One Year Journey Through the New Testament
John 7
Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!
Christ’s Brothers Do Not Believe
1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. 2 Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. 3 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. 4 For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5 For even His brothers did not believe in Him.
6 Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. 8 You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.” 9 When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.
(John 7:1–9, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- Jesus’ own family ridiculed and doubted Him. They tried to get Him to go to Judea (the region around Jerusalem) to do more great works, saying that He did not have time to avoid the area. The Pharisees and other religious leaders sought to kill Him.
- Jesus told them that His time was not yet come. The world hated Him because He called out sin. He did not leave Galilee to go to the feast.
Christ Secretly Goes to the Feast
10 But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. 11 Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, “Where is He?” 12 And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said, “He is good”; others said, “No, on the contrary, He deceives the people.” 13 However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews.
(John 7:10–13, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- However, Christ did eventually go to the feast in secret.
- Everyone seemed to be looking for Him, but He was hidden for a time.
Christ’s Authority from the Father
14 Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. 15 And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”
16 Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. 19 Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?”
20 The people answered and said, “You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?”
21 Jesus answered and said to them, “I did one work, and you all marvel. 22 Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 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? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
(John 7:14–24, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- In the middle of the feast, Jesus went into the temple (hidden no more) and taught.
- He gave credit for His teaching to His Father, who sent Him.
- He spoke of the Jews desire to kill Him, to which the common Jews in the temple replied ignorance.
- He reminded them that the Pharisees sought to kill Him over healing on the Sabbath, even thought they would circumcise a baby boy on the Sabbath to observe their traditions.
Christ’s Origin from the Father
25 Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to kill? 26 But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ? 27 However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.”
28 Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, “You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. 29 But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.”
30 Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 31 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?”
(John 7:25–31, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- People marveled at Jesus’ boldness to teach in peril of His life. They also scoffed at His claims to be Messiah, for His origin was known.
- Jesus claimed again that He was from the Father, and they sought to take Him to arrest Him, but they could not. They then believed based on the signs He did.
Christ’s Departure to the Father
32 The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him. 33 Then Jesus said to them, “I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me. 34 You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come.”
35 Then the Jews said among themselves, “Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What is this thing that He said, ‘You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come’?”
(John 7:32–36, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- Jesus told them that He would be with them just a little longer, and then they would not find Him. While puzzled over this statement, they thought perhaps He would go worldwide to teach the Jews dispersed abroad.
Christ Reveals the “Living Water”
37 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. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 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.
(John 7:37–39, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- On the culmination day of the feast, Jesus declared that He was the answer to the spiritual thirst of all people. He invited them to come to Him for living water.
- He spoke of the Holy Spirit.
Israel is Divided over Christ
40 Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.”
But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people because of Him. 44 Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.
(John 7:40–44, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- The people’s opinion of Christ was divided.
- Some were ready to follow Him as Messiah.
- Other’s questioned that He came from Galilee.
- Again, they tried to arrest Him, but they could not lay their hands on Him.
The Sanhedrin is Confused Over Christ
45 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?”
46 The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this Man!”
47 Then the Pharisees answered them, “Are you also deceived? 48 Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.”
50 Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?”
52 They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.”
53 And everyone went to his own house.
(John 7:45–53, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- The Sanhedrin, the great council of Israel, were angry when their officers did not bring Jesus in for judgment.
- Those assigned the task were in awe of the things He did.
- Even Nicodemus suggested that all men deserve a fair trial.
- They accused Him of being from Galilee and declared that not prophet has ever come from Galilee.
- The division was deep over Jesus. Just like today.
- Be on the right side of the opinions of Jesus. Believe and declare His glory. The world needs to hear about the Savior Messiah.
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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.
Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page. Another blog will be posted each weekday at 6:00 a.m.
Devoted To You 