Saturday January 8, 2005
“After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him. Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him, 'Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.' For neither did his brethren believe in him. Then Jesus said unto them, 'My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready. The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come.' When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee. But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, 'Where is he?' And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, 'He is a good man:' others said, 'Nay; but he deceiveth the people.' Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews."
(John 7:1-13)
Jesus continued in Galilee as the Jews of Jerusalem sought to kill Him. Six months after the feast of the Passover, mentioned in 6:4, Jesus is approached by His brethren, the sons of Mary and Joseph (Mt. 13:55-56). They wanted Jesus to join them as they went to Jerusalem for the feast of tabernacles (the Jews were to live in booths for seven days to remember their ancestors who lived for 40 years in the wilderness). They challenged our Lord to go boldly to Jerusalem and perform miracles that would give proof to all of Jesus' claims. Jesus does not yield to their pressure as He did not want to enter Jerusalem with much fanfare of a crowd. He realized that, like the crowd, His earthly brethren did not believe. Later when Jesus went to the Cross, they were no where to be found as John was told to care for His mother, Mary (19: 25-27). It wasn't until sometime after the resurrection that His brethren were saved. They joined the disciples after His ascension in the upper room of prayer (Acts 1:14).
After their departure, Jesus went up to Jerusalem, "not openly", but quietly as His "time is not yet full come."
Now, before going, I would like to comment on verse eight. While not wanting to weigh-in to the versions debate, it does seem to this writer that this is a point where the King James Version, it’s variants, (and a few others, i.e., NIV, HCSB), has a better reading, and makes more sense than some other versions:
(John 7:8) Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up YET unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come.
Some versions simply render it like: “I am not going to the feast.” This makes less sense because He did, in fact, go to the feast. To add the “yet” removes any implication that the Lord was being deceptive.
“After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him. Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him, 'Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.' For neither did his brethren believe in him. Then Jesus said unto them, 'My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready. The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come.' When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee. But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, 'Where is he?' And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, 'He is a good man:' others said, 'Nay; but he deceiveth the people.' Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews."
(John 7:1-13)
Jesus continued in Galilee as the Jews of Jerusalem sought to kill Him. Six months after the feast of the Passover, mentioned in 6:4, Jesus is approached by His brethren, the sons of Mary and Joseph (Mt. 13:55-56). They wanted Jesus to join them as they went to Jerusalem for the feast of tabernacles (the Jews were to live in booths for seven days to remember their ancestors who lived for 40 years in the wilderness). They challenged our Lord to go boldly to Jerusalem and perform miracles that would give proof to all of Jesus' claims. Jesus does not yield to their pressure as He did not want to enter Jerusalem with much fanfare of a crowd. He realized that, like the crowd, His earthly brethren did not believe. Later when Jesus went to the Cross, they were no where to be found as John was told to care for His mother, Mary (19: 25-27). It wasn't until sometime after the resurrection that His brethren were saved. They joined the disciples after His ascension in the upper room of prayer (Acts 1:14).
After their departure, Jesus went up to Jerusalem, "not openly", but quietly as His "time is not yet full come."
Now, before going, I would like to comment on verse eight. While not wanting to weigh-in to the versions debate, it does seem to this writer that this is a point where the King James Version, it’s variants, (and a few others, i.e., NIV, HCSB), has a better reading, and makes more sense than some other versions:
(John 7:8) Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up YET unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come.
Some versions simply render it like: “I am not going to the feast.” This makes less sense because He did, in fact, go to the feast. To add the “yet” removes any implication that the Lord was being deceptive.