John 7 - NIV Quest Study Bible

The Festival of Tabernacles was a seven-day festival celebrated in September or October (Lev 23:33 – 43). It memorialized Israel’s journey from Egypt to Canaan and gave thanks for the rich harvest of the promised land. It was therefore a time of great joy. The festival’s name was derived from the practice of living in shelters, or booths, made of branches during the celebration.Yes, Jesus did have brothers (technically, half brothers); they were sons of Joseph and Mary (Mk 6:3). Since they grew up with Jesus and were familiar with him, they found it hard to believe he was more than a human being. While they couldn’t deny his power, they failed at first to grasp his true identity and destiny. They wrongly assumed he wanted recognition and political advancement.Jesus’ answer may have been cryptic (as his comments often were), but it was not deceptive. When Jesus said, My time has not yet fully come (v. 8), he was referring to the fact that he was being guided by his Father’s timing and will. His brothers urged him to reveal himself openly at the festival, according to their timing (vv. 3 – 4). Jesus refused to go with his brothers, but he never said he wasn’t going at all (see the NIV text note). Instead, he went later and in secret (v. 10).Many influential people hated Jesus and were trying to kill him (v. 1). The more openly Jesus taught, the more intense the opposition became, and Jesus knew that it was not yet time for him to die (v. 6).Jesus challenged their authority. He disregarded their teachings on the Sabbath (Mk 3:1 – 6) and upset their way of doing things in the temple (Jn 2:14 – 16). The fact that Jesus claimed equality with God (5:17 – 18) infuriated them. But perhaps what they feared the most was Jesus’ popularity. The Jewish leaders were proud of their spiritual status and elevated position among the people. Jesus was a direct threat to them.When Jesus said this, the people did not understand he was speaking about his Father (8:26 – 27). Jesus spoke ambiguously at times to keep his opponents and critics off balance. Sometimes when Jesus referred to my Father or the Father, the results threatened to prematurely curtail his ministry (5:17 – 18; 10:30 – 33). See the article Why did Jesus speak in parables? (Mt 13:10 – 13).The religious leaders authorized the temple guards to arrest Jesus. They could arrest anyone causing a disturbance or breaking any of the ceremonial laws, and because there were hundreds of trivial laws, it was almost impossible not to break at least one of them. But these temple guards apparently could find no reason, or at least no suitable occasion, to arrest Jesus (v. 46). According to John, this was because Jesus’ hour had not yet come (v. 30). See What hour was Jesus waiting for? (2:4).In this passage Jesus captured the intent and meaning of Isaiah 12:2 – 3; 44:3 – 4; 58:11. Because God’s Word stands forever, he was able to call on an ancient promise of Scripture and make it immediately available to his followers.The Prophet here refers to the one foretold by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15.Perhaps some did not know, but it is more likely that this was John’s way of highlighting an example of sinful disbelief (1:10 – 11). People have all the evidence they need from Jesus’ history (3:13), works (2:11; 10:37 – 38) and words (8:46). Yet many still choose to reject him. See Didn’t the Jews know about the miraculous events surrounding Jesus’ birth? (6:41 – 42).They didn’t want to believe. If they had, it would have undermined their elaborate religious hierarchy and destroyed their traditions. To them, Jesus represented the lower class of society, and they considered themselves far too sophisticated to follow him. In contrast, others such as Simeon and Anna seemed ready and willing to believe (Lk 2:25 – 38).Nicodemus, who had visited Jesus earlier (3:1), was now questioned by his fellow council members for speaking up on Jesus’ behalf. Nicodemus later assisted in arranging for the proper burial of Jesus’ body (19:39 – 40).While this story is not in the most ancient manuscripts of John’s Gospel, from its early days it was likely passed on with the rest of John’s Gospel through an oral tradition. Many third-century Christian writers refer to it, and it was also included in a sixth-century manuscript of the Gospel of John. The story was subsequently added to the Latin translation and later versions because it was deemed an authentic and truthful witness to Jesus’ compassionate nature.