“A Journey with John” Day 15: A secret mission becomes a public declaration (John 7)
Last time, our guide took us to hear a very special sermon from Jesus, in which He boldly proclaimed that He was the true bread from heaven, and that His body and blood are the food that lead to eternal life. Many of Jesus’ disciples found this so offensive and hard to understand, that they left following after Him. Jesus gave the Twelve the opportunity to do the same, but they remained with Him, believing that He was Who He said He was.
Before heading out on today’s excursion, let’s see the new person to whom we were introduced last time:
>Judas Iscariot – In John 6:71 we find the first mention of his name and are also told that he was the one who would betray the Lord.
Well, fellow journeyers, let’s catch up with our guide:
We start today’s excursion in Galilee, where Jesus is now staying, because the Jews were seeking to kill him in Judea. We see that the Feast of Tabernacles is at hand and Jesus’ brothers are going to it. As well, His brothers heckle Jesus, because they do not believe in Him. Jesus says He will not go up to the feast because His time has not yet come. However, when the brothers get on their way, Jesus goes secretly to Jerusalem for the feast. The Jewish leaders—already at the feast—are looking for Him and there is much disagreement among all of the people as to whether Jesus is good or bad. In the middle of the feast, Jesus goes up to the temple and is teaching, informing the people that what He speaks, is what the Father has given Him to speak. He also chastises them for condemning Him for healing a man on the Sabbath, as they also break the Sabbath by circumcising on the Sabbath. Because of the power of His teaching, many of the people are beginning to consider that He truly is Who He said He is. The Pharisees, having heard this, determine all the more to take Jesus in, sending officers to do exactly that. However, because of Jesus’ powerful teaching, they did not bring Him in, causing the Jews to become enraged. On the last day of the feast, Jesus cries out in the presence of the multitude in attendance, that He has living water; and He’s willing to give it to whoever will come to Him to receive it. Our guide tells us that He is speaking of the Holy Spirit, Who had not yet been given, because Jesus has not yet been glorified. When the Jews become angry concerning the fact that Jesus has not yet been taken in, Nicodemus reminds them that they are not to judge a man, before giving him a chance to defend himself. Of course, they rebuff Nicodemus‘s premise, saying that no prophet has ever risen out of Galilee.
Our highlighted verses for today:
“Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. For even His brothers did not believe in Him. Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.” Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, “Where is He?” Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?” Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? And many of the people believed in Him, and said, “When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?” The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him. Then Jesus said to them, “I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me. You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come.” On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. So there was a division among the people because of Him. Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?” They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.””
John 7:2-3, 5-8, 11, 14-16, 23, 31-34, 37-39, 43, 50-52 NKJV
Question for reflection:
How could different people all hear the same thing from Jesus, yet some believe Him, and others not only don’t believe in Him, but want to see Him killed?
Next time, we’re going to meet another wayward woman and see what happens to her.