biggest news that ever happened in Jerusalem; the people loved him; the leaders hated him; and conversation buzzed all over the city; but if any of the Pharisees appeared, the conversation ceased. The threat of murdering the Son of God lay like a mantle of poison gas over Jerusalem during that feast. There was a dreadful air of impending disaster; Satan was in control of the government of the Holy City, reminding one of Paris in the terror: A spell of horror seems temporarily to have fallen over the city of Paris, a nightmare in which all communication with reality was suspended. It is impossible to read of this period without the impression that one is here confronted with forces more powerful than those controlled by men.[2]In this great controversy, cosmic forces struggled for domination; and the war between Christ and Satan was never more dramatic than here. ENDNOTE: [2] Stanley Loomis, Paris in the Terror (New York: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1964), p. 328.

Verse 14 But when it was now in the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught.JESUS APPEARS IN THE TEMPLEOnce more the messenger of the covenant came suddenly to his temple (Malachi 3:1); and such boldness frustrated and unnerved the Lord’s enemies. They did not know how to deal with it. His learned dissertations in the temple were persuading many to believe on him; and the Pharisees were unable to reconcile such wisdom with the fact of Jesus’ never having attended the rabbinic schools.

Verse 15 The Jews therefore marveled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?The Jews marveled … but what people have marveled about ever since is the bigotry that said, “How could he know anything if he did not learn it from us?” Their bigoted opinion was either repeated in Jesus’ hearing, or he read it in their hearts, promptly replying to it. This man … has the meaning of “this fellow” and was intended to place Jesus on a lower level than the rabbis and priests. Nicodemus, having a higher opinion of Christ, referred to him as “Rabbi” (John 3:2).

Verse 16 Jesus therefore answered and said, My teaching is not mine, but his that sent me.By this, Jesus claimed that his own words were the words of God, and, in the light of all that has occurred in the intervening centuries, it is clear enough that Jesus did indeed deliver the words of Almighty God to mankind. It was this quality of identifying his teachings as God’s teachings that infuriated the leaders. See under John 12:49.

Verse 17 If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from myself.As in John 3:19-21, Jesus here again made the ability to believe on himself to turn on a question of will, and not of intelligence alone; and these remarks are the equivalent of his saying, “Look, if you really want to do the will of God, you will recognize that it is God’s will, and not mine own, that I am proclaiming,” There could also be further implications of this verse, as David Lipscomb noted: Does not this involve the conclusion that if anyone in the world really desires to do the will of God, he will be brought to know that will? Is it possible that God would give his Son to die to open the way of salvation, and then leave one to die in ignorance of that way who would accept it if he knew it?[3]The difficulty of finding out what is right in religion is a common complaint among men. They point to many differences among Christians and profess to be unable to decide what is right. (Such a person) should use what little knowledge he has got, and God will soon give him more.[4]The source of knowing God’s will is the Bible; but reason, intelligence, experience, obedience, and love are among the instruments by which true wisdom from its sacred pages may be won. And even more important than those instruments is that of the human will to know the truth. Many accept blindly whatever teaching they received as a child without ever striving to know if it was really God’s will that they learned. Ruskin warned against this: Of all the insolent, and foolish persuasions that by any chance could enter and hold your empty little heart, this is the profoundest and foolishest, - that you have been so much the darling of heaven, and the favorite of the fates, as to be born in the nick of time, and in the punctual place, when and where pure divine truth had been sifted from the errors of the nations; and that your papa had been providentially disposed to buy a house in the convenient neighborhood of the steeple under which that immaculate and final verity would be proclaimed! Do not think it, child; it is not so.[5][3] David Lipscomb, A Commentary on the Gospel of John (Nashville: The Gospel Advocate Co., 1960), p. 111. [4] J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House), p. 440. [5] James Hastings, The Great Texts of the Bible (Edinburgh: T. and T. Clark), p. 307.

Verse 18 He that speaketh from himself seeketh his own glory; but he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.The third person, instead of the first, indicates the statement of a general principle of truth. In all ages, those ministers who proclaimed God’s word, relying on the inherent authority of that word to win people - those have been true ministers. Another class of teachers, cutting and plucking at the word of God with their scissors and editing pencils, claiming for themselves the right to declare what is or is not the word of God, glorifying themselves with their revisions and theories - such men are of Satan.

Verse 19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you doeth the law? Why seek ye to kill me?Thus Jesus publicly exposed the plot to kill him on a trumped-up charge of sabbath-breaking, pointing out at the same time the paradox of such notorious violators of Moses’ law, as were the Pharisees, plotting to kill Jesus for, of all things, breaking the sabbath. None of the Pharisees kept the sabbath strictly, enjoying a hundred petty little exemptions from the rigorous rules they imposed on others, deserving the comment Jesus made of them: “Yea, they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger” (Matthew 23:4). Keep the sabbath day? Of course, they did not. They circumcised on the sabbath; and they had devised some kind of a bypass for practically all of the sabbath restrictions. For example, with reference to walking no more than seven-eighths of a mile, which was the allowable distance according to their rules for a sabbath’s journey, they often walked long distances, pausing each seven-eighths of a mile to partake of a bite of food previously cached there in anticipation of the journey, and thus taking any length journey on the pretext that they had changed their residence at each pause! Here, Jesus openly charged them with not keeping Moses’ law. Why seek ye to kill me …? Why such men would seek to kill the holy Son of God is a part of the mystery of iniquity.

Verse 20 The multitude answered, Thou hast a demon; who seeketh to kill thee?Many of the multitude were ignorant of the murderous plot of the priests who had sought to conceal their intentions. Thou hast a demon … For a list of the slanders against Jesus, see my Commentary on Matthew, Matthew 11:18-19.

Verse 21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I did one work, and ye all marvel because thereof.This reference to healing the man at Bethesda, eighteen months earlier, which, even by their judgment, was a single violation of the sabbath (though actually not so at all) was made by Jesus for the sake of contrasting that lone act of mercy performed on the sabbath with the continual and constant violation of the sabbath on the part of the Pharisees by circumcising on the sabbath.

Verse 22 Moses hath given you circumcision (not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers); and on the sabbath ye circumcise a man.This and John 7:23 establish the fact that circumcision is an older ordinance than the sabbath (Nehemiah 9:13-14), the sabbath having been given through Moses, and circumcision having come before Moses. These verses are the end of any notion that the sabbath goes back any further than Moses. Jesus was here pointing out that if a circumcision, commanded to be performed on the eighth day, fell on a sabbath, the Pharisees allowed it to be done (Leviticus 12:3), demonstrating the great truth that works of necessity and mercy were never intended to be forbidden by God’s law regarding the sabbath.

Verse 23 If a man receiveth circumcision on the sabbath, that the law of Moses may not be broken; are ye wroth with me, because I made a man every whit whole on the sabbath?If a man … is a reference to a child eight days old. As Barnes noted: “This is not an adult man, but a man child (see John 16:21): `She remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.’"[6]The Lord here contrasted an operation on one member of a person’s body with an operation on the whole person, as well as a cutting off with a making whole. Every whit whole … indicates that Jesus had cured the entire man, soul and body, thus making it all the more necessary and righteous that the Lord should not have delayed such a blessing another day in order to avoid doing it on the sabbath. ENDNOTE: [6] Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1954), p. 257.

Verse 24 Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.Jesus here charged his foes with having made a false judgment, based solely on the fact that Jesus had broken the sabbath; but here he explained that the performance of an act of mercy and salvation took precedence over sabbath law, a principle which they recognized in connection with a far lesser thing, the rite of circumcision. Thus, their judgment that Jesus was worthy of death as a sabbath-breaker was an evil judgment, based solely on superficial and unsound premises. Jesus, by this discussion, also replied to the ignorant denial of some of the people that there was any plot to kill him. By openly discussing the charge on which they sought to put him to death, Jesus did two things: (1) showing that the multitude was ignorant of the truth, and (2) exposing the falsity of the charge on which they wanted to kill him.

Verse 25 Some therefore of them of Jerusalem said, Is not this he whom they seek to kill? And lo, he speaketh openly, and they say nothing to him. Can it be that the rulers indeed know that this is the Christ?And they say nothing to him … means that they were not attempting to interrupt or forbid his teaching. They were indeed saying something to him, as the conversation here recorded proves. Jesus’ strategy was accomplishing its purpose. The Pharisees could not stand before Jesus in open debate and hold their ground; he won every argument, as in the case of the sabbath discussions; and the multitude came slowly to realize that the rulers did know that Jesus was actually the Christ.

Any insinuation that those evil rulers did not know whom they crucified should be rejected. Jesus said publicly of them in a parable: “The husbandmen, when they saw the son, said among themselves, This is the heir; come let us kill him, and take his inheritance!” (Matthew 21:23). They knew he was the Christ; but, because he was not the kind of Christ they wanted, they murdered him. True, they did not know that Jesus was God in the flesh; and it was of that ignorance which Paul spoke when he declared, “Had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8).

Verse 27 Howbeit we know whence this man is: but when the Christ cometh, no one knoweth whence he is.The evil rulers made many arguments against the Messianic claims of Jesus: (1) Here they argued that the Messiah would have some mysterious origin; and, of course, they pretended to know all about the origin of Christ, although they did not. (2) They insisted that no prophet could come out of Galilee, because none ever had come from Galilee; but, in their arrogance, they were wrong on both counts, Jonah having come from Gath-Hepher, only three and one-half miles from Nazareth (2 Kings 14:25), and the Christ himself hailing from there! (3) They insisted that Elijah must first come; but they ignored John the Baptist’s being the fulfillment of that prophecy. No one knoweth whence he is … This notion was a spin-off from the casuistry of the Pharisees and deserves a little more attention. As Adam Clarke said: The generality of the people knew that Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem … But from Isaiah 53:8, “Who shall declare his generation?” they thought that there should be something so peculiarly mysterious in his birth, or in the manner of his appearing, that no person could fully understand. Had they considered his miraculous conception, they would have felt their minds relieved on that point.[7]The Pharisees had evidently talked with Joseph and Mary; but, if so, it is certain that those devout souls would have told those nosey representatives of the ruling class nothing whatever of the visit of the angel Gabriel, nor of the miraculous birth of our Lord. Whatever investigation the Pharisees had conducted, it failed to reveal either (1) the fact of Jesus’ birth at Bethlehem, or (2) the miraculous conception. Their arrogance in pretending to know all about Jesus, and then daring to make their presumed “knowledge” the basis of rejecting him as the Messiah is an example of human self-deception and conceit unsurpassed in the history of the world. ENDNOTE: [7] Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Whole Bible (London: Mason and Lane, 1837), Vol. V, p. 571.

Verse 28 Jesus therefore cried in the temple, teaching and saying, Ye both know me, and know whence I am; and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.Ye both know me … This is sarcastic irony. If they had known Christ, they would have known God who sent him; not knowing God was proof enough they did not know Christ in any sense whatever. Whom ye know not … The leaders did not know God; and that was the basis of their failure to know Jesus.

Verse 29 I know him; because I am from him, and he sent me.Jesus’ oneness with God was the burden of the teaching of his entire ministry. As God’s Son, he brought God’s message, spoke God’s words, did God’s works, and was in fact God come in the flesh.

Verse 30 They sought therefore to take him: and no man laid his hand on him, because his hour was not yet come.Confounded and openly contradicted by Christ, the Pharisees were furious and eagerly wanted to take him; but the press of the people around him was so great, and there were so many who believed in him, that considerations of prudence restrained their evil purpose. His hour was not yet come … also implies a supernatural restraint imposed upon Jesus’ enemies. An overruling providence prevented his arrest, despite the fact that they actually sent a company of men to take him.

Verse 31 But of the multitude many believed on him; and they said, When the Christ shall come, will he do more signs than those which this man doeth?The tragedy in view here is that the vast throng would gladly have hailed Jesus as the Messiah, but out of deference to the leaders they hesitated. How great was the blame of those evil rulers: who not only rejected the Lord for themselves but were the principal cause of a nation’s failure to receive him!

Verse 32 The Pharisees heard the multitude murmuring these things concerning him; and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to take him.Having decided months earlier to kill Christ, they were here spurred to action by the growing sentiment of the people that would have hailed him as the Christ. Their strategy of meeting such an event was to attempt his arrest; but the power of God restrained them until his “hour” had come (John 7:30).

Verse 33 Jesus therefore said, Yet a little while I am with you, and I go unto him that sent me.Yet a little while … It was October, and Christ was appointed to die at the Passover in April. During that intervening six months, all the powers of hell were not sufficient to have harmed the little finger of Jesus. Finally, when the blow fell, it was with our Lord’s full knowledge and consent. I go unto him … The words” I go" in this place are like those in John 7:8; and the perceptive words of Hunter shed more light upon what might have been the meaning there. He wrote: Possibly the Greek word meaning “to go up” carries here (in John 7:8) not its usual geographical sense but the one it has in John 3:13; John 6:62 and John 20:17. It would then refer to Christ’s ascent to the Father by way of the cross: “I am not going up (to my Father) at this feast."[8]I go unto him that sent me … These words are Jesus’ way of speaking of his approaching death and resurrection. ENDNOTE: [8] A. M. Hunter, The Gospel according to John (Cambridge University Press, 1965), p. 79.

Verse 34 Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, ye cannot come.According to Hovey, this language means: That their (Israel’s) longing and looking for the Messiah will continue after the rejection and crucifixion. Vainly will they expect the great Prince foretold in their Scriptures; and bitter will be their disappointment, from age to age, because he does not appear. But clinging to their false hope of what the Messiah should be, and hardening themselves against the evidence that he has already appeared in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, they will never find the deliverer whom they seek.[9]Where I am ye cannot come … means that men who reject God’s Son can never come into God’s presence while rejecting the Saviour. Jesus is the only way to the Father; and men shall come unto God through Christ, or they shall not come to God at all. I am … here is prophetic tense, used in the sense of “shall be.” ENDNOTE: [9] Alvah Hovey, Commentary on John (Philadelphia: The American Baptist Publication Society, 1885), p. 177.

Verse 35 The Jews therefore said among themselves, Whither shall this man go that we shall not find him? will he go unto the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? What is this word that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me; and where I am, ye cannot come?This man … means, “This strange pretender … The pronoun here in the Greek carries an accent of surprise and contempt."[10]The Dispersion … refers to the Jews who were scattered abroad among the Gentiles; and the suggestion that perhaps Jesus was planning to go to them has the effect of saying: “Why, a crazy Messiah like he is, might even go to the Dispersion and try to build a following among them.” It was an evil thing which they meant by this. What is this word which he said … There is an element of puzzlement on the part of his foes in this. They rejected what he said, as a matter of course, but their minds kept returning to it in wonderment of just what could have been meant by Jesus in the clauses they murmured over and over. Again, from Westcott: “In spite of all, Christ’s words cannot be shaken off. They are not to be explained away. A vague sense remains that there is in them some unfathomable meaning."[11][10] Brooks Foss Westcott, The Gospel according to St. John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1971), p. 122. [11] B. F. Westcott, op. cit., p. 122.

Verse 37 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.THE EVENTS OF THE LAST DAY OF THE FEASTThe feast of tabernacles was concluded on the final day, thus: A high point in the ritual of Tabernacles was the pouring out in the temple court of a golden pitcher of water from the Siloam Pool. This libation was held to symbolize the future outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the Messianic age.[12]In such a context, Jesus’ cry for men to come unto him and drink was the equivalent of his promising the Holy Spirit to all who would follow him. Thus, in this Gospel, there is another recurrence of emphasis upon water. See comment under John 4:2. ENDNOTE: [12] A. M. Hunter, op. cit., p. 84.

Verse 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water.It is of interest that in the preceding verse Jesus said, “Come unto me and drink”; while in this he said, “He that believeth on me … from within him shall flow, etc.” We reject the comment of Tenney that “Let him come unto me and drink,' and he that believeth on me’ are practically synonymous terms."[13] On the other hand, the expressions are poles apart in meaning, faith being an action of the mind and heart, and coming being an action of both soul and body. Faith is subjective; coming is objective. Faith is allied to thought; coming is allied to deeds. That this is certain appears from writings throughout the New Testament. These two verses (John 7:37-38) refer to Christians receiving the Holy Spirit (John 7:39); and when this promise was fulfilled, they received the Spirit “after they believed” (Ephesians 1:13), and after they repented and were baptized (Acts 2:38 ff and Galatians 4:6). Therefore these two verses are a reference to the future giving of the Holy Spirit to Christians in consequence of and subsequently to their believing in Christ and obeying the gospel, obedience being the meaning of “come unto me” in John 7:37, and believing being the thing mentioned in John 7:38. Both are required. ENDNOTE: [13] Merrill C. Tenney, op. cit., p. 135.

Verse 39 But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive: for the Spirit was not yet given; because Jesus was not yet glorified.This verse is the proof that the first portion of John 3 is spoken of Christian baptism, not at that time commanded, but anticipated by the Lord’s remarks there, just as the outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost is anticipated here. The commentators who make such a big thing out of the great commission’s not having been given when Jesus spoke to Nicodemus should take note of this. True, John did not spell it out in that interview, as he has here, for the reason that it was such an obvious reference to baptism that no explanation was thought to be necessary. This verse also sheds light on John 6:55. Glorified … refers to the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, Jesus’ fulfillment of all the prophecies in those and related events being truly a glorification of God whose words were thus fulfilled.

Verse 40 Some of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said, This is of a truth the prophet.The prophet … refers to the prophet of Deu 18:15; Deuteronomy 18:19, where the term “prophet” was applied prophetically to Christ.

Verse 41 Others said, This is the Christ. But others said, What, doth Christ come out of Galilee?Galilee … was indeed the residence of Jesus, but the people seemed ignorant of the fact that he was born in Bethlehem as the prophet had foretold (Micah 5:2). It seems that they merely assumed that since he lived in Galilee he had also been born there. Also, added to the difficulty of the people was the slander of the Pharisees that no prophet had ever come out of Galilee; but they were wrong about that also, Jonah, the first of the prophets, having come from Galilee (2 Kings 14:25). See underJohn 7:52.

Verse 42 Hath not the scripture said that the Christ cometh of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was born?See under preceding verse. The priestly conclave, if they knew of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, denied it by their distorted emphasis on the place of his residence in Galilee. They were not above falsifying a matter of that kind, even trying to deceive Pilate through their reference to Galilee.

Verse 43 So there arose a division in the multitude because of him.See under John 7:13. Although the multitude continued to be divided, the division within the Sanhedrin was rapidly diminishing, as the hatred of practically all of them hardened toward Jesus.

Verse 44 And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.See under John 7:30-33. Although the purpose of the Pharisees was set upon taking Jesus and destroying him, God restrained them until the appointed time.

Verse 45 The officers therefore came to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why did ye not bring him? The officers answered, Never man so spake.THE OF THE The arresting detail met Jesus face to face and were so taken aback by his marvelous powers that they aborted their assignment and returned without him. Since God had predetermined that the Lord would suffer at the following Passover, it must be concluded that even if they had tried they could never have physically apprehended Jesus. His hour had not yet come. Needless to say, the Pharisees were furious, nor did they like the answer they received regarding the failure to arrest him. Never man so spake … There is a necessary inference here in these words that Jesus was more than a man. Otherwise, their words would have been, “No OTHER man ever so spake.” This implication was not lost on the Pharisees. Having detected such a tender little bud of faith in the officers, they moved against it with all the savage ferocity of a wild boar.

Verse 47 The Pharisees therefore answered them, Are ye also led astray? Hath any of the rulers believed on him, or of the Pharisees? But this multitude that knoweth not the law are accursed.This defense of their position with the arresting party suggests that the detail sent to take Jesus contained a number of priests. Certainly, the persons addressed in these two verses would seem to have been among them that were considered knowledgeable concerning the law. The arrogant sophistry of the Pharisees had entrenched itself in this position: “Nobody should dare to believe in Jesus as long as we Pharisees have not done so; we are the people; we decide what is true or false.” Notice their pronouncement against the multitude as “accursed,” such a statement exposing the loveless, selfish, and hateful character of that evil company. This was the same multitude upon whom it is written that Jesus “had compassion.” But there was no compassion, no sympathy, not even any honesty in the devices which they employed against Jesus and anyone who might dare to believe in him.

Verse 50 Nicodemus saith unto them (he that came to him before, being one of them), Doth our law judge a man, except it first hear from himself and know what he doeth?Not all of the Sanhedrinists were evil men, Nicodemus being one of the notable exceptions. He had already been to Jesus (John 3:1 ff) and was obviously out of harmony with the satanic spirit prevailing in the Sanhedrin. Such men as Nicodemus, and there may have been a considerable number of them, were helpless regarding the policies of the organization. The members were divided in their views and would continue to be divided, perhaps until the very end; because there is no evidence whatever that the final meeting of the Sanhedrin that condemned the Saviour had a full representation of its members or even a legal quorum. The men who controlled that body had already decided eighteen months earlier to kill Jesus (John 5:18); and, at the point of Nicodemus’ objection, Satan was already in charge of the hierarchy. It was far too late to reverse the purpose of murder in their hearts. Nicodemus apparently knew that his question would be shouted down, and that probably accounts for the mild manner in which he stated it. Anything stronger would have brought their wrath upon him.

Verse 52 They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and see that out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.Religious error must defend itself; and, even if no honest defense exists, a shouted lie will serve well enough for the hardened heart. Those bigots demanded that Nicodemus search the Scriptures; and such a demand sounded like they knew what they were talking about; but this whole ploy was a bold unqualified lie, an unscrupulous bluff, the same being one of Satan’s favorite disguises, that of a “roaring lion.” If Nicodemus knew the answer to their lie, he did not have the courage to reply. Out of Galilee ariseth no prophet … The first of the prophets was Jonah; and he had come out of Galilee, having come from Gath-Hepher which was only three and one-half miles from Nazareth! But that is not all. The one prophet whom God made a type of the Messiah was this same Jonah. Christ himself had spoken to the multitudes regarding the “sign of the prophet Jonah” (Matthew 12:38-41), making it absolutely certain that Jesus appealed to Jonah as a type of himself. It continues to be an amazement that religious literature gives so little space to the typical importance of Jonah. Note the following: Both Jesus and Jonah were asleep in a ship at sea in a storm. Both were awakened, Jesus by the disciples, Jonah by the captain. Both were involved in the ship’s security, Jesus for safety, and Jonah for peril. Both freely gave themselves to save others, Jesus to save all men, Jonah to save the sailors. Both produced a great calm, Jesus by fiat, Jonah by being cast into the sea. Both passed through that “three days and three nights” experience mentioned by Christ (Matthew 12:38-41). Both converted Gentiles, Jesus through the apostles, Jonah by his preaching at Nineveh. Both were from Galilee (2 Kings 14:25). Despite all this, they shouted Nicodemus down with the lie that no prophet ariseth out of Galilee. No prophet? Well, only the Messiah(!), that great prophet like unto Moses, whose coming out of Galilee was typified by Jonah, the first of all the prophets and a type of Christ!

Questions by E.M Zerr For John 71. Why did Jesus avoid Judea? 2. What feast was at hand? 3. State the advice of his brethren. 4. Does this mean his religious brethren ? 5. What reason given why his works should be public? 6. What prompted this speech of his brethren ? 7. Why had he yet not worked more publicly? 8. Whose opportunity was always present ? 9. Why did the world hate Jesus ? 10. State his direction to his brethren. 11. Why not do this himself? 12. Where did he do this waiting? 13. In what way did he finally attend the feast? 14. Who sought for him? 15. What sentiments were expressed concerning him? 16. Why were they not spoken openly? 17. What did Jesus finally do? 18. At what did the Jews marvel? 19. How did Jesus account for the situation? 20. How might a man test the doctrine? 21. What indicates a man seeks his own glory ? 22. State the contrast in the conduct of Jesus. 23. What were these people seeking to do? 24. In so doing what command would be violated ? 25. Who did he say had given them this law? 26. How did they resent the accusation of Jesus ? 27. What was the “ one work” of 21st verse? 28. With whom did circumcision begin? 29. What had Moses done about it? 30. How about circumcision and the sabbath ? 31. In what were the Jews inconsistent? 32. What constitutes unrighteous judgment? 33. State the inquiry some made. 34. What were they observing ? 35. What did they ask of the rulers ? 36. Concerning whom did they express doubt ? 37. On what familiarity was this doubt based? 38. What did Jesus say about this common knowledge 39. Tell whom he said they did not know. 40. Why did Jesus know him? 41. What did they then seek to do? 42. Tell why they failed. 43. How were many of the people affected? 44. State their significant question. 45. Whose ears did these remarks reach? 46. Upon hearing them what did they do? 47. Tell the announcement Jesus made to the officers. 48. In what did he say they would be disappointed ? 49. Who were confused by this statement? 50. What explanation did they suggest among themselves 51. On what subject did Jesus now speak? 53. How far along is the feast? 53. Who is antecedent of “his” in 38th verse? 54. What was he going to bestow ? 55. Upon whom? 56. Why had this not yet been bestowed ? 57. At this saying what did many people remark? 58. Why did others question it? 59. Explain their confusion at this point. 60. On their return what was asked the officers? 61. Give their explanation. 63. What answer did the Pharisees make to this ? 63. State their anxious inquiry about the rulers. 64. Upon whom did they pronounce a curse? 65. What counsel did Nieodemus express? 66. With what argument did they reply to him ?

John 7:1

1 After these things refers to the happenings unfolded in the closing verses of the preceding chapter. Jesus walked in Galilee means he continued to walk there, for he was already in that territory. Jewry is another form of “Judea,” and Jesus avoided going there, at least for the time being, because of danger from the Jews.

John 7:2

2 This feast is described in Leviticus 23:34-43. It brought many Jews to Jerusalem, hence the risk to his life caused Jesus to remain in Galilee for a while.

John 7:3

3 His brethren means what the word usually does, and not his disciples as the Romanists teach, for the disciples are mentioned also in the same verse. He was in Galilee, the home territory of his family, and thus it is clear why his own fieshly brethren would be near him.

John 7:4

4 His brethren made their suggestion in a critical mood. They implied that Jesus was inconsistent in avoiding publicity. If he wished to be known by mankind as the Saviour of the world, he should not be acting in such a secret manner.

John 7:5

5 John explains the criticism of these brethren by saying they did not believe in him. It doubtless was on the principle stated in chapter 4:44.

John 7:6

6 Jesus explained his plans on the ground that it was not time yet for him to come out entirely in the open. Jesus was never afraid of man as far as his own comfort was concerned, but in his wisdom he never did anything prematurely. The brethren were not in any danger, hence their time (to appear in the gathering) would be whenever they wished to go, without waiting for the feast even to get started.

John 7:7

7 Cannot hate you does not mean it was literally impossible for the fleshly brethren of Christ to be hated. But it was wholly unlikely to occur, because all of the conditions were against It. They were regarded as ordinary citizens along with other men and were not “out on the firing line” as teachers against sin as was Jesus.

John 7:8

8 This verse has the same thought as verse 6, and states the reason why Jesus was not in any hurry to attend the feast.

John 7:9

9 Having explained his reason for not going to Jerusalem with the others, Jesus continued his stay in Galilee for a short time only.

John 7:10

0 After the brethren of Jesus were gone, he could go up unnoticed, being alone. This secrecy was maintained for the reason expressed in verses 6 and 8.

John 7:11

1 It was natural to expect Jesus at the feast, for it was a national occasion for the Jewish race. Where is he is explained by the state ment in verse 10. Jesus did not intend to be prominently visible for a while.

John 7:12

2 The people were divided in their sentiments about Jesus; some for and others against him. While his presence was still generally unknown, the conflicting sentiments created an atmosphere of unrest among the crowd. The murmuring was as far as those sentiments exhibited themselves which is explained in the next verse.

John 7:13

3 The undercurrent referred to in the preceding verse was caused by fear of the Jews. Not knowing just what course they would take as to the treatment of Jesus, people did not commit themselves on the subject, for fear of finding themselves in an embarrassing situation when the issue came out entirely into the open.

John 7:14

4 The feast was about four days along when Jesus came out of his “hiding” and appeared first in the temple. It being the capitol of the Jewish religious system, it was proper for Jesus to show up there in order to do his teaching, which was the main purpose he had all the time he was among the people. Taught is from DIDASKO, which Thayer defines at this place, “To hold discourse with others in order to instruct them, deliver didactic [instructive] discourses.” So Jesus did not merely utter some single sentences, but continued his speech to the extent of displaying a general knowledge of important subjects pertaining to the salvation of man in the kingdom of heaven.

John 7:15

5 Letters is from a Greek word that means something that has been written by an educated person. Jesus had never taken a course of instruction in any of their institutions of learning, hence it baffled the Jews to hear him speaking like an educated man on matters of such great concern pertaining to human conduct.

John 7:16

6 This verse answers the questions of the preceding one. Jesus was teaching the doctrine of his Father, and did not need the instruction coming from man.

John 7:17

7 The construction of this verse might seem to have things backward. We would think it to be necessary to know of the doctrine before one could do his will. That is true; however, if a person is not disposed to do the will of God, he will stumble and waver and be so unfavorably disposed toward the truth, that he will fail to grasp it when it is presented to him.

John 7:18

8 A man might be found who claimed to be from God, yet if he depended on the instruction given in human institutions, it would show his desire to make a display of his attainments for his own glory.

John 7:19

9 The particular part of the law of Moses that Jesus refers to, is the sixth commandment which is the one against murder. The sabbatarians try to make a distinction between the law of God, which they say is the Decalogue or ten commandments, and the law of Moses which is the “ceremonial law” as they call it. But here is Jesus referring to one of the ten commandments and calling it the law of Moses. All of this shows how inconsistent people will be when they wish to defend an unscriptural theory.

John 7:20

0 Thou ‘hast a devil was their way of saying that Jesus was possessed with a devil (demon), and it had rendered him demented; they denied any desire or attempt to kill Jesus. Their memory seemed to fail them, for chapter 5:16 says that the Jews “sought to slay him.” That was after he had cured a man on the sab-bath day, which they claimed was a violation of the law. But the law about the sabbath was a part of the same Decalogue that contained the commandment against murder, the very crime they sought to commit against Jesus.

John 7:21

1 Jesus was soon to remind them of the occasion when they sought to kill him. He first comments on the case by referring to their astonishment at the one work that he had done, while they also would do something even on the sabbath day that was as certainly a work as curing a sick man would be.

John 7:22

2 The Jews pretended to have great respect for Moses, whose law they accused Jesus with violating. In specifying a work they did on the sabbath, Jesus mentioned circumcision which also came from Moses. However, lest they misunderstand the real history of that ordinance, he interposed an explanation that it had been given to the fathers of old before the time of Moses. Notwithstanding this, they professed to regard the law of Moses so highly, that they insisted on performing his ordinance of circumcision, even though it should be done on the sabbath day.

John 7:23

3 The act of performing circumcision, which was a surgical one, was certainly as much a manual labor as was that of curing an invalid. Yet they condemned Jesus for doing that, while they persisted in doing the other.

John 7:24

4 There are people who resent being penalized or even criticized for their wrongs, and then will try to make a defense for their acts by quoting Matthew 7:1. If they wanted to be fair in the matter, they would consider all that Jesus said on the same subject. In the present passage, the Lord gives more specific information on the act of judging others. Appearance is from oPsis, and Thayer defines it in this passage, “The outward appearance, look.” Robinson defines it, “External appearance, show.” The Englishman’s Greek New Testament translates it by the single word “sight.” The outward or mere appearance of a situation does not always provide all the facts in the case, hence the honest thing to do is to investigate and get the whole truth. Then a judgment rendered on that basis will be a right-eous judgment, and not the kind the first part of this verse says not to do, and the kind that Matthew 7:1 says not to do.

John 7:25

5 These people of Jerusalem were local citizens, who knew about the plans of the rulers to kill Jesus. They thought they recognized Him as the victim who was to be slain, and were puzzled that he was still at liberty.

John 7:26

6 These people observed that Jesus was speaking boldly without being molested. They wondered if the rulers had concluded that Jesus was actually the Christ who was predicted by the Scriptures, and that they better not interfere with him.

John 7:27

7 There is a vein in the human mind that discounts a “home product” as being of little special value. That is why Jesus said what he did in chapter 4:44 and similar passages. It was true these people were acquainted with the earthly surroundings of Jesus as a man, and there is no information that anything of a supernatural or even unusual nature occurred in his home life. That was because his divine personality was not to be manifested until the proper time, which would be after his baptism and he was ready to enter upon his public ministry. Another thing, these people had an idea that is not explained in any work of reference that I have, that. the Messiah predicted in the Old Testament was to make his entrance into this world in some mysterious manner (which was true, but not in the way they meant), and that he would come from some unknown territory.

John 7:28

8 In the first part of this verse Jesus agrees with their statement, that they knew him and whence he had come. However, that applied only to his earthly family life, which is commented upon in the preceding paragraph. But as to his divine origin and personality, they did not know him because they did not know his Father.

John 7:29

9 The reason Jesus knew God was that he had sent his Son into the world. When Jesus came he was not in the dark as to why he had come. (See Hebrews 10:5-9.)

John 7:30

0 It seems that any reference to the divinity of Christ always stirred up the anger of the Jews. Jesus asserted again that he had come from a source with which the Jews were unacquainted. That could only mean to them that the one they were hating was claiming to be of a higher origin than they. It was more than they could stand, but they were not able to do anything about it. The explanation for it is in the words his hour was not yet come. As long as the work of Jesus was unfinished, the Father saw to it that nothing would seriously interfere with it.

John 7:31

1 The people were not all as prejudiced against Jesus as were the Jewish leaders or rulers. Seeing the miracles that he was performing, they could not understand why there was any reason for looking for another to come as the Christ. On the strength of this, many of the people believed on him.

John 7:32

2 Heard that the people murmured. The last word usually means to complain in a low or undertone kind of voice, but it does not have that meaning always. One phrase in Thayer’s definition of the original word is, “say anything in a low tone.” The people had actually expressed themselves favorably toward Jesus, but they were doing it in a subdued voice. But the Pharisees heard about it and were envious of the kindly attention that Jesus was receiving, and decided to stop his work by arresting him. The outcome of this attempt will be learned near the close of the chapter. In the meantime Jesus delivers one of his wonderful discourses, the several verses whereof will be commented upon in their order.

John 7:33

3 This was a notice that the work of Jesus on earth was about to end.

John 7:34

4 As Jesus expected to return to his Father, he meant those unbelievers would not be able to follow him, even though curiosity might prompt them to desire to.

John 7:35

5 Since these Jews did not believe that Jesus came from the presence of God in the first place, they now would not grasp the thcught that, he was going back to Him. They wondered, therefore, if he meant he was going to disappear among some people that were beyond their visible association. Dispersed refers to the Jews who were scattered throughout various Gentile countries. Smith’s Bible Dictionary says the following on the subject: “The Dispersion was the general title applied to those Jews who remained settled in foreign countries after the return from the Babylonian exile, and during the period of the second temple.”

John 7:36

6 The whole subject was baffling to the Jews of Jerusalem.

John 7:37

7 Last day, great day of the feast. The day is described in Leviticus 23:36. It is called a great day because certain religious activities were done on that day that were not done on the seven other days. Also because the closing day of any important period is regarded with special attention. The Jews had been engaged for a week, having a time of rejoicing, and enjoying the good things produced by their fields and flocks. It was hence an appropriate time for Jesus to call their attention to something else of which they might partake, that was of vastly more importance than these temporal blessings. Jesus offered to give the blessing of spiritual drink to any man who would come to him for it.

John 7:38

8 The original word for belly is defined by Thayer in this place, “The innermost part of a man, the soul, heart, as the seat of thought, feeling, choice.” Robinson defines it virtually in the same way. The pronoun his refers both to Christ and to anyone who accepts the living water that he offers. Christ is the source of living water, and if a man opens his heart or inner being (here translated belly), that stream of living water will enter therein. Then such a man in turn will become a source of that, precious water, supplying both himself and those he influences, with that which will contribute to his spiritual life and growth. This verse is the same in thought as the teaching of Jesus which he gave the woman of Samaria at the well. (See the comments on that instance in chapter 4:14.)

John 7:39

9 The living water to which Jesus had specific reference, was the spiritual instruction to be given through the kingdom of heaven that he had been promising. That instruction would require a means of delivering it to the members of the kingdom, which was to be the Holy Ghost or Spirit. But that gift was here spoken of in prospect only, for it was not the will of God that it be sent upon the disciples until Christ was glorified, which was to be after he returned to his Father.

John 7:40

0 Jesus fills so large a place in the scheme of human redemption, that it takes many terms to comprehend the various parts that he was to play. Hence he is referred to as Christ which means “anointed,” because he was to be a king. He is called Jesus which means “saviour,” because he was to save the people from their sins. And he is termed a prophet, because he was to teach and prophecy. All of these functions and characteristics were predicted of Him, in one form or another in the Old Testament. The Jews knew about these various predictions, but did not realize they referred to the same person.

For that reason we read about their mention of the different offices of Jesus as referring to separate persons. In the present verse they speak of him as the prophet, meaning the one predicted by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:18.

John 7:41

1 Others thought of Jesus as the Christ or anointed One which means king, who had been prophesied to sit on David’s throne (Acts 2:30). But some of them rejected this idea on the ground that such an important person should have a more dignified residence than one located in Galilee.

John 7:42

2 They supported their idea against Galilee by citing the scripture that said Christ was to come out of Bethlehem. Their application of this scripture was correct, but they evidently did not know that while Jesus was generally known as a Galilean, yet he was born in Bethlehem according to the prophecy.

John 7:43

3 There was a division (in sentiment) among the people. That means with regard to their attitude toward Jesus; some for and others against him.

John 7:44

4 The sentiment of some who were against Jesus was so strong they would have taken him. The original Greek for that word is defined by Thayer at this place, “To take i. e., apprehend.” He then explains his definition to mean, " a man, in order to imprison him.” Among those whose sentiments were against JESUS were doubtless the officers who had been sent out by the chief priests and Pharisees. They would have acted upon authority as far as these Jewish leaders were concerned, had they arrested Jesus. They did not do so, and their excuse to their “superiors” will be stated in verse 46. However, the Lord in Heaven was watching over his Son, and was not going to permit any actual interference with his work until it was accomplished. Hence the inspired reason why these officers did not take Jesus is given in verse 30; because his hour was not yet come.

John 7:45

5 The officers who were sent to arrest Jesus returned without him. The chief priests and Pharisees doubtless were disappointed, and called for an explanation.

John 7:46

6 The brief but significant answer was, never man spake like this man. Spake is from LALEO, and it has such a wide range of meanings that the definitions will not be quoted in full. The word includes the act of speaking with authority, information, impressiveness, and on all of the subjects pertaining to human conduct. It is no wonder, then, that these officers said what they did.

John 7:47

7 The Pharisees concluded their officers had been captured by the teaching of Jesus, instead of capturing him as they were sent to do.

John 7:48

8 It was bad enough for their officers to be thus influenced by the hated Teacher, but they thought it would be a great misfortune for any of the religious leaders to be “deceived” by him.

John 7:49

9 Knoweth not the law. The statement of Nicodemus (next verse), and their reply shows the chief priests had Jesus in mind when they used the indefinite phrase, this people. It was not Jesus, but the chief priests who did not know the law, for it was the document that made favorable predictions of the very person whom the leaders of the Jews were condemning. (See the comments on chapter 5:39.)

John 7:50

0 Being one of them. This means that Nicodemus was one of the Pharisees. Chapter 3:1 says the same thing in so many words.

John 7:51

1 All that Nicodemus insisted on was that the justice of the law be carried out in the case of Jesus. The question he, asked would have been fair, regardless of whether Jesus was a good man or not.

John 7:52

2 This verse denotes that the Pharisees accused Nicodemus of siding with Jesus. The preceding verse only called for the regular procedure of the law, therefore their objection proves they did not want to do the fair thing about Jesus. The only thing they mentioned as a basis for their condemnation of Jesus, was his humble home territory of Galilee which was usually referred to unfavorably from a social standpoint.

John 7:53

3 The meeting “broke up” without any formal action being taken against Jesus, and the people all went to their places of stay.