John 7 - The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible

7:1 Jewry. Judaea.

7:2 feast of tabernacles. A celebration of dwelling in booths, commemorated around October in memory of Israel’s journey from Egypt to the Promised Land.

7:3–5 brethren. Probably Jesus’ unbelieving half-brothers (Mark 3:21), who would be converted after Jesus’ resurrection (Acts 1:14). They wanted Jesus to perform miracles for all to see.

7:6 My time. Jesus acted based on a prophetic sense of God’s plan for His life and death (vv. 8,30; see note at 2:4).

7:7 world. Mankind fallen away from God (see note at 3:16) and full of hatred against Christ because His teaching exposed its sin (3:19–20; 15:18,22–24). This text shows that world need not include every individual, since most at that time were as yet unaware of Jesus.

7:10 not openly. Jesus went up unannounced.

7:11–13 John uses the term Jews to refer to the Jewish leaders, not to the people as a whole. Howbeit. Nevertheless. fear of the Jews. The leaders opposed Christ and excommunicated His followers from the synagogue (12:42).

7:14–15 midst of the feast. It lasted a week, and halfway through Jesus started teaching publicly. letters, having never learned? Jesus had not been formally trained as a rabbi.

7:16–17 not mine, but his. Christ’s teaching (doctrine) was given to Him by God (14:10; 17:8), not by human traditions. Instead of men’s testing Christ by His human credentials, Christ’s teaching tests men as to whether or not their will is submitted to God’s will.

7:18 A sound preacher is one who aims not for the promotion of his own reputation but for the advancement of God’s glory.

7:20 goeth about. Endeavors, tries. Many in the crowd who had come from other areas for the feast, perhaps ignorant of the leaders’ hatred for Christ (v. 1; 5:15,18), accused Him of being insane based on demonic influence (hast a devil ).

7:21 one work. Christ’s healing of the sick man at the pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath (5:1–16).

7:23 every whit whole. Restored to full health.

7:25 Those in the temple crowd who lived in Jerusalem were better informed than those from outlying places. They knew of the threat to kill Christ.

7:26 lo. An exclamation. the very Christ. Truly the Christ.

7:27 whence he is. They dismiss Christ’s claims to be their Messiah on the false supposition that he was born in Nazareth.

7:30 his hour was not yet come. Nothing could happen in Christ’s life until the divinely appointed time had arrived.

7:35 Though the crowds misunderstood Jesus’ talk of going away, not only would Gentiles be blessed by Jesus’ teaching, but so would all the ends of the world (11:52; Ps. 22:27).

7:36 manner. Kind, sort.

7:37–38 If any man thirst, let him come unto me. Christ takes up role of divine Wisdom (Prov. 1:20,23; 9:1,5) to give a glorious gospel invitation to all who hear Him (Isa. 55:1). belly. Inward parts, an idiom for the mind, heart, and soul. rivers of living water. The ceremonies of the Feast of Tabernacles included pouring out water to celebrate God’s provision of water in the wilderness (Ex. 17:1–7; Num. 20:1–13). Christ used this as a picture of the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit (3:5; 4:10,14; 6:63) flowing to and through all united to Him by faith, as promised in the scripture (Isa. 32:1–2,15; 41:18; 43:19–21; 44:3–4; Ezek. 47:1–12). To be a true Christian is to be blessed and to be a blessing to others.

7:39 Spirit. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit in His fullness did not occur until Jesus had finished His work of redemption and ascended to His throne (16:7; Acts 2:32–33).

7:40–44 out of . . . Bethlehem. See Mic. 5:2. Wrong ideas of the place of Jesus’ birth led some to reject His Messiahship.

7:46 Never man spake. The officers had been spellbound upon hearing Christ’s sublime preaching.

7:47–49 people who knoweth not the law. With breathtaking arrogance the Pharisees dismissed as cursed by God the mass of their own countrymen who had not studied in their rabbinical schools.

7:50–53 Nicodemus. See 3:1–2. His fair-minded question suggests that a work of grace was progressing in his soul. If Christ’s critics had taken the trouble to study the facts concerning Jesus’ birthplace, they would have found it to have been Bethlehem, not Galilee.

Thoughts for Personal/Family Worship: Chapter 7

1. The unbelief of Jesus’ brothers sets forth the important lesson that we can be near the truth and yet lack true faith. It is a mercy that after Christ’s resurrection we find Christ’s brothers in the company of those who believe. How is their unbelief a warning to those growing up in Christian families and churches? How is their conversion an encouragement with regard to what God can do?
2. Christ still says through the gospel, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (v. 37). He proclaims Himself to all who hear the gospel, promising that everyone who trusts in Him will receive the eternal life of God’s Spirit and become a means by which the Spirit overflows to others. Sadly, many people stumble over their pride and so reject Him. Others depend on hearsay about Christ and fail to seek the facts that confirm His Messiahship and deity. How have you responded to Christ’s call to come to Him?