John 7 - NIV Bible Study Commentary

John now gives an extended summary of various discourses of Jesus at the temple. We see a wide range of responses among the people and the Jewish leaders to the claims of Jesus. John begins with an inside look at Jesus from the point of view of his own brothers, who “did not believe in him” (7:1 - 9). There is a mocking tone to their remarks. Before he began to speak publicly at the temple, the crowds had already formed opinions about Jesus. Some said he was a good man, others said he “deceives the people” (v.12). In the midst of the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus began to speak and the diverse responses multiplied.

On repeated occasions Jesus addressed the question of the source of his teaching, stressing each time that his message came from God and that he himself had come from God (7:16 - 19, 28 - 29; 8:12 - 20, 48 - 59). It is on these themes that the discourses concluded, at which time the people “picked up stones to stone him” (8:59). Jesus also defended healing on the Sabbath (7:21 - 24), in which he called for the use of right judgment in making such decisions (v.24).

Another topic in these summaries is Jesus’ departure to be with the Father (7:33 - 36; 8:21 - 30). This is coupled with the notion that the “time” for his departure had been definitively set but had not yet come (7:6 - 8, 30). It is not surprising that those who heard him were continually perplexed by this, though we, the readers, have little difficulty understanding him. The prologue (1:1 - 18) has told us that Jesus was with the Father in eternity, and the rest of the book points us to the resurrection.

Throughout Jesus’ discourses, the opinions remained divided about his identity (7:40 - 52). Jesus turned the tables on his opponents and questioned their identity. They claimed to be the children of Abraham, but that would be true only if they did the works that Abraham did (8:31 - 41). But if they did the works of the devil, they ran the risk of becoming children of the devil (vv.42 - 47).

During this time, the teachers of the law attempted to trap Jesus in a matter of legal interpretation. They brought to him a woman caught in adultery (7:53 - 8:11). Their question was whether the stringent requirements of the Mosaic Law should be applied in their day. Jesus’ answer was straightforward. Although the law should be carried out, it could not justly be applied. Its administration required a kind of righteousness that did not exist in Israel at that time: “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” (8:7).